3D List: Amsterdam art & Galleries Week #4

By. Daniel Gould

So, how many exhibitions did you attend last weekend? I mean, the weather could not have been better for moving about the city and on Sunday you didn't have to contend with cars. It was easy living! You say...."Yes, I made a few shows..." Well the next question is, did you buy anything? There were red dots in evidence though not a lot but, just the same, a few is better than none. Of course, this coming weekend you can make up for it and buy something....

INDEX:

Bits and Pieces:

Museum Review: Hermitage*Amsterdam: Caspar David Friederich

foam: Miyako Ishiuchi

What You Missed Last Week

What Is Happening This Week:

BITS & PIECES:

3D gets e-mail: Three comments came in from last weeks list. This from Fret, "Wonderful!" And Claire T. said, "Nice 3D as always." However, Paul K replied "Do NOT [sic] send me your tedious, overwrought pieces of journalism on the Amsterdam art world." Hmmm, well, okay, if you feel that way...Actually, I looked up the word "overwrought" and the meaning is: "in a state of nervous agitation through over-excitement." Yeah, that's the way I see the Amsterdam art scene. Is there anything wrong with that?

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Are you an American expat who is Bushed by Bush's policies? Express your opinion by voting: www.VoteFrom Abroad.org will tell you how.

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Last week Sotheby's auctioned off 223 works by Damien Hirst's at his self-sponsored event. The result? The envelope, please: total selling price was $200,700,000. There is money in dead fish and cows!

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I mentioned, in a previous list, that Amsterdam has a museum for just about everything, but then again, 3D isn't always right. It seems that Paris is trying to out do our fine city by opening a sewer museum. Yes, SEWERS; and guided tours, through the city's sewage system, are available. What a revolting development that is...

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I talked with a few gallery holders that attended the Utrecht Open Art Fair. The sale results were mixed. Everyone mentioned a gallery that sold around 200,000 euro worth of pictures, but on the other side of the coin, there were more than a few galleries that sold nothing. One Amsterdam gallery was pleased to have sold eight pieces.

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I attended an exhibition for four Mexican artists on Sunday (see below for review) and was treated to the art of Mexican cooking. REAL Mexican cooking. The "hapjes" were not the ordinary. In fact, there were two types, a sweet and a sour and each came wrapped in a corn cob husk. A green salsa sauce (made from miniature green "tomatoes") complimented each of them. I asked the lady serving them if she was the cook? She was; and she caters. She didn't have any calling cards ("I'm Mexican. I forgot them!"), but she gave me her phone number: 06.23.78.80.167

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Last week, 3D didn't include the Petersburg Project Space web-site because he didn't have it. Roland C. was kind enough to send it on: www.petersburgprojectspace.org.

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Also, someone e-mail asking for Ferry Reijnders web-site, they had liked the sound of 3Ds' review: www.ferryreijnders.exto.nl

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At an opening, last weekend, someone conveyed the sad news of the death of Nan Hoover, an American conceptual artist. If you didn't know her by name you may recall her by sight. She always wore black, a man's type of hat and wasn't very tall. And while she was diminutive in size, her work was monumental. Her black expressionistic charcoal drawings expressed light dramatically as did her video work. She will be missed.

MUSEUM REVIEW:

Hermitage Amsterdam (Nieuwe Herengracht 14) has opened the exhibition: Caspar David Friedrich & the German Romantic Landscape. Actually, the show's title is a misnomer since there are only nine oils and six drawings hanging by Friedrich. However, that is the complete collection of the Hermitage St Petersburg. But the small sampling of his work is flanked by German artist that came before him and afterwards. Thus it is valuable in presenting an overview of the 19th century German romantic school. It allows us to view those that influenced him and those that were influenced by him.

Friedrich broke with the German tradition of painting where man is no longer part of nature, but one who contemplates it. The figures in his compositions emulate those who view the canvas in that they look at the landscape before them much in the same matter as we do.

