Going back in time: Daniel Gould’s 3D List, Art in Amsterdam #86

This is the 11th yearly edition of Gould's 3D List. I anticipate many eye-opening exhibitions because it is always so in Amsterdam. Several years ago, visiting friends from America commented on one of my then current initiatives by saying, "You do such interesting things in Amsterdam." Sure do! And I am still doing them! The city is an inspiration. KLM had a slogan (c. 1970) which said simply, "Surprising Amsterdam." Hey, nothing has changed.

The city is an anomaly when compared with other major world cities. It is a mecca for cultural activity whether it is music---from pop to classical with all nuances represented in between; art, and with the same eclectic list of styles and techniques. And, over a year, foreign artists probably make up nearly 50% of participants. You don't have to leave home to experience world stage performers. Thus, it is the perfect stew for international culture. New York, London, Paris, et al, are very good soups, true, and the rest of the world cities, for the most part, are nothing more than gruel with little substance. Then there is the fact that the city is an important financial center. All this with only a population of 800,000. Amsterdamers refer to it as a "big village" and do so affectionately. That's why it is a stew and not a soup. Everything is condensed into a small geographic location. You can walk it! You can bike it! It doesn't get any better. 

This is the beat for the 3D List. And the motivation for its existence. So, follow me as I meander through the streets and canals of the most Utopian city in the world today. I promise you a great trip!

INDEX:

Bits & Pieces:

Museum Reviews:  "foam," Two reviews: Anne de Vries & Momo Okabe (Japan)

                                   Huis MarseilleEsko Männikkö (Findland) & Hanne v. der Woude

                                   Van Gogh Museum's new addition: A 20 million euro blunder?

Art Space Review:   W139

                                   Prince Claus Fund: Five Middle East and North African Photographers

What's Happening Now...at the art galleries...

BITS & PIECES:

The Amsterdam Drawing Fair, 4th Edition...It was better than ever. Drawing has been the bastard child of artistic technique for centuries, taking a backseat to painting. Now both are threaten by photography. However, as this fair demonstrated, those who draw continue to reinvent the technique. Outstanding work was the norm for this year's event. Don't miss it next year!
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"Yield to temptation---it may not pass your way again." Robert A. Heinlein, from his book, Time Enough For Love.
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What's new with Laser 3.14 This, "Love is the anchor, You light the bacon." Seen at Bloemstraat 83.  Footnote...Donne 3.16. has been spotted again, but this time his message was in Dutch. Pity! 
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Quotable quotes....

"Every day, thousands of innocent plants are killed by vegetarians. Help end this violence. Eat bacon." Anon.
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"Both optimist and pessimists contribute to society. The optimist invents the aeroplane, the pessimist the parachute." George Bernard Shaw.
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"Don't let schooling interfer with your education." Mark Twain.
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From my FACEBOOK page: "I didn't make it to the gym today. That makes five years in a row." 
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Also from FB, "Reading can seriously damage your ignorance."
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"Books are a labour to write and hell to publish." Anon
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"Writing is not a profession but a vocation in unhappiness." Georges Simenon.
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"There are three things to be done with a woman. You can love her, you can suffer for her, or you can turn her into literature." Lawrence Durrel.

Seen on the window of the ABC Bookstore: "He had learned the worst lesson that life can teach---that it makes no sense." Philip Roth, from American Pastoral.
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A few years back, 3D did a series of essays on the topic What is Happiness? Most are available on the Internet, in Dutch, just Google "Daniel R. Gould and "Gouden zondagen". Here are three quotes concerning the issue: From Calvin (Casper) & Hobbes: "I suppose the secret of happiness is learning to appreciate the moments." So true!....And from the novel, Little Elvises, by Tim Hallinan (it's a thriller): "So many things that could keep us alive and guarantee us a peaceful rewarding old age are under our control. They're simple. Diet, exercise, reduce stress, [and] happiness. You know, Abraham Lincoln once said he thought most people were about as happy as they make up their minds to be." Right on!...And on the lighter side of the issue of Happiness is this sign seen at D. Kombuis (Piet Heinkade 83): "You can't buy happiness, but you can buy coffee and that's kind of the same thing." Hmmmm....Much truth in that! 
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...And this from Laser 3.14: "Asscher wasn't buried at a Jewish cemetery." (Asscher? A Dutch politician and still alive and kicking...) 
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KochxBos celebrates their 10th anniversary this December. They are asking anyone with photos of events, at the gallery, to submit them for publication in their anniversary catalog. gallery@kochxbos.com 
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MUSEUM REVIEWS:

"foam

Anne de Vries is a conceptual artists! 3D makes that a statement because his work, at this exhibition, may question what people consider photography to be, today. Photography is a mere element of his technique. You need look no further than the floor of the museum where you will see several snake-like objects. Indeed, they are accented with photographic elements. Perhaps the best way to explain what De Vries is up to is to quote him: "What interests me is how digital technologies are ultimately rooted in the human need to overcome physical and mental limitations. This is an ancient quest in which science, art and the spiritual are bound together, a quest that has produced the manipulated reality of our day and by the future." His influences, for technique, range from PhotoShop to Tumblr to mobile upload feeds. Currently, there is a poster on the streets of Amsterdam designed by him and displayed in the show. It relates to the new media.

