The 3d List week 37 by Daniel R. Gould. Amsterdam art and galleries

By Daniel R. Gould

The last major opening weekend of the Amsterdam Art Season of 2008-2009 has now been confined to the bins of history! (3D wrote this prior to making a list of What Is Happening This Week; and there's a lot). How fast a year goes by when you are having fun. Hey, 3D means, it was only yesterday that we opened the "new" season, on the first weekend of September, with 38 openings. There are still a few galleries that will offer a new show in the coming weeks until 3Ds' official season ending exhibiton at the Reitveld Academy takes place. That means, folks, you still have the opportunity to buy something. 3D was hearten, with a visit to a gallery, this week, that had two red dots before the show opened. The sales resulted from their bulk mailing to 1,200 addresses and came from the San Francisco bay area. Great! We Americans must know something that the Dutch don't. You want to prove 3D WRONG? Then BUY something, already.

INDEX:

Bits & Pieces:

Lecture: Club of Amsterdam: The Future of BioMed

What You Missed Last Week:

What Is Happening This Week:

BITS & PIECES:

Last week, 3D walked the fine line between nepotism and egotism by reviewing "I LOVE ART." A film he was involved directly with the making of as well as its protagonist. As to how unbias and/or accurate that analysis was you will have the opportunity to decide for yourselves when it is shown at Arti et Amicitiea (Rokin 112) on June 12th. There will be three showings. For more info as to times and to make reservations, see: www.arti.nl. or www.franjo.nl

***

Fiona Tan is at the Venice Biennile as the Netherlands representative for the 53rd International Art Exhibition. However, she nor any other Dutch photographer is feautred with the 90 photographers that have been invited to show their work at a group exhibition. Strange.

***

Best artist joke of the week: 3D began his tour of Westelijke Eilanden open atelier route by first visitng the Kunstkerk for the central exhibition. There I saw the following: "#49 Jacob Kleyn/Arte Povera-Hungry/ 900.000 euro/ook in 150/200 cm: 2 million euro." Penciled onto the name tag was a red dot and an "eye" walking and this penciled notation: "VERKOCHT" [Sold]. Well...really, now, but I decided to look up the artist and ask about it; another reason was the drawing was familiar; I had seen it before. When I found the artist I realized it was someone I first met over 20 years ago. At that time, he introduced himself as "Jaap." I remember a show of his I attended, at a small gallery, in the late 80s. He had made large drawings on the back of "circus posters." The latter turned out to be from a circus he had once performed with as the "big cat" (lions and tigers) trainer. Anyway, at some point, he put aside the whip for a pencil. As to the veracity of the "900.000 euro" sale, well, 3D asked if he had given the buyer a discount? "Beetje" was his reply (a little one).

***

Quotable Quotes from the International Herald Tribune, 30th May: "Good judgement comes from expertise, and expertise comes from making mistakes." Josef Ackermann, chief exec. at Deutsche Bank...."If I leave my wallet at home, I may not notice it for a whole day. But if I leave my cellphone, my life will start stumbling right there in the subway." Kim Hee-Young, a university student in Seoul..." "In the United States, you get money to close a down factories. In Europe, you get money to keep them open and safe guard jobs." Klause Franz, the top union official at General Motors-Europe. www.iht.com

***

More from the same issue of the IHT..."Who chooses a generation's art?" by Holland Cotter concerning "two big history-writing and history-inventing exhibitions in New York this season." The article goes on to say: "How does cultural history get written? Who chooses which portraits will hang in museums? Which books will end up on the classics shelf, which music will be standard fare in tomorrow's concert halls?

"We are encouraged to think that such judgements have lives of their own, are decided by a kind of natural selection. The most beautiful art will prevail, the most ambitious, the most morally up lifting, the most universal in emotional appeal. Everything else is by default of lesser order. We shouldn't fret if it disappears.'" www.nytimes.com

***

Also, there was a book review in that edition, of the IHT, "A tower at its moment in history," by Carolne Weber, about one of 3Ds' favorite structures: The Eifel Tower. There is an anecdote, concerning a French writer, that is ironic. But 3D will preface this with a personal anecdote of his own which indirectly relates to it. Perhaps 15 or 20 years ago, I was invited by to a birthday party and the person inviting me, Ellis, said she would introduce me to a New York film maker that was new to Amsterdam and said, "She has an ironic personality!" Hmmm, what does that mean. At the party, Theo van Gogh was present. He was a close friend of her former husband. At one point, 3D found himself in a group composed of Van Gogh, the New York film maker and a friend of hers. Mr. Van Gogh had had a few brewskies and was making very obscene gestures and statements to the lady from the Big Apple, "I want to f*** you...eat your p****...." and so on. Finally, he left for the toilet. I felt embarrased for the lady and turned to her and said, "You'll have to excuse him, he's had a lot to drink!" She glanced at me without expression and turned to her friend and said, "I think I'm goin' like it here!" Ironic personality indeed.

A new book dealiing with the Paris "1889 Expostion Universelle" by Jill Jonnes (Viking, NYC) states that Guy de Maupassant (the writer) said, "...The tower [Eifel Tower] is an affront to the nation's proud cultural heritage and dined regularly in its restaurant because that was the one spot in Paris from which he didn't have to look upon 'this great and disgraceful skeleton.' (Otherwise, he complained, 'you see it from everywhere...an unavoidable and horrid nightmare.'" He had an ironic personality too. The review goes on to say, "Paul Gaugin stood at the opposite end of the spectrum, hailing the toqwer as a 'triumphy of iron.' and an excitng new art form.'"