From a distance, his technique appears to be meticulous. But viewed up close we see that that's an illusion. He did not finely define anything whether it was people, swans, tree or ocean waves. There is a vagueness in his figurative description of the subject matter. However, his use of color and command of light makes the viewer overlook the fact.

On the other hand, his sepia brush wash over pencil drawings are detailed and more representative to detail than the canvases. He had had a brain haemorrhage five years before his death and, at his recovery, switched from oil painting to doing drawings. But the latter "...are not studies, but finished and autonomous works of art." Look closely at "Moonrise" and you can almost count the waves in the sea as well as discern the number of creases in the cloaks worn by the two men pictured. Again, a very good survey of the 19th century German romantic school. Until 18th January. www.hermitage.nl

P.S. This is the last show for the Hermitage at this building. Next summer the museum will move to the main building when it is anticipated that the renovation will be completed.

The Catalog: As always, a short compact work (128 pages), but a succulent documentation of an artist, an emperor and a period of history. How the works of Caspar David Friedrich ended up in the Hermitage St Petersburg collection is detailed and it tells much about the history of the time and the players thats interactions influenced the course of events. Well illustrated with both black and white and color reproductions of the works on exhibit. Both a Dutch and English edition, published by Waanders Uitgevers, Zwolle. Price: 22.50 euros. ISBN 978-90-400-8568-0

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foam (Keizersgracht 609) hangs the photographs of Miyako Ishiuchi, a female Japanese photographer. On display are examples of her work from 1976 through 2005. There are a total of 90 pieces that make up the show and represents several series: Yokosuka Story (1976-1977); Apartment (1977-1978); Endless Night (1978-1980); 1.9.4.7. (1988-1989); and, 1906 to the Skin (1991-1993).

The subject matter she selects to shoot is personal. As an example, from the "Mother's" series we see a full length slip; she describes her motivation to do the series this way: "After she passed away, the objects that my mother had used in her daily life were suddenly rendered useless. Her old undergarments which had lost the only value they had, as the familiar attire of their owner, seemed to me to the almost pieces of her skin." This series was shown at the 2005 Venice Biennale.

In fact, the focus of the exhibition is on her recent work which is concerned with "skin." She traces the passage of time on both the human skin and the skins' on objects like paint peeling from wood. However, her concentration is on the human variety and she views the unusual parts like the sole of feet and the disfigured like the arthritis that has disfigured someone's hand; or close up of sections of the body that we can't identify and in a sense are now abstraction in black and white. And that latter point is also a major element in her ouevre, that is b/w photos though, indeed, there are a few examples of color. The colored work includes such banal subject matter as: slippers---well worn---gloves, false teeth and lipstick tubes. Until 16th November. www.foam.nl

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WHAT YOU MISSED LAST WEEK:

Friday:

Sanne Sannes died tragically in an automobile accident in 1967 at the age of 30. Jim Hughes, the editor of "Camera 35" wrote: "Sannes, a controversial Dutch photographer did not make easy photographs. Certainly, he didn't make pretty photographs. I'm not even sure he made photographs. He made explorations of people, of their outside and their insides, and sent back picture post cards of their psyches." To which I might add this. he brought the concept of "film noir" to the still camera. There is a dark quality to these images of ladies who are generally naked, but not overtly. And the "darkness" goes further than the b/w contrast caused by ambient light; and some examples of his work are purely conceptual. A catalog is available: Edition 500, with 24 duotone b/w photos, 25 euro. Until ? www.hupgallery.com

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Well, 3D ventured back to LUX Photo Gallery for the second time and, unfortunately, some things have not changed, but I'm not sure who to fault in this case. I could find no information---written, on paper---in regard to this exhibition. Primarily, it was a book presentation for Ata Kando, a 95 year old lady---who was present---with a few of her works on display. (It was only later that I talked with someone who told me a little about Kando.) She did speak about her work and there was a large and attentive crowd to listen. There was also a copy of a portfolio titled "Droom In Het Woud" on display. The book presented was simply titled, "Photographer" published by HUP Gallery. I couldn't even find anything listing a price nor ISBN number. Until ? www.hupgallery.con; www.luxphotogallery.com.