Until 1st November

Momo Okabe, a Japanese photographer, is the winner of the Foam Paul Huf Award, 2015. Her work is basically documentary photography and in the raw. 

She was awarded the prize for her  project about two "transgender lovers [both Japanese], whom she followed during their processes of transition." One of the people involved, Kaori, was in a relationship with Okabe before she began the series. 

The story of Kaora and her new lover, Yoko, (a woman) is interspersed with photos taken after the tsunami which devastated Fukushima. As with documentary film, the photos often lack a refined look. They tend to be under lighted and a touch out of focus. Actually, the latter effect works very well with a photo of an American Wurlitzer jukebox from the 40s or 50s, with its garish colors.

Until 25th October.

www.foam.org 
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Huis Marseille (Keizersgracht 401) presents the Finnish photographer, Esko Männikkö. You know what hyper-realism is, but that is all about painting. How about hyper-realism in photography? The first thought is isn't that what photography is all about? well, yes...but....There is a quality to his work that makes you want to question the technique. Basically, because he approaches reality from many directions. The subject matter? Everything and anything! A series of nine doors, each well weathered, is an interesting study in form and decay. Great frames and many look like they came from a flea market. And it is a comprehensive exhibition hanging over 75 works, 3D lost count! 

In addition, the work of the Dutch photographer, Hanne van der Woude, who does portraits, is on show. There is a series, titled, Emmy's World, which features the aging artist Emmy Eerdmans. She appears in "different" costumes with crisp and sharp color photos accented with exceptional but natural light. 

Until 6th December. www.huismarseille.nl 
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Van Gogh Museum: Is the newest addition, to the building, a 20 million euro blunder?

The Architecture: 

The main building of the museum was designed by Gerrit Rietveld and opened in 1973. In 1999, an additional wing was constructed and the design was by Kisho Kurokawa of Kisho Kurokawa Architect & Associates. 3D said to Kurokawa, at the opening of the wing, in 1999, that if you looked down on the museum from a helicopter there would be an illusion of a giant exclamation point (!). I said that that was fitting since Vincent van Gogh oeuvre is indeed an exclamation point to 19th century art. The museum has shown good sense to have selected the same architectural firm for the new addition and, in a sense, it has brought the point of the exclamation point full circle. It is an attachment to the original building and situated where there was a void. 

The space adds 800 square meters to the museum. It is covered with 650 square meters of  "state-of- the-art glass." It is basically below ground level and will hold the payment booths for entry. You will descend from ground level via a state-of-the-art glass stairway. Needless to say, it is impressive, but potentially dangerous. If one person trips on a stair it could create a domino effect.

The Blunder:

Now for the downside. There are two locations in this city, that I pass often, where I see people lined up for sometimes a 100 meters and four or five abreast to gain entry into a museum: The Van Gogh and The Anne Frank House. I have empathy for them since they are there come rain, sunshine, snow and cold. The Van Gogh decided to alleviate the congestion on the Peter Paulusstraat by moving that entrance to one that now faces the Museumplein. Where I see the new edition as a blunder is that they have moved the problem from one location to another. There will still be lines of people exposed to the weather elements. I see no improvement for their waiting comfort.

Ironically, the interior could have been designed in such a way that a few hundred people could have been accommodated inside the building while they waited. Instead of the state-of-the-art stairway, a slopping ramp that clung to the side walls could have been constructed which would have accommodated many more people. Strange that it was never considered. 

There is one positive aspect to moving the Van Gogh entrance to the new location and that is it will bring into view the new wing of the Stedelijk Museum. It will alert many people who never thought of checking out the building next to the old entrance. The Stedelijk has always been in the shadow of the Van Gogh and the Rijksmuseum as far as yearly attendance goes.

Footnote: This year is the 125th since the death of Vincent. The museum has a display of 125,000 sunflowers as a tribute. 
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Art Space REVIEWS: 