***

"I think photography is the home to an awful lot of lazy thinking." Francis Hodgson, A quote from an interview with him in "foam magazine" #18. www.foam.nl

***

"The moment is the ambiguous condition in which time and eternity touch one another." Soeren Kiekegaard.

***

Oh, no!!! "MacDonalds plans another to march into Europe and will have 1,300 McCafe locations within the next few years." All 3D can say is that Europe eventually adopts the best from America and the worst. He wonders, too, what they will brew the coffee from? Recycled faeces? Hey, maybe there is a lotta of protein left from the behind. Groan...

***

There is a series of articles now running at www.nytimes.com detailing the Hans van Meegeren story. The seven part series---published daily---is titled "Bamboozling Ourselves," by Errol Morris. It is an amazing and intriguing story of van Meegeren. If this name doesn't ring a bell, well it should since as a member of the 7A Club you proclaim to have an above average interest in and knowledge of art. And Van Meegeren, more than anybody, contested the experts view of "What is art?" He did it in a novel way. He forged paintings and using psychological munipulation convinced people like Hitler and Göring that his Vermeers were the real thing. He was arrested only a few month's after Holland's liberation from occupation as having "been a Dutch Nazi...[and] for the collaboration with the Third Reich. He was accused ...essentially of having plundered the patrimony of his homeland for his own benefit and the benefit of the Nazis." Of course, the real story begins when he said, "Hey, they ain't real'" Or words to that effect.

The article goes on to say that van Meegeren's story "tackles the question of fakery." It asks questions like: "Who was [he]? A con man or Nazi? Did he forge paintings solely for monetary reward or was something more sinister involved?" In Part #4, of the series, there is this a metaphysical question posed: "Van Meegeren maintained two separate careers. A career as an original artist and a career as a forger. Compare the times lines of his two careers. Did his original work inform his forgerers or vice versa? Regardless, it is clear that the two developed in relation to each other, particularly the late Van Meegerens---the pictures from 1940 on. This raises a whole series of questions. Is Van Meegeren imitiating Vermeer or imititating himself? Or perhaps imitating himself imitating Vermeer?"

Part #5 ends with this quotation: "The people can always be brought to the bidding of its leaders. That is easy. All you have to do is tell them they are being attacked and denounce the pacifist for lack of patriotism and exposing the country to danger. It works the same way in any country." Who said that? (A) George W. Bush, after 9/11; (B) Dick Cheney in denouncing the Obama adminstration's current initiatives; or (C) Göring at his Nuremburg trial? Answer next week.

Part #6 discusses the Jewish Question and Holland does not come accross in a good light. In fact, it claims that there was a strong complicity on the part of the overall poplulation to support the Nazis in their prosecution of the Jews.

So far the series has made for interesting reading. Errol Morris, the author of the series, won the Academy Award for best documentary feauture in 2004. He has directed several Hollywood films. Look for the series under the rubric "Opinion" on the home page of the Times web-site. The series began 27th May.

***

...And while 3D is on the subject of forgeries...Recently, I read an Australian mystery novel, "The Brush-Off," by Shane Maloney, which was about the art world and the politics involved in its on-going gestation. Part of the plot involves an artist who---to add to his financial balance sheet---begins to make copies of an eccentric immigrant painter (who we later find out just happened to have been the young man's estranged father). The person who becomes his conduit to the monied segment of the art world is defending her place in the scheme: "'If this thing gets taken any further, I want protection.' Protection? From whom? What the hell was she talking about? 'I understand,' I said. 'You don't want to be the one that takes the fall?'

"Her point taken, Salina moved into negotiating mode. 'Damn right,' she said. 'Marcus's image production was a perfectly valid form of post-modern discourse, right out there on the cutting edge. His pastiche-parodies of actual artworks effectively deconstructed the commonly held notions of value, authenticity and signature. They were a critical response to the pre-eminence of the so-called famous artist.' She paced, delivering a dissertation. 'His pictures were never mere copies. If his images were subsequently misread as such by others, that's not my problem. It was not my role to impose a monopoly on meaning. Legitimate appropriations, that's what they were. There was never any attempt on my part to pass them off as orginals." Hey, 3Ds' got this original copy of an authentic reproduction of a kosher Van Gogh...and he'll let you have it cheap...real cheap...

***

Heiner Holtappels has announced that he will leave his post as director of the Nederlands Institut Voor Mediakunst (neé: Monte Video Time Based Arts) as of February, 2011. He is only the second director of the insititute that was founded by René Coelho and his wife in 1979. Coelho left in 1998 for southern France.

***

This is the 20th anniversary of the incident at Tiananmen Square (Beijing, China). The most famous photographic image of that event was one now titled "The Tank Man." Ironically, he has become, in a sense, China's Unkown Soldier. Today, his identity and his fate remains unclear if not unknown.

An article at www.nytimes.com makes note that there are actually four photos of the occurance by four different phtographers: Stuart Franklin for Magnum; Charlie Cole for Newsweek magazine; Jeff Windener for The Associated Press; and Arthur Tsang Hin Wah of Reuters." Info from "Behind the Scenes: Tank Man of Tiananmen," by Patrick Witty.(3rd Jjune, New York Times).

