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Vasarely …Naissances, 1968

 

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Galerie Der Spiegel in Koln, made a 1968 a memorable publication with Victor Vasarely. Naissances is such a book you will cherish for a long time and find it with each viewing more interesting. The book contains one card whcih can be held behind the tranparent printed pages making each page a different kinetic work of art, plus the book contains two signed and numbered serigraphs which make it even more valuable. I tried to find another copy on the interenet, but it looks like i am the only bookseller who can offer this very special book now. It is not cheap… but i can assure you it is fascinating!

https://ftn-books.com/products/victor-vasarely-naissances-ltd-ed-450-incl-2-signed-serigraphs-1968-mint

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Otto Egberts … SCHAAMSTREKEN vol. 3

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Here is the third volume within the series Schaamstreken by Otto Egberts. For me the most spectacular art book ever! It has a Bacon like quality…poetic, raw, explicit. Beautifully executed small paintings on German and Swedish old maps. Because of the thick paper used for these maps these paintings feel like real paintings , bound in goat leather. The scenes are personal and explicit, but above all …theye never loose their artistic quality, making this for me the ultimate artist book. enjoy the pages of this volume no. 3 and look closely at the photo which i took from the very first page. The scene explicit, but it has a dream like quality.  Next week the last volume within this series which is again totally different.

measures : 39,5 x 10,9 cm.

contains : 30 pages plus goat leather cover

contains : 11 “paintingss” on old geographical maps spread over 2 pages and 2 paintings on  a singular page

signed and dated, 2000 by Otto Egberts at the end page in pencil.

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Wessel Couzijn (1912-1984)…iI

 

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One of the most impressive publications i have in my inventory at www.ftn-books.com is a book in a limited edition of only 75 copies . Book design by Willem Sandberg and filled with 12 etchings ( signed/numbered ) by Wessel Couzijn.

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The book was published in 1966, when abstract expressionism was at its height. Great quality etchings by Couzijn who beside a painter/ graphic artist was one of the most gifted sculptors from his generation. A multi talented artist which was recognized by Sandberg who admired him and gave him many times a platform to show his latest art in the Stedelijk Museum. This publication “iI” is rarely offered therefore i am proud to show in this blog the complete set of etchings from this rare and extremely important publication. Enjoy!

 

 

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Greg Gorman (1949)

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If ever there was a celebrity photographer with a personal approach to his subjects Gorman is for me second best after Koos Breukel. To get an impression of his many excellent and sometimes even superb photographs please visit his site first and then continue reading.

http://www.gormanphotography.com

Greg Gorman’s work documents that peculiar obsession of the 20th century celebrity. Each shot, a testament to the individual character, gives a picture of human nature in its infinite range. For me a photograph is most successful when it doesn’t answer all the questions, Somewhere it must be an enigma . Breukel excels in that area and for me Gorman has the same qualities .

For over three decades, Greg Gorman has continued to master the art of photography. From personality portraits and advertising campaigns to magazine layouts and fine art work, Gorman has developed and showcased a discriminating and unique style in his profession. There are several books by Gorman available at www.ftn-books.com

, including the special edition of INSIDE LIFE, which contains an original signed photograph of a male nude body.

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Rhythm by Peter Pontiac and Ray Ahn

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Because i have a lifetime admiration for Peter Pontiac i always have carried a large inventory on the artist, but what i neglected to buy for my collection is the “Rhythm” book by Peter Pontiac which has a great part of his comics in one publication. Because of an order by an Australian customer i found one with a colleague and i must say i am very impressed with this publication. It shows in over 400 pages exactly what makes his work stand out from others from his generation. Bold, controversial and in many cases it shows the raw world the main character lives in. Beside the stories this book is beautifully published and does grace to the stories by Pontiac. I told my customer that i had found the book for his collection and beside the fact that he was delighted he pointed out an Australian publication on Ray Ahn / THE ART OF RAY AHN which is still available in a limited edition of only 200 copies at www.starmanbooks.com  for Australian Dollar 375,–

