Going back in time: Daniel Gould’s 3D List, Art in Amsterdam #92

Gould's 3D List begins its 12th year of meandering the streets and canals of Amsterdam to discover the surprises that awaits the art lover. And there are always surprises in one form or another. You never know what to expect and you always get more than you  thought you could expect. So, read on...

There is good news for the Amsterdam Art scene this year: RED DOTS are breaking out like measles. Check out the gallery reviews and rejoice that perhaps the art market is coming back. Well, it is about time. The crash began back in 2008. Since then we have seen the demise of several galleries both big and small. Others have cut back on the number of openings per year. Are those bad times over? Cross your fingers....

As I have mention a few other times, over the last few years, there is a new trend amongst galleries: No Name Tags, next to the art work. Name tags generally also include the size of the work, the technique and the price. Gone! Sometimes, and more often than not, there is an A4 sheet of paper listing the information. But, now, even that is disappearing. I attended a group show of 15 artists, No name tags, no sheet of  paper listing the artists names, no price list. I didn't write a review. How could I? 

Finally, a thousand apologies to the readers for my delay in posting the first 3D List of the year...I was busy! I compiled a digest that is titled: "Why Trump Won't Be President: N.B. Not That He Can't be. He could...And That's What's So Scary."  It is available at: https://bit.ly/2IzJXoq. It will cost you less than a beer! 

This list will be updated around the 1st of December. Stay tuned....

INDEX:

Bits and Pieces:

What's Showing at Amsterdam Galleries:

BITS & PIECES: 

Let us start with an Oscar Wilde quote: "The truth is rarely pure and never simple." Hmmmm...Could be a definition for art.
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Seen lettered on the side of a boat anchored on the Herengracht: "Everything is f***ing art," minus the "*". 
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Laser 3.14 penned this: "It's dark and I don't exist."Hmmmm... Sarphatipark. Also at Singel 146, "This City & Me."  Okay...but so what? 
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This was seen in the window of a restaurant on the Kinkerstraat: " Opinions are like orgasms...mine is more important than yours, and I don't really care if you have one." It specialized in "fish & chips",  English style. Alas, they are no longer in business. The day I read the sign whey were closed. I returned a few weeks ago and found it gone. That was quick!
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WHAT'S SHOWING AT AMSTERDAM GALLERIES:  