***

A two day conference (11th & 12th June) will be presented by the Netherlands American Studies Association titled, "War & War's Aftermath, Ethical Dilemmas of the American Witness." It focues on American fiction, poetry, theater and photo jounalism. www.netherlands-america.nl

LECTURE: The Future of BioMed at the Club of Amsterdam

"To my own surprise it isn't the biggest nor the strong nor the fastest but the fittest that will survive." Charles Darwin said it and Jeanie van de Wiel (a personalized nutritionist) quoted it in her presentation at this BioMed lecture. Her main message was "We should manage our health before we get ill...changing life styles is important. We do this by basically adopting new habits in our eating, exercising and just how we live." Forget the pills and the cigarettes and FEBO "krokets" and munch a celery stalk. Simple!

Michael Münker specializes in bringing novel medical devices to market. They are devices which save the lives of people that have been sometimes born with something missing in their "wiring." He reported a case history of a young family man who was at death's door because of an aneurysum in a lobe of his brain. Using a section of an artery from the man's leg the problem area in his brain was by-passed. Three years later, he leads a normal life and now has an average age expectancy.

Arjen Brinkman said that "the amount of 3D and 4D data generated by CT, Ultrasound and MRI scanning equipment is exploding." Too much so, in fact. How to analyze it all is the problem. He said, "By using the Personal Space Sation, a physician can now analyze the generated data without the use of a specialist. What this means is faster and more affordable treatment for a range of cardioloical and neurological problems.

...And the best part was you could ask questions. The Club of Amsterdam becomes a road show for the next lecture by visiting merry ol' London. Check their web-site for more info: www.clubofamsterdam.com

***

WHAT YOU MISSED LAST WEEK:

Thursday:

"foam" (Keizersgracht 609) appears to be cutting back financially which is a bad sign, of course, but who isn't. When the general economy catches a cold the art world succumbs to pneumonia. Last year, Amsterdam's photography museum mounted 26 exhibtions---plus or minus---and there was generally an opening for each photographer. Last week, there was an opening for three photographers at the same time. Needless to say, so much diverse imagery, at one tme, leaves the optical circuitry dizzy.

Massimo Vitali (Italy) has been seen at an Amsterdam gallery (Serieuze Zaken Studioos where Dennis Hopper purchased two examples) several years ago. He rose to fame photographing Italian beach scenes. This exhibition feautres Sicily and Turkey's beaches. "These photos recall the tradtional çapricci' lanscape paintings, frivolous, pastoral scenes of the 18th century---linked here to our contemporary focus on liesure." A huge three by seven meter photo of a beach becomes something totally different; the colors and forms so dominate the imagery that you forget that you are looking at sun worshippers. Until 9th December.

Gil Tillim (South Africa) presents "Avenue Patrice Lumumba." Lumyumba was one of Africas first elected official after decolonization and died in a mysterious plane crash around 1961. But he had already become a symbol of the new African contenent. "In APL, Tillim focuses on the modern architecture that emerged in several African countries" shortly after independence from colonialism. It expressed the various countries' optimism. "Today, many of these government buildings, luxury hotels and schools are decayed...They have become monumnets to long lost dreams." But the exhibit is more than an architectural pictorial. We see the parks, headless memorial statues of discredited leaders and simple city streets. Then there are the interiors as varied as the countries involved. Until ____????

Finally, "Marks of Honour - A Striking Library." Well...let's start with the introductory headline at the beginning of the eight page catalog; and available in both English and Dutch for a donation of one euro: "Don't talk bullshit! What are you doing?" In the thrid paragraph it is said: "Measuring influence of the photobooks is especially difficult, because their influence is indirect and long-term." This show is a homage to the photographic library. "Thirteen international photogrphers were invited to choose a photo book which was influential to the formation of their work." The result is an excellent exhibition for both the bibliophile as well as the photographer. There are spectacular examples of the book making art on display. If this interest you...it is a not to be missed opportunity. Until 5th July. www.foam.nl

***

3D spotted an announcement for a new gallery(?) called KUNSTENHUIS (Art and House) and made the notations in his calendar. The street, in the Westergasfabriek, was familiar; and there were two addresses, both on the same street. I biked down the Polonceaukade looking for #26 and #28. I reached Art Olive, # 24, but there was nothing beyond. End of the road! I circled the building. On the other side the street had a different name. I asked a few people and got blank stares in return. Finally, I gave up. However, it had been a while since I had made a tour of this exciting art complex and since I was there...why not? I continued biking to the west and after about 200 meters I saw a sign atop a building that read: KUNSTENHUIS. There is a distance of 300+ meters between #24 and #26 and no sign to indicate the fact.

As I was locking my bike, I looked up and realized that a performance was underway and literially only a few meters from me and seemingly going virtually unnoticed. Three persons dressed like minimalistic workmen straight out of Charlie Chaplin's "Modern Times" convorted before a five meter high by six meter wide contraption decorated by wheels and pulleys. Everything---workpersons and machine---were painted in the same monochromatic cobalt blue; even the workpersons' faces. Their actions ranged from simple mime to acting out different scenarios. There were also sounds. Nicely done. www.tukkensconnexion.com

As 3D mentioned, there are two addresses and one is actually the building that houses the artist-in-residence. At the larger building, there was the introductory speech followed by an opera diva performing arias. 3D had other places to go, so I left but but remembered that I had not visted the first building. So I did. I walked in on two women performing, one on cello and the other a flutist. There were only two other people present. I thought it weird to have two perfomrance going at the same time and thought it a pity that more people were not there to enjoy the musical antics of this original duo. The flutist put down her instrument and began to sing and unusual rendition of George Gershwin's "Summertime." The only song 3D knows all the lyrics too. The cello player picked up her instrument and balanced it on her knees and strummed it like a guitar. Great! See what you miss when you don't GO!!!

