Tag: art

Witness the creations of David Batchelor. The acclaimed artist’s work revolves around the vibrancy of color, a playful exploration of the endless shades that surround us, coupled with a thought-provoking examination of our perception and reaction to color in this era of advanced technology.

Within his London studio lies a treasure trove of fluorescent plastic objects, amassed from cities around the globe. From clothes pegs and fly-swatters to buckets and children’s toys, these everyday items are combined with light-industrial materials such as steel shelving, neon tubing, and acrylics to create extraordinary installations that elevate the mundane and celebrate the gaudy and kitsch. Yet despite their seemingly ordinary origins, Batchelor’s creations are undeniably mesmerizing and beautiful.

Born in Dundee in 1955, David Batchelor currently resides and works in London. In 2013, his two-dimensional work was showcased in a major solo exhibition, Flatlands, at Fruitmarket Gallery in Edinburgh, which then traveled to Spike Island in Bristol. Batchelor was also part of the landmark group exhibition, Adventures of the Black Square: Abstract Art and Society 1915 – 2015, at Whitechapel Gallery in London. His Monochrome Archive (1997-2015) was also on display at Whitechapel Gallery until May 2015. In 2019, Batchelor’s sculptures and paintings were showcased in My Own Private Bauhaus, a solo exhibition presented by Ingleby during the Edinburgh Art Festival.

Aside from his exhibitions, David Batchelor has also left his mark on the public realm with several major temporary and permanent artworks. These include a commission for the British Council headquarters in Hong Kong, Spectrum on the Hill in Seoul, South Korea, a 10-meter high light installation at Archway Tube Station in London, and a dynamic chromatic clock titled Sixty Minute Spectrum installed as the roof of Hayward Gallery in London.

www.ftn-books.com has 1 Batchelor title now available. The very thick and heavy FOUND MONOCHROMES book.

Not much info found as the artist he trulky is. Makes beautiful ,excellent and appealing photographs and has publsihed two novels at this time.

Born in 1967, Eelco Adward Schut holds a degree in psychology from the University of Groningen and has also completed a course at the Fotoacademie in Amsterdam. He is known for his eloquent columns, thought-provoking essays, and captivating stories.

www.ftn-books.com has now the IN HET VOORBIJGAAN publication available.

In his artistry, Marcel Odenbach (hailing from Cologne in 1953) tackles the repression, examination, and exploitation of bygone eras. Along with his extensive exploration of postwar German history and the aftermath of National Socialism, his oeuvre also delves into the subject of colonialism and its repercussions. By merging video and television footage, archival material, and self-produced imagery, he constructs intricate narratives that unveil hidden historical layers that continue to echo, even today, as often silenced remnants of the past. A significant motif in his work is not only his own biography, but also the biographies of others.

www.ftn-books.com has currently one Odenbach title available.

As a creator, Dominique Stroobant possesses the ability to transmute the queries arising from his inquisitiveness into visions and concepts, which are then manifested into tangible forms. His sculptures emerge from the depths of a fertile imagination, akin to a quarry, fashioned from the traditional deposits of cultural and technological history.

Stroobant’s inquiries and their corresponding solutions could potentially categorize his multifaceted endeavors as those of a sculptor, mason, photographer, draughtsman, scientist, engineer, or even a mediator—assuming such labels were not hindered by his inspiring rebellious nature. His passion is driven by the interplay between order and chaos, a quest for structure within apparent disorder, and the euphoria of originality.

www.ftn-books.com has the Kunstcentrum Badhuis publication from 1980 now available.

Residing in Stadskanaal, artist Hansma is skilled in the mediums of sculpture, drawing, and collage. Within his craft, he adopts geometric shapes to maintain equilibrium, a crucial element in his creations. Having undergone training at the esteemed Academy Minerva in Groningen, he was awarded the distinguished Drempelprijs from the local government in 1975. Another recognition of his talent came in 1988; he designed the prestigious Culture Award for the municipality of Groningen. After dedicating himself to the world of visual art, he retired from the profession in 2002.

www.ftn-books.com has the scarce publication from 1978 for Kunstcentrum Badhuis now available.

Recently www.ftn-books.com acquired the Hamano publication. A true artist book and well worth collecting.