Let us start the new Amsterdam Art Season on a very positive note. At GRIMM (Frans Halsstraat 26) are oil paintings by Caroline Walker, a Scottish artist. Her style is realism with nuances of expressionism. You will see a strong and favorable references to the works of Edward Hopper and David Hockney, the latters California scenes. The linear forms, the light, even the position of the figurative models. A couple reflect how Hopper worked with his wife Jo, not only his favorite model, but his only one. And the positive note? Ready for this? There were 21 red dots---nearly all of the hanging work---and eight more red dots of work not hanging. Phenomenal! Is this an indication of a turn in the fortunes for the Amsterdam art' market? Let's hope so. 29 RED DOTS (Oil sketches @ 1,700 euro; 230x350 cms, @ 25,000 euro)  Until 9th October. www.grimmgallery.com 
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The title of Levi van Veluw's exhibition at Galerie Ron Mandos (Prinsengracht 282) is The Monolith. Indeed one object (2Mx2Mx2M) is a collection of cubes. Had they been arranged in another configuration it would be reminiscent of the monolith in 2001: A Space Odyssey. He hangs several charcoal drawings which are heavy on contrast and the emphasis is on the perspective. There are wood objects which consists of hundreds of small squares which form a grid. They are all in black. 22 RED DOTS at opening. (51x73 cms., @ 8,000 euro; 103x140x65 cms., walnut wood, black ink, coal @ 22,000 euro) Until 29th October. https://bit.ly/1NONWvU 
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At BORZO (Keizersgracht 516) had a ten day pop-up exhibition for the Dutch/Russian artist, Masha Trebukova. Her style is simple, in fact, cartoon strip-like. However, the technique is anything but simple; it is highly complex. she says, "I print these drawings on textile using the carborundum technique....This method unites the three-dimensional with printing and painting." The style is Romanesque images and interpretations of Biblical stories. 8 RED DOTS at opening. (85x50 cms., @ 2,800 euro; 150x90 cms., @ 5,000 euro; 165x150 cms., @ 7,500 euro)  www.borzo.com
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Joris Geurts is at SLEWE (Kerkstraat 105) with new watercolors. What is the imagery? Landscape as seen in the conceptual sense or just abstracts? Doesn't really matter because Geurts latest efforts are captivating. They are washes and, indeed, subtle as well as minimal. And that only describes the color---note, not colors. The color is blue and in its many shades. The paper size (25x140 cms.) gives the work the sense of a panoramic sweep. 6 RED DOTS at opening. (17x24 cms., w/c on paper @ 1,100 euro; 28x100 cms. @ 2,750 euro; 38x140 cms., @ 3,800 euro)  Until 29th October. www.slewe.nl 
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Pete Purnell is a photographer and in his current show at WM Gallery (Elandsgracht 35)  He hangs photos that, in a word, can be described as: Beautiful. There is an eerie and ghostly imagery which is difficult to define. There is a phenomena known as aurora borealis which is sometimes visible from northern Scotland to the Arctic Circle. Purnell  has traveled to northern Norway five times to capture the occurrence on film. At first, it looks like you are viewing conceptual photography, not reality. Look more closely and you may see, at the bottom of the photo, the outline of a landscape. All the shots were made against a night sky and many have a mesmerizing and dramatic effect. At the back of the gallery there is a video/slide show installation. (60x60 cms @  350 euro; 60x80 cms., @ 420 euro; 75x112 cms., @ 680 euro)  Until __?__  www.gallerywm.com 
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The following exhibition is in the same art space, but in separate galleries: Geldersekade 30. 

Ten Haaf Projects, presents Stanislava Kovalcikova (Slovakia). She describes her work a "magical realism." Okay, but what you see is starkly stated realism featuring female and male figures. Some poses and compositions are traditional though not the colors. Some are vague, mysterious to the point of being both provocative and appealing to your natural instincts for voyeurism. She also selected T-shirts featuring typography and adds "graph and linguistic signs." (59x31 cms., oil on linen @ 800 euro; 75x56 cms., oil on linen @ 1,250 euro)  Until 29th October. www.tenhaafprojects.com 

Galerie Vriend van Bavink is exhibiting Joncquil. He is a conceptual artist who does, as far as style and technique, everything. There are minimal abstract paintings; a series of nine Polaroid photos with him wearing a hat but in each he mimics the likes of Winston Churchill, Joseph Beuys, Buster Keaton, Robert Oppenhiemer---one of the father's of the atomic bomb---an all star cast. There is a sculpture work of a nearly two meters high rectangular piece which is intersected with wood slats. Sorry, no price list.