But the art...nearly forgot...Nora Hooijer is a photographer? Well, the technique is confusing and a bit mysterious. It appears that she has painted over photographs she has taken. Doesn't really matter because the final effect and results work nicely. (C-print, 60x80 cms., no prices on price list; weird.)

Lucia Epskamp is an expressionist who is sometimes colorful and sometimes not. But all three of her efforts on display capture your attention especially the 180x140 cms (4 canvases each 90x70 cms) acyrlic "Kleur". (70x120 cms., acyrlic on canvas @ 1,050 euro.) ...Astrid van Dort hangs photography in both b/w and color. She photographs nature but she has a unique view of this broad subject. (Photos on aluminium, b/w, 60x80 cms., Ed. 10 @ 650 euro; color, Ed. 15 @ 450 euro.)...Ike van Cleeff makes large objects/sculpture work which is conceptual in form. (90x135x75 cms., plaster and bronze @ no price on price list.) Oh, yeah, the exhibitions title is: "Tussen stad en park." Until June 14th. www.westerparkkunst.nl

***

A first for 3D was his visit to the Bijbels Museum (Herengracht 366). The occassion was for an exhibition titled "Sculpture in the garden." That's probably what got me there. I often tell visitors, to this great city, that they miss half its beauty because they can't see the magnificient gardens at the back of buildings along the inner circle canals; not to mention, even the workers' neighborhoods. But, I digress. Showing in the garden of the Bijbel Museum is the work of 12 sculptors and the style ranges from conceptual illusions to the figurative in one form or other: man and animal. There are some exceptional pieces on display. Also, the garden is a miniature tree museum with each variety clearly labled and described in both English and Dutch. A 14 page catalog---lamenated in plastic---details the work and includes a brief bio of each artist. Hey, on a warm sunny day this is a great place for coffee. I took away a brouchure and now that I look at it, I can't see any mention of an entry fee. Is it FREE? www.bijbelsmuseum.nl "Various kinds of thematic tours can be booked." Contact: Education Department (020) 624.24.36 . Until 20th September.

***

Gallery Victoria Kovalenchikova (Ceintuurbann 264). The artist has the ability of transforming the figurative into an neo-expressionistic explosion in b/w and shades of gray. This is work that you must see to appreciate the metamorphose. In this current exhibition, at her own gallery, the paintings range from work in b/w and gray to those that feautre tranquil autumn colors. And, again, she has an unusual technique. If you are into flower bouquet paintings check out number 11, 12 and 13. She has reinterpretated Odeon Redon's style into something new and exciting. (110x110 cms., @ 2,850 euro; 170x200 cms., @ 6,000 euro. Until ___?___ www.vkgallery.nl

***

Friday:

Maxalot Gallery (Haringpakkerssteeg 10; former location of Bodisque Music shop). Well...this is an extremely diverse show as far as the styles represented. There is a major flaw, however, the work is not identified; nor the artists. So, it saves 3D the trouble of writing comments for each of the five artists on exhibit. Nearly all the pieces are print editions. The styles range from the figurative to representational to expressionism to geometric abstraction; in b/w or with lots of color. There are also several objects/sculptures on display. The prices are amazingly attractive and have a medium range from 100 to 300 euro; only two works are more. Until ___?___ www._______________________???

***

SM Bureau Amsterdam (Rozenstraat 59). 3D always views an exhibition in a pure form. That is, while galleries and museum sometime provide detailed written explanantions of the artist and/or what's on view, it is, generally, an analysis of the artist's intentions, purpose and/or metephysical conceptual approach. Nothing wrong with that; in fact, it is good. However, 3D prefers that the work "speak for itself." Sometimes I don't get the message. That's when I look for a brouchure or press release. The show for Nathaniel Mellors is such a case. The main focus is two videos. In the first it appears that three actors are doing a walk through for a new play. I didn't get the point. When I left---retreating the way I had entered---I was turned back by security and told to go in the other direction. I soon found myself in a totally darkened hallway and grooped my way---slowly, very slowly---until I saw a sliver of light. Perhaps a 15 meter journey. (I would later be told that this represents one's journey through a giant's entrails (intestines) and the brouchure further defines all this as "...having survived by cannibalism and coprophagia (eating faeces)." Okay...

What needs no explanation were the "talking heads." No, not like what you see on the TV news. There are two different displays. In the first we see three rubber mask heads with glass eyes and everything is in motion. In the second, it is a small installation with a R2D2 (or the other robat in the "Star War" series) like head in exaggerated animation. There are earphones that allow you to follow its exhortations; however, its not really text he is blabbing. There are various moving parts. It was entertaining. Until 12th July. www.smba.nl

***

"FLUID ARCHITECTURES" is the title of the current show at NIMk (Keizersgracht 264). Eleven artists do there thing. Here is an overview. Walter Langelaar has developed an inteactive room wall projection. We see a linear abstraction on the wall formed by light and at the center there is live action that reflects what is happenjing in the hall way directly outside of the room....Pablo Valbuena has projected on two walls, that intersect at a corner, a linear light show. We have the opportunity to see the linear form being fabricated and near the conclusion the linear light is extended to the floor...Mark Napier projects on a wall a building that resembles NYC's Empire State Building. But is constantly undergoing a linear reconfiguration and for some reason it becomes hypnotic to watch...Joachim Sauter and Dirk Lüsebrink and ART+COM has made a video with a very unusual effect that defines what appears to be a geometric abstraction in a very unusual way. In addition, on one wall is a series of four framed pieces that related to the same subject matter (the building) but in four completely different architectural drawings to motion photography(?) of the same subject matter. There is also a ceramic piece, again, featuring the same building.