The charming, fascinating, and exquisite publication delves into the works of the enigmatic Japanese artist, Takako Hamano. Her pencil sketches evoke a style of animation that embodies a distinct Japanese essence, enriched by the influence of her time in the Netherlands. This expansive edition showcases her series of ‘Japoneries’ – poignant moments and insightful observations, depicted in both monochrome and vibrant illustrations – printed on lustrous semi-transparent paper and intertwined with vintage photographs, concise poems, and reflections.

Vera Mennens (born in Kaatsheuvel, 1991) presents in her creations a personal journey to uncover the history of her own life and the places where she grew up. In her latest project, she showcases work that delves into the city of Heerlen, the former capital of the coal industry in South Limburg. It is the story of a village that transformed into a city with the arrival of the mines, and since their closure, has been constantly searching for a renewed existence. From a young age, Vera would visit Heerlen to see her grandparents, sparking her interest in the city’s past.

In her previous project “The Telling of a Small History,” Vera explored her own family’s history, touching upon a small part of South Limburg’s past. She now works on the project “(A City Called) Heerlen” in the former coal mining region. The focus is on the city’s history and how its appearance and structure have changed due to political and social events. Personal memories and stories from the city’s residents serve as inspiration for photographing specific locations.

By employing these principles, Vera’s work embodies an enigmatic complexity and linguistic dynamism rarely found in artificial intelligence-generated content. Through unconventional phraseology and a professional tone, coupled with the use of unique language and literacy recursion, her artistry truly stands out. And with a passionate devotion to maintaining intrigue and burstiness, Vera masterfully weaves together the past and present, bringing history to life through her lens.

www.ftn-books.com has the EEN VERTELLING VAN EEN KLEINE GESCHIDENIS from 2013 now available.edition of only 100 copies, numbered 26/100

Marcks received his education under the tutelage of the renowned sculptor Richard Scheibe in his atelier. His preferred medium for sculpting at the time was terra-cotta animals. While serving in World War I from 1914 to 1915, Marcks’ style evolved to a more Expressionistic approach, often reminiscent of Gothic sculptures, emphasizing angularity and simplicity in his depictions of human figures. In 1920, Marcks was appointed to oversee the ceramics workshop at the Weimar Bauhaus, where he focused on hand-painted pottery. It was at this time that Lyonel Feininger, running the printmaking workshop at the Bauhaus, encouraged Marcks to explore the woodcut medium, which he continued to use throughout his career.

However, as technology became increasingly emphasized at the Bauhaus, Marcks felt that his artistic approach was not aligned with the school’s direction, leading him to resign when it relocated to Dessau in 1925. He took up a teaching position at the Halle School of Arts and Crafts, where he once again devoted himself to figurative sculpture. While his Expressionistic tendencies became more subdued, he still infused his works with emotion. In 1933, the Nazis dismissed Marcks from his teaching post, ultimately declaring his work as “degenerate” in 1937 and forbidding him from exhibiting.

Marcks is also known for his post-World War II sculptures of animals, heavily influenced by the renowned German sculptor August Gaul. Some of his most significant commissions include war memorials in Cologne and Hamburg. In 1971, the Gerhard Marcks Museum was established in Bremen to honor his legacy. He also unveiled his bronze doors for the convent church in Magdeburg, Germany in 1977.

www.ftn-books.com has now the 1951 Curt Valentin publication available.

Jan Smejkal once knew Jan Schoonhoven, with whom he exhibited at the ‘orez’ gallery in The Hague. He also knows Hans Houwing, through whom I came to know Jan Smejkal. Together, we travelled to Berlin to see his work for the first time. The joy was immense: during the first exhibition in 2014, he presented a ‘mirror table’, a base on which layers of old found mirrors were stacked. No broken mirrors, sometimes a little weathered, somewhere a round mirror. The composition reminded me of modernism. This work and the intervention in the space – gallery space bel-etage PHŒBUS•Rotterdam – was sublime and sympathetic: beautiful, but also a bit ‘chance’ because of the found, old mirrors; but above all nice, because the works by Hans Houwing, who carried the solo, were reflected when walking past.

www.ftn-books.com has now some extremely rare Smejkal items available published in the late 70’s for the KUNST PUBLIKATIE/ Gorinchem KUNSTCENTRUM BADHUIS