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Saturday:

Melkweg Mediaroom (Lijnbaansgracht 234a) is a new venue for video work in Amsterdam. Unfortunately, it is getting off to a slow start. The first exhibition was well attended, however it has been downhill ever sense. 3D arrived for the 16:00 hour opening at about 16:15 and I was the first. There wasn't even a representative from the Melkweg present. Poor promotion? Pity. the show was interesting.

Frederico Campanale, during a two moth residency, studied the Finnish environment in the Southwestern archipelago and Lapland. The artist is concerned with the interrelationship of people with their surrou8ndings. As an example, the camera begins a panning shot showing the landscape or living area and in the course of the pan we see the person associated with it. At the same time there is a voice over (English under-titles) by the person. There are several examples. Another video---projected on the wall in three sections---focuses on a nude sunbather who relates to the area by speaking of its beauty both at winter and during the warm periods. By the time I left---nearly five---there were eight people in the room. Until 12th October. Free entry until18:00, but the exhibition is available for viewing during the evening hours for those attending either the cinema or theater. www.melkweg.nl

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The Chinese are coming...the Chinese are coming....I seem to recall that 3D has used that phrase before; and not too long ago. But they do....keep coming, that is. Edward Pranger Oreintal Art Gallery (Nieuw Spiegelstaat 53) has been dealing in ancient Asian art and antiques for 20 years; often making trips to China in search of stock. Recently, during a visit to Hubei Institute of Fine Arts on Wuhan City they viewed an exhibition of several artists representing Hubei Province (home of the controversial Three Gorges Dam). This present exhibition is the result and the inaugural show for an on-going program featuring contemporary Asian artists.

According to the beautifully designed 60 page catalog there are 14 artists represented. But what is most interesting, nearly everyone has a completely different style. In fact, the one thing I found that most had in common was the use of oil paint (10) as opposed to acrylic (4). The styles varied from Wei Guangqing's emulation of Robert Indiana's "LOVE" paintings superimposed with a traditional Chinese style painting to Xiao Feng's simple conceptual abstractions (two examples). In between was a little of everything including nudes by Xu Wentao; b/w realism, Liu Xiaofeng; and cartoonish, Wan Yisheng. The show features artists already known in the west: Wei Guangqing, Ma Liuming and Yuan Xiaofang; and all were born between 1960 and 1980. The prices range from Li Hanxiai's oil (120x150) at 2,900 euros to Yuan Xiaofang's oil (200x150 cms.) and Wei Guangqing's acyrlic (120x150 cm.) both at 30,000 euros and the rest somewhere in between. A good survey of what is happening today in China. Until ? www.prangergallery.com

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At Galerie Rademakers (Prinsengracht 570) Hans Bosman's exhibition is titled, "Kroonjuwelen." He does portrait work in oil and the subject tend to be children to young adults. He emphasizes the eyes---which seem to dominate---by generally having them stare back at us. The colors are subdued and there is a vagueness in his technique almost creating an illusion that the face is covered with a veil. And his subjects all look pensive. (Oils, 140x100 cms., to 140x160 cms., @ 5,800 to 7,250 euros.) Two red dots at opening. Until 9th November. www.galerierademakers.nl

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Galerie George C-ent (Prinsengracht 100) presents Marie Louise Oudkerk, "Music Time Language." She combines several styles into her mixed media paintings ranging from the linear abstraction to typography (letters, labels, newspaper cuttings, book pages, etc). And what is striking is that she works both with color and b/w. Some pieces in this show are heavy in color while others---like the cities series---is in b/w and shades of gray. (30x30 cms., @ 275 euro; 60x60 cms., @ 750 euros; 100x100 cms., @ 2,400 euros.) Until 22nd October. www.galeriegeorgecent.nl