Annja Krautgasser displays 11 Motorola moblie phones with a video screen and with ear plugs each showing someone delivering a monologue concerning one of the following subjects: Courtyard, Dining Room, Bedroom, Club, Car, Nusery, Hut. 3D found the one titled "Nursery" by an Australian woman to be the most interesting (Krautgasser was recently reviewed on "3D List: Week #31; @P///AKT)...Mader Stublic Wiermann uses a TV monitor to present a light show against a contemporaty architectural designed building at night. The light show actually redefines the form and lines of said buidling in surprising and visually exciting ways...Michael Najjar has a wall measuring 2.5x6 meters; on it is projected several b/w linear abstractions...or so they seem. He visits architecturally interesting cities around the world. Finds the tallest accessable building then photographs the city shooting to the east, west, south and north. He than overlaps and merges these images together---like a double exposure---and the final result is sort of a linear expressionistic abstraction...In the big gallery is, well, something completely different. As you enter this space you see a large (4x2.5 meter) inflatable rubber floor mat that is inflated. To the left there are three sportclub tread mills machines. When you step on one and push the button a wall projection is activated on a 6x2.5 meter screen. There are also sounds. Did 3D miss anyone? Until 16th August. www.nimk.nl

***

At Arti et Amicitiae (Rokin 112) is the presentation of this year's award winner for: DE ARTI-MEDAILLE 2009...and the winner is: Moniek Toebosch. There are only three works on display, but that's enough to see that the award was well placed. In a small gallery there is a large photographic transparency portrait (180x90 cms.) which is "framed" so we see both the front and the back and with the ambient light; both sun and artrificial. In the big gallery there is a 12 meter long table filled with nearly one hundred different size audio speakers and all emitting sounds producing the cacophony exuberance of people cheering. It is also a linear abstraction when you consider the several hundred meters of coiled electrical wire that stretches from one end of the table to the other. A large canvas (3502250 cms.,) is evacotive of both Roy Lichtenstein and Euvard Munch...kid you not! And she pulls it off convincingly. www.arti.nl

***

Saturday;

KOCHXBOS (1e Anjeliersdwarsstrat 3) has mounted an exhibition for Ciou (France) titled "NYMPH." The more 3D stared at her work the more is seemed familiar. However, the only artist's name that came to mind was William Blake who is better known as a metaphysical poet of the 18th century who just happened to be an accomplished etcher as well. What is the connection? I guess it is the bizarre and unexpected nature of the imagery that related to Blake.

Even more interesting is the fact that half the show is in b/w (Blake, of course, only worked in b/w) and the other half color...and the latter work could not be more so. The colors are vibrant and sometimes ever so sweet. The b/w pen and ink drawings are whimsical in a sense where the color work comes across like a friendly nightmare. Two red dots 30 minutes before the official opening time. The sales resulted from the gallery's bulk e-mailing; and the purchase was made, on-line, by an American in the San Francisco Bay area. Hey, guys and gals, the Internet works! (15x10 cms., mixed media @ 240 euro; 20x15 cms., pen & ink, b/w @ 350 euro; Oval 25x20 cms., color, @600 euro; Circular, 35 cms., mixed media @ 980 euro.) www.kochxbos.com

***

Two jewelry makers opened exhibitions at Galerie Rob Koudijs (Elandsgracht 12). Karen Pontoppidan's "Family Portraits" is not what you may think and may be misleading. But, in another sense, it is right on. She works in silver and the press release reads, "Her designs are dedicated to the concept of family...The material for her work comes from objects that for generations had been part of the daily life: tin plates, spoons, candelabra...." Indeed there are several necklaces supporting an object looking like a house, but the metaphor is more pronounced in her rings and broaches on which she has etched figures of people. This only becomes apparent after you have been drawn in by the object itself. (Necklace 920 to 1,180 euro; Broaches 650 to 1,080 euro.)

Felix Linder is the winner of this year's "Herbert Hofmann Prize." His works ranges from classical themes to chic simplicity. Three broaches, in silver, are each engraved with a letter from the alphabet: "A," "B," and "C." The font style features those curlicues you see on the pages of a hand written Bible. Next to that are six circles melded into one piece and each with the letter "Z." Another piece consist of three rectangles and four sort of star shaped pieces and all held together with a gold chain. (Broaches @ 290 to 1,600; Necklace @ 800 to 1,000 euro.) Until 4th July. www.galerierobkoudijs.nl

***

"VERVERS modern art gallery" is showing five artist. Hans ven der Pas is an expressionist/abstractionist but with unusual compositions. (100x70 cms., @ 1,100.)...TAFIL does conceptual mixed media figurative work. (50x70 cms., @ 1,400 euro.)...Harold Linker makes very large mixed media drawings which are filled with figurative symbolism ranging from Ronald MacDonald to a Disney like catapillar with many eyes. (250x240 cms., @ 3,500 euro.)...Mara Costa paints (with added collage) b/w canvases that are representational conceptualism. There is also social commentary. (100x70 cms., @ 1,000 euro; 140x116 cms., @ 1,400 euro.)...Helga Kos makes oil pastels/watercolor/chalk work on paper. Expressionistic/abstract work with a figurative element. (50x50 cms., @ 675; 75x70 cms., @ 1,075.) Until 4th July. www.verversgallery.blogspot.com

***

Julika Rudelius (German) 3D has refered to in the past as a "conceptual video artist." That seems to be changing. Now it might be more accurate to say she is a "realistic conceptual video artist." And while her work always had a way of conveying a story that never seemed to be the point. The point always seemed to be in how she let you in on the story; in her own way; and in her own time frame. Her current show is at the Galerie D. Stigter (Elandsstraat 90) and consist of only one piece. It is a diptych video. Her speciality has been to make videos capturing life both naturally and candidly. All posible drama comes from the people themselves. There has been no script; their lines come from themselves. In this work she has gone "Hollywood," it is obviously scripted...but, conceptually.