A Juan Project is an initiative of Gallery Gabriel Rolt. This first venture is for an American Brendan Anton Jaks who presents an unusual exhibition. Choppy Waters is the show's title and a floor piece (300x150x15) conforms to it. The "floating" objects---previously slatted deck chairs---ride  on epoxy/resin waves. There are two full size bathtubs of unusual design which have another life on the inside; a conceptual arrangement of aquarium sand, fabric, et al. Two wall hanging objects are enigmas. (28x16 cms., dildo packages, enamel @ 300 euro; 60x30 cms., polyurethane foam, epoxy resin, cement bricks  @ 2,500 euro.)  Until 15th October. www.gabrielrolt.com 
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Peter Schuff has been hanging his work in Amsterdam for over 30 years. Generally, the comments 3D makes are my own. However, the press release for Galerie Gabriel Rolt (Tolstraat 84) was a concise and right-on description of his style. He was part of the 80's artistic movement Neo-Geo "consisting of geometrical and tridimensional shapes, [that] persist in what seems to be an eternal movement...The strong suggestion of rotation and movement is the result, thus, of light-geometry interplay, mixed with different nuances of colours and shadow tones." Yeah, that sort of says it all. (No price list available). Until 8th October. www.gabrielrolt.com
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Galerie Lieve Hemel (Nieuwe Spiegelstraat 3)  hangs the work of Alex de Verde who makes paintings that come close to being described as indescribable. Basically, he is a geometric/abstract realist. An unusual combination of styles. And it gets better. Often the geometric/abstract provides a "frame" to the realism  and his variation on the style comes close to being phenomenal in its unique way. You will see the motion of planets in orbit. He  achieves the geometric part by cutting the imagery from the Masonite "canvas".  Unusual and very effective. Also, worth noting is the humor, often subtle. (6,800 to 8,600 to 14,999 eyuro)  Until 1st October. www.lievehemel.nl
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At Seelevel (Bethanienstraat 39) hangs the work of Tanja Engelverts (NL). Seelevel is a photographic gallery, but her work is not traditional photography though she starts with a camera. She traveled to the desolate areas of Wyoming, in the American west, and captured its landscape. She then transferred the imagery by etching it on brass plates. The results are subliminal and often mysterious. (20x20 cms., etched on brass, Ed 5 @ 400 euro; 80x200 cms., etched on brass, Ed 5 @ 3,000 euro.) Until 1st October. www.seelevel.nl 