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De Service Garage (Stephensonstraat 16) I had thought was an initiative of the Reitveld Academy, but I guess 3D hasn't been paying attention. As I announced, on last week's list, this would be a group show with "all the usual suspects." Indeed, 13 artists and the first four names listed: Nan Hoover, Jan Henderikse, Eli Content, John Blake will give you some idea as to the quality depth of the show. In two words: Great show! There are conceptual pieces, objects, sculpture---well, sortta---paintings, drawings and so on. And you can't miss the place which is in a small industrial park (cate-corner from Amstel Station) because the big guy himself, Jan van der Ploeg, has done a wall painting on the corner walls. The opening started at 21:00 which allowed Hollywood type spotlights to be focused on his dramatic geometric abstraction. Well, since this show is loaded with stars, I won't focus on any more individuals. One reason is the number of participants and the other is that there was no flyer listing the artists, nor name tags next to the work although there was a schematic map near the entrance that was cleverly designed to coordinate with the floor design of the space (well, you gotta see it) but, even then, still a bit confusing. One of the curators had an explanation to justify it all, but, still, I got tired of running back and forth trying to determine who did what. But don't let that keep you away...go see the show, it'll be good exercise. Until ? www.deservicegarage.nl

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Sunday:

Four Mexican artists are showing at Galerie Wies Willemsen (Ruysdaelkade 25). Emilio Sanchez Dias does contemporary paintings in a traditional Mexican style which are mixed media and water color. (40x60 cms., @ 500 euros; 50x60 cms., @ 1,200 euros)...Alejandra Nettel is exhibiting a series of b/w photos which feature street musicians playing the guitar, sax, accordian, etc. There are also a few in color. ...Anna Kurtycz does b/w prints, both lithos and wood blocks. The subject matter tends to be large crowds of people at parties, circuses or demonstrations. In a way these compositions form a geometric abstraction where there is both artistic tension and a mysterious element....Veronica Elizondo does mixed media using pen and ink, brush wash, collage (typography). She is concerned mainly with the human torso from mouth to thighs. (90x70 cms., @ 750 euro.) Also, on view, are small (A5) mixed media pieces that are drawings on pages from old books. (175 euro.) Until 14th December. www.wieswillemsen.nl

The gallery, on the 2nd November @ 16:00, will sponsor the Fiesta de los Muertos with a dance and music performance. This is a Mexican celebration the day after All Souls Day. Hey, maybe they'll have more Mexican "hapjes." Well, 3D can only hope....

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WHAT IS HAPPENING THIS WEEK:

Reminder: The (?) indicates that the info may not be correct; and the "*" means the time may be wrong. Check the gallery's web-site or phone ahead and don't put the blame of 3D....

THURSDAY: 25th September 2008

11-18:00 e.Art Westergasterrein, Media Dome. "e.Art is a showcase of Dutch and international media orgainizations with installations probing documentaries and conversations with individual artists and organizations." The full program (ends Friday) is online: www.virtueelplatform.nl/e-art.

20:00 W139 (Warmoesstraat 139). "Een introductie op de thema's door de begeleiders zelf. Avond met film, drank en de mogelijkheid vragen tw stellen." Boy, does that "sound" like fun...if only 3D knew what it all meant! Actually, this is the first of a "6 twee-wekelijkse bijeenkomsten per thema." Check: www.w139.nl/reading.

FRIDAY: 26th September

___?___ CAMERA_JAPAN_FESTIVAL (Kriterion) Sushi by SABU & Papanese Soul Sisters. No time given. It says he is the best Sushi-Chef in the Netherlands, "...real Japanese home cooked Soulfood, we guarantee you an evening full of culinary delights." (Also on Sunday) www.camerajapan.nl

17-19:00 WGKUNST @ Stadsdeel Oud-West (Kwakersstraat 3). "De keuze van Yvonne Lammers," Macha Jansen met de fotoserie Amsterdam, Oud-West. + music, Daan Hofman.