She visits Washington D.C. Today's center of world leadership, for better or for worse. She slipped into the milieu of its power center, the USofA Congress. We see the movers and shakers of the democratic system interviewing and directing young men interns into the mysteries of the game of politics and being instructed on the proper demeanor of leadership. There is something disconcerting about it all; that is, it all seems both superficial and at times down right silly. But, unfortunately, you are convincded that both the older mentors and young men are completely serious.

After viewing the video, serveral times, 3D talked with Rudelius. She surprised me by saying that she had used actors for the most part; though some of the interns were bona fies. I asked how she had got permission to use the elborately decorated congressional office space for the shooting. "It took five months of thumbing my Blackberry to arrange it. It was so frustratating that at the end, I decided not to do film again!" Hmmm, we'll see. Until 4th July. www.dianastigter.nl

***

BMB (Kerkstraat 127) is exhibiting the work of Katharina Berthold (Swiss) whose style of work is completely new to 3D. And because of that I am at a loss for words to describe it...me?: 3D? At a loss for words? Banish the thought.

I assumed, at first thought, that the work is computer generated. Correct. But the artist goes far beyond that. The imagery is printed out and laminated between sheets of plexi-glass and both are cut -out to conform to the borders of the image itself. The forms of the cut-out is erratic. They are hung on the wall but in a way that allows them to stand out from the wall by a couple of cms. Sometimes she adds a "stick-on" to the wall that looks like fresh paint streaking down from the image. In one piece she reverses the process. The stick-on is the focus with a two five cms., circular disc added as almost an after thought. As to the imagery?...Well, we're back to square one. It is weird, sometimes even disturbing, but always "sweet." Can't visulize that? Then, GO see! After making the notes 3D talked with the artist. She uses a combination of software programs and focuses on "3D images on Plygone." Until 11th Jul. www.galeriebmb.nl

***

HUIS MARSEILLE (Keizersgracht 401) has what must be the biggest show of their short history with "ONLY GAZE A WHILE LONGER," by Rob Nypels, whose work is in every one of the museum's galleries; and that includes the garden house. He is described as a "landscape photographer." True and not true. While over 95% of the images, on show, come from nature sometimes you have trouble identifying what type of nature it is. The imagery is ambiguous and this may have to do with his collaboration with Aap-Lab and Peter Svenson. 3D is tempted to describe his style as "motion photography." But that is not accurate though his technique does result in visualized imagery that resembles that technique and style. Some examples are extremely vague in their imagery, but that too is effective since it lends mystery to the familiar as in a view of a wood (#4756, analogue C-print).

In one of his more colorful pieces the hues and shades are an explosion of the unexpected. At the very top floor I saw two photos I had seen before and had written about. It had seen them at "artamsterdam '09." Galerie "EEWAL" Amsterdam had given Nypels a solo exhibition at the fair. When the invite came from HM, the name was unfamiliar, but 3D never forgets something he likes and photos #0001 and #0313, he liked. I noted on the 3D List that the prices (950 euro) for the photographer were cheap. In the garden house is a small retrospective show of his work with examples beginning with 1980. Until 30th August. www.huismarseille.nl

***

Cláudi Cristóvão's "A Catalogue of Possible Gestures" is the title of her exhibition at LUMEN TRAVO (Lijnbaansgracht 314). She does video and photography. The video work has a strong conceptual edge as examplified with an umbrella in a strong wind. But our only sense of this is the maroon/pink umbrella against a hazy blue sky. "Skinflower" takes on the illusion of a flower blowing in the wind. Simple and with the sea gulls there is a sense of tension. Her photographs are like candid shots: A man tying his shoe on the stoop of a doorway; a woman suddenly discovering that a camera is focused on her. Some scenes are even more banal like the one picturing folded underwear laying on a bed; another of a curtain covering a wondow. (80x100 cms., digital printed mounted on dibond; Ed. 3+1 AP, @ 2,200 euro; HD video, "Sunflower," 3'45" looped, sound, Ed. 5 @ 1,700 euro.) Until 11th July. www.lumentravo.nl

***

...And through two doors and 3D was at the darken space of AKINCI. The focus of this exhibition titled "Crudo," for Miguel Angel Rios (Spain) is in the front gallery. It is a video projected on the wall of a man tap dancing. A dance form that has been out of favor for the last 40 or so years. He dances to a fast rhythm and he is twirling what is raw meat on heavy string. Suddenly, we see snarling pit bulls (3D would later be told that they were feral) charging the man and the meat. We are mesmerized by the action and the hypnotic sounds. Why? Ah, the mystery of art!

