lens – FTN-blog

Posted on 11.08.202313.06.2023 by ftnbooks — Leave a comment

Edouard Pignon (1905-1993)

Born in 1905, the son of a militant miner in Bully-les-Mines, near Lens, Edouard Pignon had humble origins that stood him in good stead at the height of the French Communist Party’s prestige in the 1950s. He left his village for Paris in 1927, and worked in the Renault and Citroen car factories, attending evening classes at the Universite Ouvriere in painting and sculpture.

In 1931, when the effects of the Wall Street Crash were taking their toll on the French art market and depression loomed, he joined the Association des Ecrivains et des Artistes Revolutionnaires. Here, in the politicised climate of the Popular Front, which inspired Pignon’s 1936 Portrait of Robespierre, young autodidacts such he and his friend Boris Taslit … Displaying 750 of 5843 characters.

www.ftn-books.com has several Pignon publications available .

Posted on 28.02.201922.01.2019 by ftnbooks — Leave a comment

Pjeroo Roobjee (1945)

Another forgotten artist who had his moments at the begiining of his career is Pjeero Roobjee. In the early Seventies he had his first exhibitions and until the beginning of the Eighties his work was presented frequently at renowned galleries. Just after his presentation for Belgium at the Venice Biennale in 1980 , his name almost disappeared from the exhibition calendars and only some of his literature was published .

But see….he is still working and with the same approach to painting he created his works even after 1980

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It is a pity since his approach to painting was of a child like perspective, but with inserting very mature elements, he created fairy tales for adults on canvas. His works were sold through Lens fine art and d’Theeboom, which catalogues are available at www.ftn-books.com

Posted on 27.04.201820.02.2018 by ftnbooks — Leave a comment

Pjeroo Robjee (1945)

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The Flemmish Pjeroo Robjee is first of all a writer and secondly a painter. As a writer he is considered to be the Flemmish James Joyce. This is not what i want to write about, but i want to introduce Robjee as a painter to you. Robjee has followed some day courses in painting and started to paint in a very personal way, inventing his own style . What does it look like?… i can not describe it , but i encounter something of illustrations in his paintings. The use of Pop Art colors combined with the simplicity of Botero. Shake it and the result is Robjee.

This mix of styles resulted in an invitation by the Belgian gallery Lens Fine art , where he had at least 2 exhibitions in 1975 and 1977. Both publications with these Robjee shows are available at www.ftn-books.com.

I really do not know what to think about these Robjee paintings, but somehow they fascinate me and must be considered as an important cultural heritage for Belgium since Robjee is an important writer who had also another quality…. he made some great timeless paintings that still fascinate.

Posted on 03.12.201711.02.2018 by ftnbooks — Leave a comment

Marc Mendelson (1915-2013)

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Born in the UK, but worked and lived for most of his life in Belgium. He is considered to be part of the Cobra mouvement, but was not a participating member of the mouvement. Many people know his work without knowing that it is by Mendelson, because the mural in Brussel’s subwaystation “Parc” is by his hand. The development of his style and work is something special because he started as a figurative painter, became an abstract one and for the final part of his life he became a figurative painter again. Personally i stumbled upon his works , because at one time i could buy a large book on him in a remainder sale and became fascinated by his abstract works and maybe i can convince you with this blog too of his qualities as a painter and to read something more about Mendelson after seeing these beautiful abstract paintings.