Seelevel shares its space with the Rutger Brandt Gallery. Georg Brückman (Germany) makes "cute"  collage/objects photographs. Huh? What he does is to select classical paintings and other works and refashions the imagery using collage and/or objects. He then makes a photograph. They are in no way "copies" but unique interpretations. Checkout Edward Hopper's The Nighthawks and the Beatles Abbey Road LP cover. Cool! ...In another room is the work of Sebastian Hosu (Romania). He does figurative b/w  washes with vague imagery and his emphasis is on form. Some of the figures are in motion. (58x51 cms., charcoal on paper @ 1,150 euro; 115x125 cms., charcoal on paper @ 3,400 euro)  Until ? www.brandtgallery.com 
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At the new jewelry Gallery RA (Nes 120) are two designers. Lore Langendries makes the statement that black is still black...forget the "new orange." This is an all black show...in spades! She uses natural fur to fashion brooches and necklaces. She cuts the material in a circular shape; and the necklaces have a nice touch by combining the circles with the rectangular. Most are priced at 65 euro; a necklace is 100 to 360 euros....Gésinne Hackenberg works with glazed earthenware, oxidized silver and reminium. The designs are simple.Some look like miniature models of Greek/Roman ceramic pots, including their irregularities. Most other pieces are circular in white or earth colors. You can select from brooches and necklaces. (500 to 800 euro; a few @ 1,000 to 1,300 euro). Until  8th October. www.galerie-ra.nl 
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Sarah Hughes (USA) is at Ornis A. Gallery with colorful abstract representational paintings. Huh? Well, the imagery is vague and sometimes you must search for it, but it is there. But the colors is what will get your attention. One work stands out with its dark blue cobalt background---in several shades---with a green leafed tree. There are two crescent shaped moons, one red and the other blue. The colors recall Kandinisy's Blau Reuter print series and the northern Dutch artist Dirk Breed (1920-2004). (36x23 cms., oil & acrylic on canvas @ 2,500 euro; 122x102 oil on canvas @ 8,500 euro) Until 8th October. www.ornisagallery.com
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At Stigter van Doesburg (Elandstraat 90) is the work of Maaike Schoorel. Call it conceptual minimalism; and while the work is not monochromatic it comes very close to it being so. And, actually, if you put your nose up to the canvas you will see the nuances of several colors that are just sort of laid back. Unobtrusive! Nice! This is her fifth show at the gallery. Opps, forgot to check the price list. Until 8th October. https://bit.ly/2LcyITk 
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BORZO (Keizersgracht 516) presented a pop-up exhibition for Masha Trebukova (NL/Rus) which will hang for eight days. She has made drawings of "Romanesque images [which] show very powerful interpretations of the Biblical stories. They sometimes look primitive and too simplistic...." And, yes, her style is simple, in fact,cartoon strip-like. The forms are all in black and the background has a rose tinge to it which softens the overall imagery. Her technique is involved and very complex, "I printed these drawing on textile using the corborundum technique. The final print is stretched on canvas and presented as a painting." She describes herself as "A Dutch woman with a Russian soul." 6 RED DOTS; 2 GREEN(85x50 cms., mixed media on canvas @ 2,800 euro; 165x150 cms., mixed media on canvas @ 7,500) Until 10th Sept. www.borzo.com 
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Two artists are at Rento Brattinga Galerie (Lauriergracht 80). Klaas Gubbels--who needs no introduction---has been doing, basically, the same imagery, using the same style and technique forever. And it still doesn't get either redundant nor old. He continues to reinvented himself and his simple forms. Thus it is in this show. Several works are in b/w and a few with colors. There are also examples of his wood objects. (12x10 cms., drawing @ 550 euro; 18x13 cms., acrylic on canvas @ 1,200 euro; 90x103 cms., acrylic on canvas @ 9,650 euro; 30x12x6 cms., wood object @ 1,500 euro)....Juul Kraijer is in her third year at Willem de Kooning Academie Rotterdam. She is a photographer and presents examples in b/w and color. The imagery is interesting, sometimes complex, and often haunting. There is a Vermeer-like color portrait of a woman where a snake frames her face. Her b/w photos are eclectic in their imagery like the woman whose image has been augmented by a shadow of perhaps a tree branch; a hand in a bottle; a handed dotted with lady bugs; an owl perched on the face of a reclining woman. (18x14 cms., pigment print, Ed 8 @ 1,200 euro; 38x43 cms., pigment print, Ed 8 @ 2,700)  Until 8th October. www.rentobrattinga.com 
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Francoise Gaujour (France) is at LUMAS (Van Baerlestraat 8) with her photography. She is a former media/TV personality who has turned her attention to the camera. Simply put, she does seascapes/skyscapes, but not in any way that we are accustomed to seeing. She devides the imagery into two segments: The sea and the sky. Both become panoramic expressions.  In a few, there are a few figurative elements, but they are there to give us a perspective and an idea of the relative proportions of nature to man. The colors are many, but always subtle and calming just like the sky and sea. The photos were all taken along the coast of France. (120x80 cms., Lambda print, signed, Ed. 150 @ 1,059 euro; 123x178 cms., Lambda print, Ed. 100 @ 3,459 euro)  Until __?__ www.lumas.com 