In the small back gallery are several works ranging from video to photos to mixed media drawings and ALL featuring dogs. The mixed media is interesting because the paper has been die-cut into a circular and linear form that is balanced against a drawing and/or photo of a dog. (35.5x28 cms., pencil on paper w/ cut-out @ 2,038 euro; Video loop, "Fuera de foco," Ed. 10+2 AP @ 13,000 euro; "Crudo," DVD Master devcam one channel video film, Ed. 6+2 AP @ 19,610 euro.) A joint project with Galerie Ron Mandos. Until 24th June. www.akinci.nl

***

"annahakkens gallery," just next door to the above, is showing Maurice Thomassen's "lost and found." This is very unusual work but that reflects the technique more than anything else. The artist paints, scissor cuts and composes. By "composes" 3D means that he brings together several influences, styles, concepts and elements and melds them into a single an unified composition. Generally, the imagery is portraits. 3D liked the results, but he does have a criticism and 3D never critisizes artist---this is the exception that makes for the rule. One of his favorite materials is cardboard. Cardboard that is used to make the boxes the tin cans of food are packed in. Cardboard is made from the cheapest of paper and has a very high acid content. It begins to self-destruct---depending of dampness---within a few short years. Something made from it is history within 20 years. He could prevent this by coating his work with a clear epoxy or polyurethane. Hey, as I said, I like it! Let's preserve it for posterity. Until 4th July. www.annahakkens.com

***

Sunday:

3D did an abbreviated walk for the Kunstroute Westelijke Eilanden on a beautiful Sunday afternoon in Amsterdam. Well, there was a total of 75 artists who had opened the doors to their inner sanctum, to wit, their atelier. So I have spotlighted four. No logic or reason behind the particular selection except that the work was different from the mainstream for one reason or another. Petra Mol works with plexiglass and in so many amazing and different ways. There are small mobiles (3x3 cms.,) and ones as big as 50x350 cms.,---if you count each of the five etched on plexi-glass---and hanging side-by-side---as one. She also exhibits pastel colored expressionisitc drawings that are mellow. (50 to 550 euro.) www.petramol.exto.nl .

Leo Vansteensel is an old school artist doing new style work. He is "old style" because he is only an artist and not very well versed in how to present or "market" himself. From the central exposition display I had circled his name because of an object that was...well, not really describable. There was a mirror, a water faucet tap, something flowing from it and onto the mirror and...doesn't matter. It got 3Ds attention. He was at #11 atelier. When I found the building, I couldn't find #11. But at the end of a hallway I saw paper work that got my attention. Once I got close enough, I saw that the paper work was large etchings. Mostly in b/w. Figurative but abstract. Excellent contrast. Something else then got my attention: An object. I asked the older man sitting at a desk if this was #11? "Yes." He then told me he remembered me from a show he had had 20 years ago and named the gallery. I had liked his work, he said. I still do. He has no web-site, nor e-mail address and no name card. There was no price list. Call Leo at (020) 07.67.120 and tell him the 21st century has arrived. Oh, nearly forgot, that one object that caught my eye was GREAT. "How much?" I asked. "Not for sale," he replied! Indeed, old school...but eight years ago he stopped as an etcher and began doing "assemblages" and, take it from 3D, it is avant gardé.

Another thing that had caught my eye at the group showing I nearly passed by because my first reaction was "bad kitsch." But, I went back to look at it more closely and decided it really wasn't kitsch but a mixed media painting/object that came across as such...and it was very well fabricated. So, I circled the artist's name and ventured off to see more. Glad I did. Tamara Jongsmas---a Rietveld Academy drop-out and a film costume designer---makes things that you either like or dismiss. She uses a variety of material including dried animal skulls to fashion these weird images. One piece, #7, is labled as "in progress." However, as far as 3D was concerned, it could be a finished piece. It is evocative of the POP School and especially Jim Dine's "Bathrobe" series. Three shirts---with their sleves interlocked---all are white and two have black printed designs. She has added paint (b/w and gray) to the bottoms of the two on the left. Nice. (www.tamarajongsma.nl ...Carla van Beurden is a contemporary impressionist with emphasis on trees and kangaroos. Kangaroos? Anyway, she does for kangaroos what William Wegman does for dogs and that is, makes them interesting (e-mail: carlabe@dds.nl. no web-site)....

***

WHAT IS HAPPENING THIS WEEK:

Reminder: The (?) means that the 3D List is NOT infallible...kid you not. Check the gallery's web-site. 3D didn't because he is too lazy and unpaid. The "*" signifies the time is in question.

THURSDAY: 4th June, 2009

17-19:00 "witzenhausen GALLERY" (Hazenstraat 60). "On Paper," Chiaki Kamikawa, Entrique Marty and Roland Sohier. Also a book presentation for "Roland Sohier the Pleasure of Drawing." RSVP: info@witzenhausengallery.nl. www.witzenhausengallery.nl

(?)17-19:00 Melkweg Galerie, "The JUMP project," Leyla Tatiana Rosario, photography.

FRIDAY: 5th June

16:00 Museumplein. Opening ceremony for "Dream Amsterdam 2009," with Peter Funch. (See RONMANDOS for Saturday.)