W139

A total of 20 people contributed to this exhibition at W139 (Warmosestraat 139). What you will see are monumental mound-like construction all from clay. They stand around two meters high and two or three meters long. There is no adornment except for the indentations made with the human hand. According to the written description: "The quantity of the clay used for this piece accentuates the developments of not only the sensory adjustments used in making the reliefs themselves, but also the adaptive navigation's of the gallery space." Got it? Until __?__ www.w139.nl 
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The Prince Claus Fund (Herengracht 603) has selected five contributors to the Arab Documentary Photography Program (ADPP) to "develop [a] site-specific installation of their work." The linear notes go on to state that "They display an intimate understanding of the issues that are touched upon...before the foreign press and media takes hold of it." What you see is an eclectic array of subject matter and imagery. Street scenes, intimate interior venues, diaries, landscapes, et al. A large wall photograph (about 300 cms., by 500 cms.) is a show stopper. It is one of many check points between Israel and Hebron. When you view it you have a sense why the Palestine community has fostered "terrorist." You get the sense of containment and/or imprisonment. You ask yourself how do these fences differ form the one that the Nazis built that surrounded the Warsaw Ghetto? It is a powerful piece. And that's not all. The restraining gate' photo covers a door to the back of the space. Symbolically, we can walk through without interruption. The contributors are: Reem Falanaz (UAM), Faisal Al Fouzan (Kuwait), Samar Hazboun (Palestine), Omar Imam (Syria) and Natalie Naccache (Lebanon/UK). The exhibition was curated by Hester Keijser. What they have in common is each has an excellent photographic technical skill not to mention a good eye. Until 6th November. www.princeclausfund.org 
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WHAT'S HAPPENING NOW! 
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CRAZY SATURDAY REVISITED + following weeks...:

Jeroen Erosie (NL) is at the Mini Galerie (Kerkstraat 12) with linear/abstract paintings that have a strong affinity to the Russian Constructionist of the 20s and 30s. The imagery resembles printer's cliches. He prefers the color black. And indeed the black enhances what minimum color there is. (30x40 cms., mixed media on wood @ 950 euro; 150x180 cms., mixed media on canvas @ 4,350 euro)....Showing, too, is Jeroen Heeman (NL) with work that ranges from simple line drawings to geometric/abstract collages. Two line drawings will make you think of Escher if he was doing simple line drawings. (50x70 cms., acrylic latex on paper @ 495 euro; 30x40 cms., mixed media on wood @ 950 euro). 3 REDS DOTS at opening. Until 10th October. www.minigalerie.nl 
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Qlick Editions (Gerard Doustraat 134) hangs "vintage" photographs by Ave Pildas (USofA) all from the late 70s and early 80s. At the time, he was the Art Director for Capitol Records. All works hanging are b/w nudes. As to labeling the works as "nudes" you will be surprised that his emphasis is on forms with heavy linear nuances and b/w contrast. He finds numerous and innovated ways to achieve the linear aspects. What is surprising is that the work is not dated. In fact, it is more contemporary than much of the photography we see today. This was one of two exhibition for the 75 year old. The other was, the next day, in La Jolla California. (All work in two sizes: 30x20 cms., @ 425 euro; 90x60 cms., @ 1,250 euro: All are in an edition of 15)  Until 17th October. www.qlickeditions.com 
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Ten Haaf Projects is back and at a temporary location (Elandstraat 44). Showing is the work of Inna Levinson (Ger/Ukraine). She creates classical scenes from European art history. You can see influences from Hieronymus Bosch who was perhaps the first surreal artist, in a sense. What she does that is completely different is she uses "plasticine" clay (Play Dough). Since these are replays of the classical works of 16th and 17th century---often religious---they are very detailed. The background and figures are all individually molded and shaped then painted. In a way, they are like jigsaw puzzles made up of hundreds of elements. Because of the material there is a kitchy feel. But that's okay because the work does stand-out from a distance of 15 meters. She was awarded the German Prize, Dorothea Konwaiarz Stiftung in 2014. (28.7x19 cms., plasticine @ 477 euro; 40.3x45.5 sma., plasticine @ 860 euros; 68x122 cms., plasticine @ 3,700 euro). Until 26th September. https://bit.ly/2ux13gg 
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BMB (Kerkstraat 129) kicked off their new season with a group show. Dorien Plaat shows small paintings which feature people and flowers under a bell-shaped glass jar. The style is impressionistic/realism. Two large works depict dog/rabbit-like creatures and pay homage to Francis Bacon's technique and style. (18x24 cms., acrylic on canvas @ 295 euro; 100x70 cms., acrylic on canvas @ 2,150 euro)...Baukje Spaltro combines the figurative with the abstract and creates unique conceptual imagery. Somehow she blends the two styles together into an almost seamless composition. One work is an abstraction in red which vibrates from the wall. (18x24 cms., acrylic/oil on linen @ 200 euro; 120x180 cms., acrylic/oil on linen @ 5,000 euro)...Sara Vrught works with textile and embroiders it with geometric abstractions. One piece is a collage of 15 sections and each in a different pattern. (40x70 cms., embroidery @ 850 euro; 90x170 cms., embroidery collage @1,100 euro)...Karin Bos incorporates a conceptualist approach to realism and sometimes approaches the subject matter from an impressionism/realism point of view like her series of camp sites with caravans. (20x28 cms., oil on canvas @ 975 euro; 100x130 cms., oil on canvas @ 4,950 euro)....Marsha Metselaar exhibits a 3D wall-hanging of a rabbit that jumps out at you. Literally. Another object is a grouping of four elements: A tree, three figures---one a person with antlers, a figure dressed as a rabbit, and one dressed as a pussy cat. (11x29x28 cms., ceramic, wood and steel @ 475; 48x56x55 cms., ceramic, wool, silk, porcelain @ 1,750 euro). Until 10th October. www.galeriebmb.nl 
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...And just a few doors away is De Witte Voet (Kerkstraat 135) with the work of Pablo Ponce (NL/Argent) and wait until you see it. Your first question: What's it all about? First of all, it is an installation though it is offer for sale in 36 individually pieces. Overall, it looks like a space colony from Star Wars. The range of imagery is extensive. Get this: A thumb about 60 cms., high; and it is only one of several thumbs. Huh? No, 3D dosen't know why thumbs. Anyway, there are three video projections included in the installation. Each is like in a small cinema except the one with an overhead projection. And there is sound. All pieces are ceramic; and look for the pencil drawing which defines the "ground" area. (200 euro to 3,500 euro)  Until24th Ocotber. www.galeriedewittevoet.nl 
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At "GALERIE bart" (Elandsgracht 16)  there is a duo show. Antonia Breme looks at leaves with an almost surrealistic sense. The fuzzy images somehow convey a different sense of meaning for a subject so banal. He hangs a geometric abstract object made of Styro-foam and tape. He also displays an installation with wood, blinds, paint, foam, Plexiglas, projector and scan. (27x20 cms., pigment prints, Ed 20 @ 590 euro; 177x100x2 cms., Styro foam, tape and spray paint  @ 1,100 euro)....Aliki van der Kruijs goes to a botanical garden and creates what is described as a "botanograph." Also, the artist has covered plants with cloth and photographs them giving us a 3D collage effect. (30x21 cms., photo print, Ed. 5 @ 240 euro; 85x91 cms., Botanograph: silk, black ink paper and artificial rain. Unique @ 2,200 euro). Until 17th Ocotber. www.galeriebart.nl 