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Eduard Planting Gallery (1e Bloemdwarsstraat 2) is hanging Jan Stel's photography. Stel seeks out unusual locations which presents him with non-traditional imagery. Featured in this show are four large photographs of a gasworks. Those big Multi-storied round structures which were once a common sight on the urban landscape. But the show stoppers are two photos of derelict automobiles (c 1950s).  He shots from the interior looking out through the windshield. Cobwebs add to the poignancy and drama. (The price structure is complicated. But they range from 26x40 cms., Ed 50 @ 650 euro to 100x250 cms., Ed 2 @ 7,500 euro). Until 5th November. www.eduardplanting.com 
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Gijs van Lith is at TORCH (Lauriergracht 94). And this is another contemporary homage to the Nabis/Pointilist School. This modern take is sometimes dramatic with it geometric linear segments as the backdrop for an expressionistic abstraction painting. Got that? Well, you got to see it! On the floor of the space is a "snake" made from fabrics of several different colors. Then there is the big ball of inflated plastic where the colors are on the inside. (31x25 cms., oil @ 950 euro; 40x30 cms., oil @ 1,200 euro; 200x160 cms., oil @ 6,800 euro) Until 22nd October www.torchgallery.com
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At REFLEX (Weteringschans 79A) is the work of an American, David Baechler. He is a member of the Contemporary Pop School. Of course, it is his simple imagery that reflects on the 60s' movement; and there are similar icons like a Coca-Cola bottle and flowers---think Warhol. The work is all mixed media: Gesso/gouache with collage elements. One piece that stands-out---and the largest---is a horse trotting. But it is the background that asserts the imagery. In the upper left hand corner he uses eight fabric swatches, each very colorful. Flanked on the lower-right are three rabbits. Lots of tension. Often he uses typography in his backgrounds. (A4 drawings @ $3,000  to 200x254 cms., mixed media/collage @ $125,000) Until 15th October. www.reflexamsterdam.com 
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Stafan Annerel (Bel) is at Appels Gallery with work featuring a complex technique to create his linear abstractions. He begins with fabric.  then glues atop the fabric a glass plate. Now he begins to paint. But after the initial coat  he coveres that with a resin and, when it dries, he applies another layer of paint...and so it goes. The result is a bright piece of work that refelcts light in several directions creating different senses of depth. (26x21 cms., mixed media @ 600 euro; 52x42 cms., mixed media @ 1,900 euro; 140x110 cms.,mixed media @ 6,200 euro)  Showed closed on 25th Sept. www.appelsgallery.nl 
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The Merchant House (Herengracht 254) presents Craigie Horsfield (UK). What you will see are oversized portrait photographs (121x95  cms). In a word, they are poignant. But also there is a sense of introspection verging on a morose emotion. For the most part the subjects do not look into the lens of the camera. They are pensive. The work looks b/w, but isn't. The skin colors come through though subtly. He showed at the Stedelijk Museum in 1992. (29x25 cms., dry print on Arches paper @ 9,500 euro; 121x95, same technique @ 42,000 euro; 268x268 cms., Gelatin Silver print @ 85,000 euro; all works are unique)  Until __?___ https://merchanthouse.nl/
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Two new jewelry designers are showing at Galerie Rob Koudijs (Elandsgracht 12).  Bruce Metcalf (USA) does brooches and necklaces. He collects squiggly abstract forms and combines them as a collage. Each pieces of work has several sections, from four to eleven. And each part is another color. (2,250 to 9,500 euro)....Katja Prins (NL) is back for yet another exhibition at the gallery. Her work is geometric and each piece is a collection of different rectangular objects. Impossible to describe these conceptual and intricate creations. Every one is completely different. She makes brooches, rings, and necklaces. (rings @ 550 euro; brooches @ 1,850 euro; necklaces @ 2,350 euro)  Until__?__ www.galerierobkoudijs.nl 
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Hey give 3D a break...Galerie Franzis Engels (Nieuwevaart 200) has a group show of 16 artists. Should I be selective? Well, considering the quality of the work: That ain't fair! There isn't a bad piece of work in the collection. Several are outstanding and a few, exceptional. That sort of narrows it down. Much is in glorious b/w; there is some with color; and both sculpture work and objects. As to styles, well, geometric and abstract predominates with a good splattering of conceptual pieces; and even a few animal skulls. The prices are buyer friendly and range from 250, 320, 450, 650, 850 to 1,200 euro. Until 15th October. www.franzisengels.nl 