17-20:00 Open Atelier (Nieuwe Uilenburgersterstraat 106) Claire Begheyn, wall objects and sculptures; and Govert Heikoop (deceased) conceptual minimal monochromic sculpture work. (It is not often that I list a single "open atelier," however Claire is the one who made 3D's life almost easy when she gave me Govert's PC after his death.) www.clairebegheyn.com

17-19:00 De Chiellier (Raamgracht 58). "Afrovibes," nine South African artists with S. African. Drinks (by Amarula) and "hapjes" (Tjing Tjing South African Restauratn) being served. www.afrovibes.nl

17:30 Pintohuis (Library @ St. Antoniesbreestraat 69). "Auke ijlsma Geventuinen Prijs," photos + music. www.wijkcentrum@oudestadt.nl

17-22:00 Loods 6, De Bagaehal (KNSM-laan 289) Four galleries present a program featuring a whole lot of artist...3D is too lazy to count the long list of names in small pica, but I will list the sponsors: Galerie Maria Chailloux, Galerie R. Katwijk, Galerie Wit (Wageningen) and Galerie Witteveen. Until 5th October.

18:00 de Appel (Nieuwe Spiegelstraat 10) Seven artists contribute to the continuing "If I Can't Dance...." program. www.ificantdance.org

SATURDAY: 27th September

15:00 CAMERA_JAPAN_FESTIVAL (Kriterion and Melkweg). "Calligraphy," a free workshop at the Kriterion Cafe. At 21:00, there is a "demonstration." Also, same day, ONISHI Kyoko's Microbiotic Food. She will prepare special dishes. No time listed. www.camerajapan.nl

15-19:00 ORANJE(RIE) KLEURT ROOD (De Orangerie, Amstel Park, near the RAI). "A Fusion of Art & Fashion," art, fashion, music, video and maybe more. www.marlijnamsterdam.nl

(?) 15:30 Ton de Boer (Czaar Peterstraat 136). Joost Visser, paintings. www.tondeboer.nl

16:00 Vips art Amsterdam (Speigelgracht 8). "Beatles For Sale." photos by various photographers. (Sorry, no web-sit available.)

17-19:00 outLINE (Oetewalerstraat 73) Irene Kopeland, "Scale: 1:2.5'" www.outlineamsterdam.nl

20:00 Galerie Utrecht (Prisengracht 572). Bethany de Forests: "Pinholefilm/clips/animaties." RSVP: wilpert@galerieutrecht.nl

SUNDAY: 28th September

14-18:00 YDkunstuitleen (Quellijnstraat 127) Fabrice. (No web-site address listed.)

14:00 de Appel (See Friday for address) Performance: Keren Cytter.

15:00 Lloyd Hotel "In Between Reitveld Meets Kuarts Nepal." Twenty students and seven instructors of the Rietveld Academy went to Kathamandu University Center for Art and Design. A special program reports on their experiences.

15-16:00 AIR 4: See And Be Seen, (De Oude Kerk, Oudekerksplein 23). Twenty international artists. www.arti9nredlight.com

15:00 De-Onafhankelijken (Glazen Huis, Amstel Park). Another happening in the park. Two trips for the price of one! Eleven artist and a "muzikaal."

15-19:00 De Orangerie (See Saturday)

15-17:00 Gemeentehuis Diemen (D.J. Den Hartoglaan 1) Photographs of Jaap Bijsterbosch and Paintings of Jo Hemeleers. www.blurp.com/bookstore/detail/347019

16:00 Art Stable Gallery (Fokke Simonzstraat 73). Eleven contemporary South African artists showing: paintings, ceramics, sculpture, objects, photos, etc. (Sorry no web-site on invite.)

____?____ CAMERA_JAPAN_FESTIVAL (See Friday)

MONDAY: 29th September

19:30 Discussion: Zonder Kunstenaars Geen Kunst (WG terrein: WG PUNT, M.v.B. Bastiaansestraat 15). RSVP: aberk@xs4all.nl. www.zondekunstenaarsgeenkunst.wordpress.com.

Well, finally, a "short" 3D List. However that doesn't mean there is not a lot happening. Like always, you can stay busy from noon 'til midnight by just following the Whats Happening section. Ahhh, but do you have the energy? the curiosity? and forget about "the time" you can always make time...especially for ART...and that's with a capital A... a capital R...and a capital T!!!

"Til we meet again, some place, some time...it is adios time from 3D...