Going back in time: Daniel Gould’s 3D List, Art in Amsterdam #68

The year of 2013 has begun with a whimper on the Amsterdam art market...The crowds at openings have been sparse and the Red Dots, indicating sales, far and few in between. What a pity because the wise and knowledgeable art buyer has a golden opportunity to add to their collection at very attractive prices; prices not seen for several years.

Hey, it's all about supply and demand and because demand is at all time lows the prices have tumbled too. What this means is that you don't need a lot of money to buy a piece of art that will excite you until you die...And remember, with money, you can't take it with you. Turn around the art recession and buy, Buy, BUY...And do it now!

INDEX:

BITS & PIECES:

MUSEUM REVIEW: StadsArchief Amsterdam

WHAT YOU HAVE MISSED...But there is still time...

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BITS & PIECES:

3D doesn't like to harp on any one subject over and over...It gets boooooooring...So, with that said, here comes another harping session...And, guess what? it is all about austerity. That economic program meant to set things right. Huh? I read that only 6,260 homes were sold during January, that's a drop of nearly 12% since a year ago...The January jobless rate hit 7.5%; and those 25 and under without jobs was 15%...The consumer index? Well, it is the lowest since 1986 and at -44.

It also has been reported that the magic 3% yearly deficit goal has become more illusive. Well, sure, less people working and paying taxes more unemployment benefits being distributed; plus that consumer index figure means less monies from BTW.

...And there's more...Last year, the Dutch economy shrank by 0.2% putting the nation's economy back in recession. The population is spending 3.2% less; investments are down 5.2% and just a few weeks ago inflation raised its ugly head to 3%, the highest in four years. And with all this pain is news that the Dutch budget deficit will remain around 3.6% of gross national product. Also, there will be a further 0.6% contraction in the economy...Just read that "A total of 755 Dutch companies went bankrupt in February, the highest number ever recorded in a single month."  Still another milestone for Mark-the-Shark...And that's not all. More than 200 architectural and engineering companies have gone bottom up...These are high paying jobs and the workers pay high taxes; think unemployment benefits.

...And, on the other side of the ocean, Obama, who has been fighting the recession with a limited stimulus package, has achieved creating enough jobs to lower the 10.4% unemployment rate when he took office to 7.7% last month..Still more good news, "The number of  homes listed for sale on a real estate website Zillow was down 17% in late February vs a year earlier...Home prices were up 7.5% in the fourth quarter of last year..."  But, in view of all this...

...Henk Kamp, economic affairs minister said, about Holland, "The economy is contracting, people are worried about their jobs, their pensions and the value of their home. The only way to boost confidence is to strength the economy through reforms and get the government finances in order." Fancy words of praise for a failed economic policy...When will they ever learn? Hey, Mark-the-Shark, whose side are you on?

PM Cameron, in the UK, stated that because his austerity package has not reached its targeted numbers the program will continue into 2018...Should we expect the same in the Netherlands?

Parts of this report were culled from www.DutchNews.com and the Int Herald Tribune
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TEFAF, the annual art and antiques fair, held in Maastricht, is between the 15th and 24th March. More info at: www.tefaf.com 
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...And The TEFAF Art Market Report 2013, states that Chinese art sales fell 24% in 2012 and the USofA has regained its staus as the world's largest art market...In addition, it reported that the worldwide market for art and antiques contracted  by 7% to 43 billion euro in 2012.
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War is hell and devastating to a society for several reasons. After the loss of human life, the loss of a country's cultural history is next on the list of deplorable events. The Prince Claus Fund recently sponsored a "secret operation" in Mali. When it came to the Fund's attention that war and insurrection was just around the corner, they became active in organizing and carrying out an evacuation of scholarly manuscripts and some dating as far back as the 10th century. The late Prince would have been proud!
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Just when 3D printers have reached the stage where the price range makes them affordable for artists the next generation is announced: 4D printers. Well, those with a science background know that the fourth dimension refers to time. What 4D printing is "is a whole new idea of printing where you don't just print static objects you print things that turn into other things," explained Skylar Tibbits, an M.I.T. researcher. Hmmm...3D still isn't sure what it is all about. More at: www.nytimes.com, 26th Feb. By Jennifer 8 Lee [sic]. 
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De Ateliers (Stadhouderskade 85???) has announced their Spring Blossom Lectures, 2013:

12th March: Ahlam Shibi
19th March: Rabih Mroué 
26th March: Stephen G. Rhodes
2nd April: Ziad Antar
9th April: Petrit Italilaj
16th April: Vincent Vulsma
23rd April: Pamela Rosenkranz

All dates are on a Tuesday; five euro entrance fee; and RSVP at: office@de-ateliers.nl More info at: www.de-ateliers.nl 
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On the last 3D List, I reported on MARS ONE, a concept to put people on that planet...Well, there seems to be competition developing. Dennis Tito, an American multi-billionaire, announced, on the 23rd of February, that "his intention is to send a flight privately financed to Mars by 2018." One difference---and it's a big one---between his proposal and MARS ONE: It is meant to be only a fly by and take a little over 500 days there and back...and both Tito and Bas Lansdorp should check out a young Egyptian lady, Aisha Mustafa, 19, who has an hypothesis on a new power system for rockets traveling in space and the article said, "which is better, safer, and cheaper than the traditional 'blast-off' method."...Well, all this seems to indicate that this whole idea of going to MARS is coming down to earth. 
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From my daughter, Michelle's, FACEBOOK page: "A dog is the only thing on earth that loves you more than you love yourself." Hmmmm. As Charlie Brown is wont to say, "Happiness is a warm puppy." Call these observations more down to earth fundamentals...
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MUSEUM REVIEW: StadsArchief Amsterdam presents, Booming Amsterdam, The building of the canals in the Golden Age 

In 1613, The Amsterdam city' fathers decided to build a ring of canals to complement the old city that occupied the area between the Dam and Nieuwmarkt. But, unlike that section, the new canals would be developed from the new money that was streaming into the country at a rapid rate.

Dutch trading companies were now successfully deployed in several areas of the world including North America. The riches from trade, with the natural resources, of these non-European countries, was immense.

When you enter the StadsArchief's (Vijzelstraat 32) impressive lobby, you will see immediately to your right a virtual tour of the city from the early 1600s to the late period of the century on a large screen TV. It quickly takes you chronologically through the building of the new city. At the end of the lobby, and at the entrance to the exhibition, is another virtual tour of the city's building but one which is more concentrated on the establishing of the new neighborhoods.

Then you enter the main exhibition and what an exhibition it is; and for two reasons: Historical and artistic. The artistic part consist of engravings and period drawings of the Amsterdam' harbor and specific locations and  homes as well as canal views. Along with these elements there are original schematic drawings of the "new districts" and very detailed.

The liner notes are illuminating, and in both Dutch and English, and you will learn that "The design for the new canals [in the 17th century]  did not follow any existing master plan, but was designed in stages."

Included are schematic architectural drawings of a selection of Heren houses, pakhuises, etc.

If you are a print or drawing collector you will be pleased with the number on examples on view. And if you are just a lover of the city, you will appreciate it even more from this very good exhibition.

There is a book filled with captions for each exhibit; and an English and Dutch version is available.

Until 26th May. More info at: www.boomingamsterdam2013.nl
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WHAT YOU HAVE MISSED...But there is still time... Maybe...

Photography has reached a stage in its artistic development where it not only emulates classical and fine art but sometimes outdoes it. Perhaps that is why during the last 15 years photography has dominated the contemporary/avant garde art market. Galerie Fontana Fortuna (N.B. @ Nieuw Dakota, Ms. Van Riemsdijkweg 4)  is presenting the work of Gerard Rancinan (France) under the title Chaos. The exhibition is an exceptional overview of his style. As to his competence as a photographer that will be immediately apparent; and he is the recipient of four World Press Awards.

The show is for a new series and it is the first showing anywhere. It is meant as "a reflection of our times in continuous turmoil."

Indeed, there is a large photograph---most photos measure between 180x260 to 235x470 cms---that emulates, in a contemporary setting, George Washington's Crossing of the Delaware during the American Revolution. Whereas, Washington was in a boat, in this version, several men assume poses reminiscent of the painting but they are standing on a derelict automobile. It is almost b/w but there are a few color nuances here and there which enhance the visual impact. A trip-tych, Souffle, Aspiration and the Tree of Life, is bookended by two overlarge photos. The one on the right, shows a baby child in a birds nest of straw and five young ladies "adoring" him. The one on the far left, shows a dead man laid out for his funeral with five older woman, again, in poses of adoration. Meant to be sandwiched between them is a photo of a large tree limb with its branches. (Because of the wall size the trip tych is not hung as one.) 