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Gallery RA, (Nes 120), the new jewelry location, features two designers. Esther Knobel makes necklaces in whimsical forms ranging from a basket of berries to a toy car. Other pieces feature large beads in various sizes, colors and shapes. There is even a "sardine can" filled with baubles. (660 to 2,200 euro)...Yonatan Ward does it simple and in black! He takes electronic parts and covers the surface with plastic which is then heat-molded into the support part of the brooch. There are no pins for attaching them; you use a magnet. No holds left in your sweater. (90 to 120 euro). Until 10th October. www.galerie-ra.nl 
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Do you like it all in black? Check out Wouter Nijland's monochromatic---well, sort of---paintings at WALLS (Prinsengracht 737). In a sense, this is a new take on something that Ad Reinhardt did back in the 60s. He made a Plexiglas print. It appeared to be all black, however if you moved it, tilting it this way and that, you would see colored squares of red and green. Here, Wouter paints the entire surface black BUT with ten shades of black. And he uses a comb-line implement which creates a texture for each shade. Viewed from different angles you see different abstractions. Oh, yeah, and there is the element of chance...but, hey, go and check it out for yourself. (25x25 cms., oil on canvas @ 850 euro; 50x50 cms., oil on canvas @ 1,800 euro; 150x200 cms., oil on canvas @ 6,000 euro)....Exhibiting, too, is Ilse Vermeulen whose themes are expressed two ways: With paint brushes and wings. She attaches wings to the used paint brushes---which have strange nuanced colors---several are in the shape of bat wings. She also utilizes the imagery in photographs. And there are the wall objects. One wall consists of 30+ brushes. She uses techniques like 3D printing, photography  and bronze casting. So, come fly with me.....(30+ wall objects---paint brushes---@ 375 euro each; 45x30x28 cms., 3D Print, unique @ 1,350 euro; 105x36x45 cms., wood with bronze @ 4,500 euro)  Until 4th October. https://bit.ly/2LRAexM 
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Galerie Ron Mandos (Prinsengracht 282)  presents two artists. Jacco Olivier paints abstract work that creates an imagery that makes you want to step into the picture. That is, to grasp and maybe even understand it. Nice pastel colors are easy on the eyes. His large works are more complicated as far as imagery and composition. And the imagery is his alone. In the back gallery he has three wall projected works. (21x29 cms., acrylic on wood panel @ 6,8000 euro; 23x122 cms., acrylic on wood panel @ 11,000 euro; 100x160 cms., acrylic on panel @ 24,500 euro)  3 RED DOTS, at opening....Sebastiaan Bremer does flowers like you never seen before. The elements of the flowers are enhanced with a filigree of white dots.They appear to be bursting open. Smaller works----minus the filigree---are no less impressive. Large b/w works follow the theme of using filigree but only filigree: White against black. (12.8x17.8 cms., hand painted on antique book page @ 3,000 euro; 46.8x47.3 cms., hand carved gelatin silvere print @ 9,500 euro; 192.7x210.8 cms., Diptych of hand painted gelatin print with mixed media @ 58,000 euro). Until 10th October. www.ronmandos.nl 
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Galerie Rob Koudijs (Elandsgracht 12) shows two new jewelry designers. Alexander Blank makes brooches and exhibits two series. One is from material that looks like human skin (silicone) and a few have what looks like human hair growing from the surface (artificial). The other series consist of plastics forms in various shapes. They are all black, however not quite. Look closely and you can see small cotton-like balls inside. He does not reveal how he performers this magic. (975 to 2,600 euro)....Karen Pontoppidan takes silver coins and flattens them into oval shapes. She then paints them. Then, she connects them into rectangular multi-sided necklaces; from three sides to 23. Why paint over the silver? She says, that with use the paint will begin to wear away or chip thus creating a new dimension and an added natural nuance. Oopps. Forgot to check the price list. Sorry! Until 24th October www.galerierobkoudijs.nl
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Daniel Schubert shows at Gerhard Hofland (Bildderdijkstraat 165). He is a conceptualist who frolics in playing with colors---and sometimes there are none----and imagery which often is more an illusion than something you see. There is an monochromatic black painting which has well defined brush strokes hanging next to an almost fluorescent work. Another piece is all white. A study in blue consists of hundreds of dots which are defined by a Delft Blue background. But it looks almost perfect because of its imperfections. Huh? Well, you gotta see it. (45x35 cms., acrylic ink, gouache on canvas @ 1,900 euro; 80x70 cms., acrylic @ 3,200 euro; 105x75 cms., triptych, Indian ink @11,000 euro). Until 3rd October. www.gerhardhofland.com 
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Claire Harvey is back at Galerie Fons Welters (Bloemstraat 140) for the third or is it the fourth time? She first got 3D attention at the Open Ateliers of the Rijksakademie, in 2005, with her small b/w and shades of gray paintings. And she has not strayed far from that early work, but she has evolved. Every show is something new. In the front gallery she takes us on a conceptualist' airplane flight. She has photographed from inside of a plane looking out the window at the wing. We see a figure on the wing; it looks like something out of The Twilight Zone. Harvey pre-paints, on acetate, the figure and inserts it into the scene. In another series, she does it with buildings and with an even more whimsical approach. Then there is a series of Polaroids which are overlapped with drawings, again, on acetate. She adds nuances which gives the work a sense of being a collage and that is what they are. But it is the back wall, of the big gallery, that will get your attention. She has drawn, on strips of celluloid tape, figures wading in the water. There are 50+ examples that are stretched two meters by four meters across the wall. Very good show! Let's give it a WOW!!! (Pricing: The airplane series has a graduated price scale: 13x18 cms., Ed. 1/5 @ 300 euro; 5/5 @ 400 euro; 11x11 cms., Polaroid, oil on acetate @ 1,500 euro; the 50+, oil on Scotch Tape as an installation @ 27,500 euro). 3 RED DOTS, at opening. Until 17th October. www.fonswelters.nl 