You can view an unboxing video over here:

https://www.facebook.com/starmanbooks/?fref=ts

Of course other Pontiac publications are available at www.ftn-books.com

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Julie de Graag (1877-1924), Two masterpieces

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Anna Julia de Graag was born in Gorinchem and followed her art education at the Koninklijke Academie voor Beeldende Kunsten with Aarts and Bremmer. This H.P. Bremmer would later become the most important art advisor for mrs. Kroller Muller and was from the beginning of her career the personwho guided her into the world of art. Julie de Graag had a very personal way of depicting everyday subjects. Stylized, thick outlines, nature brought back to its essence. Julie de Graag was first and foremost a graphic artist. Her skills were superb and this resulted in great , beautiful small works of art. Her woodcuts i consider to be the very best and most beautiful i know of.

For me it started with a very small , but delicate exhibition in the Gemeentemuseum some 15 years ago and since i have been looking for these true masterpieces. There are not many of them , because Julie de Graag , had a small oeuvre and not many of these remain,because there had been a fire in her studio in which many of these works were lost. Furthermore she had to stop working in the early 20’s because she fell physically and mentally ill . and because of this illness and her weakening she committed suicide at the age of 46 . A sad life with beautiful exquisite art as a result.

It has been a while, but i am fortunate to have found another 2 excellent examples of her art and skills and both are for sale at www.ftn-books.com. For Julie de Graag these are large woodcuts ( approx. 23 x 19 cm) and best of all both are signed in the block and in pencil and in excellent condition.

 

 

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James Turrell…a magic place in the dunes

Nearby the city of Den Haag, close by the beach of Kijkduin you can visit one of the most important works of art in the Netherlands. Stroom has commissioned James Turrell some 20 years ago to realize a Turrell masterpiece in the dunes of Kijkduin titles CELESTIAL VAULT. You can enter through a tunnel a beautiful shaped bowl covered with grass , with in the middle a stone bench, which functions as a bed. When laid down, you can experience the serene surroundings and look at the sky, which of course is always different. Dutch landscapes are renowned for their skies and because of the focus on the sky when you are lying down you can experience this for the full 100%

An absolute must for the Turrell admirers and good to know that the CELESTIAL VAULT has been restored to its original splendor some 5 years ago.

www.ftn-books.com has some nice titles on Turrell including the one on this masterpeice in the dunes. This one is signed and from a limited signed edition. Beautiful publication and today for the special price USD 150.00

 

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Hamish Fulton – the man with one of the most beautiful signatures in Modern Art

The year is 1991. The occasion is the opening of the exhibition on Hamish Fulton. Curated by Rudi Fuchs and Franz Kaiser. The Haags Gemeentemuseum organized this excellent exhibition which was accompanied by a publication ONE HUNDRED WALKS ,which still is one of my personal favorites and certainly is one of the most beautiful books in my collection. The book was designed by Hamish Fulton himself and Gracia Lebbink was asked to do the graphic layout and production. The result….. an artist book which is one of the best ever published.

The book was delivered ( as almost always) just a few hours before the opening of the exhibition and sold during this opening. The next day i encountered Fulton in the corridor of the museum and complimented him on the book and asked if he could sign my personal copy.  No problem….. the book was signed and i had another souvenir for my collection, but then it occurred to me that the idea of signing some of these could be profitable for the museum and i asked him if he could sign and number a series of 20 copies to be sold in our museum bookstore.

The friendly and sympathetic person he is , he did not even think about it and asked for the 20 copies to sign them. Later that afternoon he came to the library , set himself at a desk and signed the 20 copies , which were numbered  1 to 20. The signature he placed in the books is still one of my most admired signatures in Modern Art. The way it is placed on the page and dated, plus the story behind it makes this still very special to me. The books ( signed and unsigned version) are still available at :

www.ftn-books.com

and

https://ftn-books.com/products/hamish-fulton-one-hundred-walks-1991-signed-numbered-mint

both highly collectable items and real artist books.

 

wilfried