17:00 Chellerie (Raamgracht 58). Marcella Madeira (Brazil). She shows paintings and collages. www.marcellamaderie.blogspot.com

17:30 Galerie Joghem (Plesmanlaan 125). Margje Teeuwen, expressionistic symbolism. www.margjeteeuwen.nl

18:00 MLB Galerie (Witte de Withstraat 32). "Metamorfosen, Variaties op licht, kleur en natuur"," by Renate Kuby. www.renatekuby www.mlbgalerie.nl

18-20:00 Amstelkerk (Amstelveld 10). Photos by Cornelia Nauta + paintings and graphihcs by Frans Plantema. Plus music. www.cornelianauta.net

18:30-21:30 Carhartt Store Amsterdam (Hartenstraat 18). "Sjoco Sjon Presents: CEREALISCIOPUS MADNESS." Huh? Hey, 3D read what it is all about and it sounds like it will be very interesting for someone involved in advertising or marketing. Sjoco Sjon is a visual artist and has also produced TV shows. He won the Slash & Burn Award for 2006 for his "Best Bier" commercial. www.sjocosjon.com www.carhartt-streetwear.com

21:00 W139 (Warmoesstraat 139). Berend Trasberger. www.w139.nl

SATURDAY: 6th June

13 to LATE De Service Garage (Stephensonstraat 16). "Unfair Project's one day event/finnissage...will include a lecture and debate program that strives to provoke stimulating and interesting discussion around art, cultural value and the free market." Language: Dutch. Moderator: Tiers Bakker. At 20:00, a performance by Camilo Barreto and Kay Patru, "Walk the line." At 20:30 it's PARTY TIME. www.parachutartists.com www.deservicegarage.nl

14-21:00 Rembrandtpark, "Party in the Park." Artists and öther creative people." Sponsored by Stadsdeel De Baarsjes. For more detailed info on this event + a "month long" artistic happening in De Baarsje see: www.junikunstmaand.nl

15:00 Van Zijll Langhout Exposition (Brouwersgracht 161). Arnout Killian (Nl) and David Powell (UK), figurative portrait painters. Well, there is an interesting gimmick to this highly unusual exhibition or is it a performance(?), but as to that it is, check out: www.vanzijlllanghout.nl

16:00 Chiellerie (N.B. @ cafe Bern, Nieuwmarkt 9). "Chelleirie goes Bern." Martine Pieck, graphic work.

16:00 RON MANDOS gallery Amsterdam (Prinsengracht 282). Renato Nicolodi's presentation of The Solo Project Basel, 2009." + Peter Fuch will talk at 17:30 about "Dream Amsterdam 2009." If 3D understands correctly there is a 15 euro entry fee. Also, Arthur Kleinjar. www.ronmandos.nl

16:00 Wetering Galerie (Lijnbaansgracht 288). Ad Gerritsen's "Wereldtitels." Mixed media on paper. www.weteringgalerie.nl

16:00 Reflex Modern Art Gallery (Weteringschans 83). David LaChapelle: The rape of Africa." Photos. www.reflex-art.nl

17-19:00 Gallery WM (Eandsgracht 35). `Rum en Coca/Cola,` photos by Van Theo IJzermans. www.gallerywm.com

17-19:00 Edward Pranger Oriental Art Galerie (N. Spiegelstraat 53). "Gorgeous Ladies," Cao Dan. www.prangergallery.com

17:00 RudolfV (Kerkstraat 427). Edith Snoek, paintings; José van der Valk, bronze work; Aico Dinkla, synthetic coatings on canvas (3D has no idea what that means); Noor Tielens, mixed media; Particia Ribas, photography. www.rudolfv.com

17:00 Soledad Senlle Gallery (Sloterkade 171). Marisol Ferradás + Catherine Libeert. www.soledad.nl

17-19:00 Canvas International Art (Fokkerlaan 46). "AWARENESS," Indonesian Art Today, paintings by seven artist. This is the last show at this former fire station before they burn it down...the gallery holders promis": "Music, sateh and Bintang." Bintang? they are moving back to the big city come September to the Gerard Doustraat. www.canvas-art.nl

SUNDAY: 7th June

(?)14:00 Galerie De Witte Voet (Kerkstraat 137) Stesuko Nagasawa, ceramics. www.galeriedewittevoet.nl

14-18:00 YDkunstuitleen (Quellijnstraat 127) "Fabricisme!" an exhibition for Fabrice Hund. www.fabrice.defoundation.eu

15:00 Jos Art (KNSM-laan 291). Simon Oud, Slava Seidel and Frans Westers, www.josart.nl

15-17:00 Beeldengesporken (Borgerstraat 102). Fernando Garcia Diaz, "Pigments in Place." + singer/guitarist, Alejandro Carbajal. www.beeldendgesproken.nl

18:00 Atelier Party(?) (Kinkerstraat 12c). "Julie Dassaud & Guests/Expo_Go West." Also open from 12-18:00 both Sat & Sun. On sunday, at 18:00, music by dress.

TUESDAY: 9th June

20-24:00 Petersburg Project Space (Frans de Wollantstraat 84). "Skies Are Blue," an installation by Monique Verhoeckx. An opening with Civeblend: speakers, screenings and dj Kazemat. www.petersburgprojectspace.org

***

A great week in Amsterdam...if you missed it...shame on you. Of course, the purpose of the section What You Missed Last Week is to encourage my dear readers to get off their butts and venture into a gallery if a description of an artist with a particular style of work tickles your fancy. But you won't know unless you GO! Sure, you hear this exhortation repeatedly, but since the red dots are scarce...3D suspects you're not getting the message. I once asked one of the gallery bums if he ever bought anything? He answered. "No. that's all about money!" Sure is, guy. Money is what puts food on the table and pays the rent for an artist. I still see him limping around but NEVER at W139, or Smart Project Space or P///AKT. These are art spaces that you are required to pay for your beverages. Come to think of it, there are several gallery bums I don't see at these venues. Hypocrites everyone. You know who you are. Damn, 3D must be in a nasty mood...but the sun is shining and there is an opening of Tibet art to go see....

And there he goes, biking towards Shangri-La climbing mountain after mountain seeking...seeking...what? The pleasure of a pretty picture or an amazing sculpture or a conceptual puzzle to mull over...