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Percipi (Rozenstraat 277)  shows Bas van Wieringen who is basically a conceptual photographer who also, from time to time, shoots straight. An example of the latter is a series of six photos framed with a cardboard box cover illustrating street scenes like fences, drain pipes, etc., but sometimes with a humorous touch or an ironic one. He presents us with a big range of styles which includes two videos. (50 euro to 1,800 euro)  Until 11th October. https://bit.ly/2xrBKhW 
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Wouter Stelwagen presents a series of photos which concentrate on Chongqing (A Chinese province) and is hanging at  SEELEVEL GALLERY (Bentaninestraat 39). There are several that are architecturally influenced photos which show the huge apartment blocks. Other work features large expanses like beaches and harbors, etc. Almost as an after thought you see a couple of people....Also showing, in a joint venture, is Sander Meisner,  represented by Rutger Brandt Gallery, with a series of interior scenes like a cinema, a stairway or a simple corner of a defined area. What makes them special is how he views the area---the angles---and the colors. There is a cold utilitarian-look but it is softened by both the colors and abstraction. Until 3rd. October www.seelevel.nl 
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This is cute...The dot marks the spot at Annet Gelink (Laurierstraat 189). The artist, Wilfredo Prieto (Cuba), hangs 100 framed dots which measure six millimeters across. Kid you not! They are small and you put your nose up to the glass, of the frame, to see the imagery. Everyone is different and that makes 100 unique miniature works. Cool! (1,200 euro, inclusive frame). Until 17th October. ...Adjoining her main gallery is an auxiliary one and there you can see early work by the iconic Amsterdam photographer Ed van der Elsken along with a contemporary of his, Johan van der Keuken. These are a selection of photos from the 50s and 60s, taken in A'dam and Paris, and all in glorious b/w. The show is curated by Willem van Zoetendaal. A good show to see. Until 21st Noevember.  www.annetgelink.com
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Julius Hofmann is at ORNIS A. GALLERY (Hazenstraat 11) with colorful paintings that are exemplified in different imagery. And sometimes the colors and the image convey a sense of aggression. Then there is a pot of flowers with asserting colors of red and green. Don't miss the naked lady! Her breast are like a pair of beacons cutting through a dark night. Also there is a 25 minute video that resembles a video game with its style and animation and aggressive nature. He has incorporated his paintings---on display----into his video scenario. (80x60 cms., acrylic on canvas @ 4,200 euro; 80x90 cms., acrylic on canvas @ 5,100 euro; 25 min animated video Ed 2 @ 3,500 euro)  Until 10th October. www.ornisgallery.com 
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Stigter van Doesburg (Elandstraat 90) is the painted work of T. Jebbe Beekman (NL). It is busy and often very colorful. 3D classifies it as contemporary impressionism. They look a lot like collages. Smaller works are in shades of gray with an almost undefined figure showing. A large painting is indeed extraordinary in its colors, composition and imagery. 8 RED DOTS, at opening (22x29 cms., acrylic,enamel, sand on paper @ 2,000 euro; 23x29 cms., same technique @ 4,500 euro; 205x288 cms., same technique @ 35,000 euro). Until 10th Ocotber. https://bit.ly/2LcyITk
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Alex Timmermans is at Eduard Planting Gallery (1e Bloemdwarsstraat 2) with photographic prints developed using a 19th century camera and the collodion process. The latter is a method requiring the photographic material to be coated, sensitized, exposed and developed within the span of 15 minutes, thus necessitating a portable darkroom in the field. Indeed, he does go into the field. He does emulate the photographic style of the period. However, he does it with humor and sometimes there is a surreal quality. As an example, one photo shows a man in 19th century attire, in a forest, with a vacuum cleaner. Don't miss the ballet dancer standing on a lily pad and addressing a swan. Glorious! (Each work is available in one of four sizes; the price range is 895 euro to 6,500 euro)  Until 24th October. www.eduardplanting.com 
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More photography is to be seen at Kahmann Gallery (Lindengracht 35) which is hanging the b/w photographic work of Sanne Sannes (1937-1967). The photos focus on women and there is a heavy and brooding darkness to them. As a result you feel the angst of the subjects. His work has been described as "erotic pictures of women." But the erotic element is very subtle. He was a private person and there are few clues as to his "inner" self. But there is a myth that has described his as a sex maniac. What you see are scantly clad women, but your overall impression is that the photograher is trying to define the subject's character. Sometimes we feel the darkness of their persona. But we also share an intimacy with them A few works are almost surreal. All the work is unique. No editions! They were found in a suitcase at his death. (20x24.5 cms., vintage gelatin silver prints, unique @ 6,000 euro; 27x33 cms., same tech., unique @ 12,500 euro). Until 30th Ocotber. www.kahmanngallery.com 
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WGKUNST (M. van Bouwdijk Bastiaansestraat 28) presents Sylvia Weve who is a children's book illustrator. She likes to draw insects and is fond of spiders. One spider, in b/w, could be a linear abstraction. The work is whimsical and will appeal to both children---the intended audience---and adults. There are also objects like an airplane with flapping wings. Most of the work on display are prints with an edition of no more than 10 and are priced from 175 euro (30x40 cms.,) to 500 euro (84x104 cms.)  Until 28th October www.wgkunst.nl 