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Ibrahim Quraishi is at LUMEN TRAVO (Lijnbaansgracht 314) with individual work and an installation. Three large figurative expressionistic drawings bring to mind the "women" series by Willem de Kooning (c 1950). They are nearly redundant to the other in imagery but with several individual nuances; two are an explosion of blue shades and hues. Striking and dramatic! A series of four paintings, in several shades of red, depict the bareness of the Middle East landscape. A man with an assault rifle aims at a framed paint that's imagery pays homage to Frida Kahlo. In fact, each one has a characture of one of her works. In the gallery's big space you will see a recreation of a movie set. It includes spotlights, two professional video cameras, and three video screens. In addition there is a series of 15 A5 size color photos which also illustrate the set. (A5 C-prints, Ed. 2 @ 2,500 euro; 74x54 cms., mixed media @ 6,500 euro; 87x64 cms., oil/acrylic, crayon, photo, silk screen on canvas @ 8,000 euro). www.lumentravo.nl 
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Vassie (Langestraat 47)  is hanging the photographer Willy Rizzo (1928-2016). He was born in Italy and had lived in New York, London and his final years were in Paris. He was a portrait photographer and his subjects ranged from members of the fashion world to film and entertainers. He shot in both b/w and color. Notable was his posing.  In a photo of Dali, we see him through two magnifying glasses; one enlarges one eye as if it was a surreal rendering. There are several of Marlyn Monroe which he, ironically, made two weeks before her death. You will see Bridget Bardot, Audrey Hepburn, Joan Crawford, Marlene Dietrich, not to mention, Enrico Fellini and Jack Nicholson. (Footnote: Rizzo was also a designer. See his work at http://www.willyrizzo.com/STUDIO-WILLY-RIZZO-en)  (30x40 cms., silver gelatin signed prints, Ed 20 @ 5,500 euro)  Until __?__ www.galleryvassie.com 
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Maarten Heijkamp is at Galerie De Witte Voet (Kerkstraat 135) with several works that could be described as "drawings on ceramic". But that's not accurate because the imagery is formed with different elements used to make what you see like a bird or an apple. Others are conceptual and abstract. A large b/w "photograph"  stands out because of both its depth and light. Another attention getter is a very large wok with 12 sections and depending on the angle you will see either a big pot or an abstract. His technique is very complicated. He starts with an hand-built camera obscuras. He actually converts shipping containers into cameras. The resulting image is superimposed on to ceramic. (23x27 cms., @ 950 euro; 40x40 cms., @ 1,160 eruo; 201x158 cms., @ 11,500 euro)
Until 22nd October. www.galeriedewittevoet.nl 
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Susanne Ring (Germany) is at FONTANA Gallery (Lauriergracht 11)  with drawings and sculpture pieces. Generally, FONTANA is a photographic gallery so this is one of their exceptions and they made a good selction with the artist. Ring exhibits drawings, w/c and ceramic sculptured figurative pieces. . In both the drawings and w/c you will see a naive child-like style which reflects on the COBRA School. The sculpture work is for the most part figurative with elongated ET-like looks. A few works show an African mask influence. (drawings-W/C from 2,500 to 4,200 euro; ceramic  from 2,500 to 8,500 euro) Until 31st October, www.fontanagallery.com 
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Andriesse/Eyck (Leiliegracht 47)  presents and interesting exhibition of two artist. It will get your attention because it features work by Peter Struycken and Carel Blotkamp working together as a duo and separately. It makes for a memorable show. Struycken  paints works where the composition is a collection of rectangular boxes that are collected together in a variety of colors. It is a traditional style that reflects on his oeuvre. Blotkamp could be described as a contemporary practioner of the Nabis/Pointilist school of the early 20th century. He uses reflective small circles---the size of your small finger' nail---to create not only abstract works but also figurative. He is an Obvious fan of David Bowie and has three small pieces that attest to that. 

When the two artists work together, it is Struycken who does the design and Blotkamp the execution. These works could be classified as conceptual redundancy. All the work is colorful ranging from laid back to colors that look like they are in neon. (P.S. 90x90 cms., ink on paper @ 10,000 euro; trip tych--each 70x70 cms.--@ 22,000 euro; C.B. 15x11 cms. @  400 euro; dip-tych--each 15x11 cms.---@ 600 euro; Duo work: 110x110 cms., on foil @ 9,500 euro; 214x210 cm.s,m @ 22,500 euro)  Until 15th October. www.andriesse-eyck.com 
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Again, a thousand pardons for my delay in posting the first 3D list of the new season. It will be updated at the end of November. In the mean time, get out of the house and ride, ride, ride on your bike or whatever to a gallery near you...well, even far from you.....

Photo: Pete Purnell, Mountain in the Moonlight

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