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MLB (Witte de Withstraat 32) is showing two artists. Jaap Burger has a style that is difficult to put into a category. There are elements of the abstract, the surreal and even the Pop School. He is a colorist and focuses on the ear and mouth in nearly all the works. (50x60 cms., oil on canvas @ 450 euro; 60x80 cms., oil on canvas @ 750 euro)....Marjolein van Doorenmaalen is a painter that focuses on houses and garages as her subject matter. She works in both oil and w/c and often incorporates sand or straw into the composition. The result is a geometric linear configuration mixed with a touch of impressionism. Finally, it all comes together with a naive quality. (25x25 cms., wood, cotton, Ecoline @ 75 euro; 30x40 cms., oil and acrylic on canvas @ 250 euro). An artist talk featuring the two will be on the 17th of September. Until 27th September. www.mlbgalerie.nl 
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Joris van Spaendonck is at Appels Gallery (Brouwersgracht 151) proving that art is an illusion. Maybe that should be art with a capital "A". He creates imagery which you perceive mentally more than you process visually. He likes flowers, but forget flowers and look at the abstraction and colors. Strong and assertive. Some works are mixed media and he incorporates material/fabric into the compositions. Also his "canvases" are sometimes tarps as used for awnings. (35x35 cms., acrylic on canvas @ 550 euro; 60x120 cms., acrylic on canvas @ 2,900 euro; 140x160 cms., acrylic on canvas @ 4,900 euro) Until 20th September. www.appelsgallery.nl 
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At Galerie Mokum (O.Z. Voorburgwal 334) is the "realist" Kenne Grégoire. 3D qualifies the realism because he adds nuances of impressionism. He is rather eclectic in his subject matter: Still lifes, flowers and group scenes of people at a football match. The later is note worthy because he captures the men as you would see them in a close-up snapshot. And there is animation in the figurative element. A table setting---on panel---stands out. (21x21 acrylic on panel @ 1,100 euro; 30x36 cms., acrylic on canvas @ 3,750 euro; 180x90 cms., acrylic on linen @ 9,000 euro). Until 11th October. www.galeriemokum.com 
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Ravestijn Gallery (Westerdoksdijk 603-A) features the work of Mona Kuhn. She does things differently. But where to start? Well, she prints her photographs in the c1900 sepia  technique....almost! Sometimes there is a smidgen of colors but it is oh, so, subtle that it is close to being subliminal. Then there is the subject matter. A little of everything! A stack of newpapers, a "landscape" showing a desert cliff overhang; and three nudes. And two of the nudes you also perceive more than you see them. This show should trigger a desire to see more of her oeuvre. (Prices: each print is available in two sizes: 76x76 cms., Ed 8 @ 8,500 euro; 122x122 sms., Ed. 3 @ 10,800 euro) Until 10th October. www.theravestijngallery.com 
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CITYSCAPES (Piet Heinkade 83) is in another temporary space and a very big one. This exhibition is a rather attention getting show! Several styles of work---some very unusual---and in several techniques. There are construction pieces where the composition boards have been augered; linear abstracts, ceramics----that are difficult to describe---sculpture work, and objects that are almost traditional or conceptual. And speaking of the unusual there is a table with "islands" on it with an overhead projection of color. 3D found an explanation, of sorts, on a table at the entrance. Here is an excerpt: "What do you think? I think...The ambiguity & duality in the works and within the total set-up here enrich and feed our perception of art & architecture a lot...but do I, or so you get it?!" Whatever! Anyway, there is one problem with this show, the works have NO NAME TAGS. I could find NO sheet of paper indicating who, what or where. Pity?  I would like to have gotten to know some of the players. Until 9th October  www.cityscapesgallery.nl 
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Kees Smit is back once again at SLEWE (Kerkstraaat 105) with the same ol' style of geometric/abstract which looks completely NEW! He uses the same colors and symbols from previous works, but reconfigures everything. And he does it in elaborate ways which is saying something since his abstracts are so simple. He even "invents" new compositions. A triptych that just isn't your run-of-the-mill triptych. Every work is completely different. Give this show a WOW!!! (2x 65x45 cms., acrylic on linen @ 4,000 euro; 2x 75x100 acrylic on linen # 6,000 euro; 230x230 cms., 6 pieces as one @ 17,500 euro) Until 10th October. www.slewe.nl 
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At OKKER Art Gallery (Vijzelstraat 125) is the work of Kees Salentijn who is a true colorist. His style is contemporary impressionism, but with twist and turns that would make his 19th century counterpart dizzy. Often he abstracts the reality he presents. You will see cityscapes, trees, "portraits" and 81 "faces" arranged together. A fun piece. (35x30 cms., acrylic on canvas @ 1,250 euro; 50x60 cms., mixed technique on canvas @ 2,200 euro; 160x130 cms., mixed media on canvas @ 8,750 euro)  Until 25th October. www.okkerartgallery.com 
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"Khrystyna's World" is a presentation by Todd Hido and is at REFLEX (Weteringstraat 79A) with his photographic work. It as also the occasion for a book presentation which documents the show. A very large work (151x195 cms.,) is a photo that will puzzle you. How did he do it? It looks like motion photography, but, wait, not everything in the composition is in motion. PhotoShop? Who cares. The series "Selections from a survey---Khrystyna's World" is intimate, provocative, informative and illuminates a young woman's life with 54 small Polaroid-like snapshots, some in garish colors, and all framed as one. And this more or less what the show is about: Khrystyna. And it does focus on her "world." As an example, one wall features several photos and is truly eclectic in the subject matter: A street sign---her street?---an old-fashion telephone; a pussy cat; a night street scene; a wrecked car; and a couple of "girlie" photos. The colors contrast are sometimes amazing, but so are the b/w ones. WOW!!! (3,600 euro to 10,800 euro) Until 15th November. www.reflexamsterdam.com 
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The WEINER WALL is in of the unique artistic happening in Amsterdam. It is a section of a wall which measures 162 cms., by 400 cms. Several times a year, an artist is invited to utilize the space. Erik Odijk is the current artist and he has done what at first looks like a conceptual abstract charcoal drawing (on paper). However, there is indeed imagery. If you study the work closely, you will perceive two moths alighted on the bark of a tree. It is akin to taking a moth that measures perhaps five or six mms., long and enlarging it to about 300 cms., long and you must still quint to see them even though it is like they are under a microscope. (N.B. Entrance through the Gerhard Hofland Gallery at Bilderdijkstraat 165.) Until 30th November. www.m4gastatelier.nl 
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LUMEN TRAVO (Lijnbaansgracht 314) features the work of the textile artist Riki Hurkmans. This is her fifth exhibition at the gallery. In this presentation, she hangs what look like flags. That is, they are in the shape of a flag and colorful, but they come in an infinite variety of colors, materials and have a collage-like quality. In essence they are geometric abstractions. There is an unusual video of a man waving a flag...well, sorta waving a flag. You gotta see it! The focus is on the man and not the flag. Until 17th October  www.lumentravo.nl 
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...And a few doors away is AKINCI (Lijnbaansgracht 317) with the work of Melanie Bonajo (NL). Is this a feminist statement? You can bet your life on it! The majority of people will probably find his show to be sexually provocative---there is even a video of an orgy scene. Sure! But it is that element that gets your attention as well as getting the point across. She portrays the "movements of a Brooklyn' based sex worker activist." How she does this is what makes the show so relevant to today's society's moral norms' and standards. (29x39 cms., C-print w/ frame Ed. 5 @ 1,500 euro; 149x120 cm.s, C-print, w/ frame, Ed. 5 @ 7,500 euro; HD Video, 36 minutes, Ed. 5 @ 12,000 euro) Until 17th October www.akinci.nl 
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In a abbreviated exhibition, Kirsten van den Bogaard (GER) shows at LUMAS (Van Baerlestraat 8) three works. It should be noted that while LUMAS specializes in photography it does go beyond its natural perimeters. Van den Bogaard is not a photographer, but a painter. LUMAS makes a laser copy of a work, then an edition which is signed and numbered by the artist. The imagery, in each work, pictures three people, two men and a woman, sitting on a floor. The colors are soft pastels with a heavy use of sky blue. The prints are laminated between in plastic. (123x160 cms., photograph, Ed. 150 @ 1,399 euro). Until __?__  www.lumas.com/events/bogaard 
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BORZO (Keizersgracht 516) opens their new season with three artists. Piet Moget paints landscapes, sorta. They are visually minimal, but with lots of paint. That is, he layers brush stroke upon brush strokes to increase the depth perception and luminosity of the colors. (50x50 cms., oil on canvas @ 6,500 euro; 80x80 cms., oil on canvas, @ 15,000)....Jan Andriesse hangs a monumental minimal work. Monumental for its sheer size (291x181 cms.) and minimal because that's what it is. An all white surface with nuances of blue/gray color. And there are four strips of celluloid tape with the red tab still attached. Another work is again with an all white background except for the added nuances of "raindrops"  running down the surface, of the canvas, and it is with a wire chain that forms a "U"  across the composition. (150x190 cms., acrylic on canvas w/ wire chain @ 40,000 euro; 291x181 cms., charcoal, acrylic & celluloid tape @ 40,000 euro)....Jurriaan Molenar is a minimalist with a big voice. While he favors shades of gray, he, from time to time, inserts a touch of color. His compositions are unusual. One abstract work is a study in perspectives. A work showing a man in profile is nicely realized. (60x73 cm.s, acrylic on canvas @ 3,300 euro; 77x77 cms., acrylic on canvas @ 3,600 euro; 170x120 cms., acrylic on canvas @ 6,800 euro). Until 10th October. www.borzo.com 
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Katrin Korfmann is at BRADWOLFF PROJECTS (Oetewalerstraat 73) with a fascinating photographic exhibition. The work reflects her previous work in that she shoots the scene from above the action. In this show, she captures a stone quarry in Asia and the imagery is simple in concept, but complex in imagery. What we see is a field of gray dust covering the earth and the work space of stone carvers. They are occasional splashes of colors---the human figures with their clothing is an example. The fantastic part is its size. It is a tableau which is 960 cms., long and divided into five sections. And, you can have your own version which is perhaps even better. The tableau is available on paper and is 225 cms., long and folded into a box. It is an edition of 33 and priced reasonably at 300 euro. 
Until 15th November. www.burobradwolff.nl 
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Exhibiting at Van Zijll Langhout (Brouwersgracht 161) is the work of Sven Sachsalber (It) who says, "I am bored!" Well, his artistic history would substantiate that statement. He has spent 24 hours in a room with a cow; cut down a large tree by hand; and, at Palais d Tokyo, he looked for the needle in an haystack. This is the first showing of his drawings. He makes a square grid of several hundred small squares (like graph paper) and enhances them in different ways with color or simple pencil hatching. He also has statements to make: "red, blue, yellow, black and white are the colors I am using for these drawings. primary colors....sol lewitt, agnes martin, piet mondrian, gerhard richter, blinky palermo etc, artist I don't want to compete against. I think their work is tight, conservative and boring. maybe exclude gerhard richter. they are like chef's who are good at cooking 1 dish. But I don't like this, it is boring...." [sic] Well, there's that. (65x50 cms., @ 1,000 euro)  Until 21st November. www.vzlart.nl 
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Remember what 3D said in the introduction....Amsterdam is a GREAT CITY for ART! Take advantage of it! Experience the joy of buying something that talks to you! Walk, run or bike to the gallery of your choice. Get out and get about! ENJOY!!!

Photo: Inna Levinson, Ten Haaf

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