But the highlight of the show is an amazingly detailed scene of human debauchery reflecting on the Greeks, religion and partiotism. It is titled, accurately, Décadence (235x470).  It required the professional  services of 50+ people (costumers, painters, scene builders, cosmeticians, et al) working for a three month period to realize this epic work. The shooting itself required two days. The composition brings together 27+ people; it is dramatic but not without a perverse sense of humor.

A film titled, The Trilogy of the Moderns (52 minutes), is innovative in its complex editing style. A section of the film traces the final hours of Marilyn Monroe and is both beautiful and sympathetic. It is available for sale. Prices? Didn't ask.

Until 24th March. www.fontanafortuna.com,      https://nieuwdakota.com/ N.B. There is a FREE ferry from CS.
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...And to see how far photography has come during the last 100 years, check out the show at TORCH (Laurierstraat 94) titled From Athena to Sphrodite. It is an excellent overview of 20th century photography by some of the greatest practitioners of the art; and all feature women. The big names include Man Ray (7,000 euro), Julia Margaret Cameron(7,500 euro), Berenice Abbot (3,500 euro), August Sander (13,000 euro), Paul Strand (3,500 euro) and even the fashion photographers like Richard Avedon (price on request) and Guy Bourdin (15,000 euro). The paparazzi element is represented with the work of Ron Galella (1,500 euro).  Until 6th April. www.torchgallery.com 
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CIRCLE GALLERY (Kerkstraat 67)  celebrated World's Women' Day with an exhibition spotlighting three female artists.Merina Beckman works with east-Indo ink as both a wash and to make the drawing. Each work is a portrait---some women are veiled---but overlapping the imagery is typography like "BRIDE---KURDISTAN."  Also money is often part of the illustration...Carla Kranendonk has spent time in the Caribbean  and this has been both an inspiration for her imagery and its technical aspects. The work is all mixed media  and that includes material/fabric and native beads. All the work features black women in traditional attire (80x100 cms., mixed media @ 3,000 euro; 200x200 mixed media @ 3,000 euro)...Judith Quax is a photographer that specializes in color portraits of ethnic Afghanistain' women in their native and traditional dress against a mountainous landscape. (50x50 cms., C-print on dibond, Ed 10 @ 350 euro) Until __?__.  www.circlegallery.nl 
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Benjamin Bridges (UK)  paints small works which have several different elements. They are all certainly representational but also geometric/abstractions. The theme tends towards the abstract side  since he focuses on geometric structures like tents and structured balloons. But what are they really?  Doesn't matter. The backgrounds range from desert to the arctic to one suggesting a moonscape. He does a beautiful sky. The color range is across the spectrum with black being the one constant. The exhibition is at ARTTRA (2e Boomdwarstraat 4) (16x20 cms., oil on acrylic panel @ 460 euro; 25z22 cms., oil on acrylic panel @ 550 euro)  Until 24th April www.arttra.nl  
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Galerie Vriend van Bavink (Gelderskade 58)  presents the work of Teun Castelein who has turned the art gallery into a fashion boutique...Sorta. He has developed a theme around the term "Allah."  He makes designer caps and-shirts which feature a stylized logo reading Allah. Several photos feature men wearing the apparel---all in black with white trimming. The artist is not a graphic designer but a conceptualist who wants to bring commercialism to the edge. He actually attempted to register the term Allah with the European Commission for Branding, but they refused to accept his application. But he did get the attention of the press and the calls keep a comin'. (60x30 cms., pohoto @ 400 euro; 240x140 cms., posters @ 600 euro; Caps @ 65 euro; t-shirt @ 80 euro...Wear at your own risk)  Until 23rd March. http://www.vriendvanbavink.nl/  
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LUMEN TRAVO (Lijnbaansgracht 314)  hangs the unreal photos of Cláudia Cristóvao. Unreal, because they have been PaintShopped by nature. That is, she has restored---as best possible---damaged photographs recovered from the tsunami that vanquished NE Japan in 2011. She rephotographed the imagery and the results are varied. Sometimes we see human figures or a building and at other times the subject matter is like an organic abstraction. (150x100 cms., Ed. 3 Digital C-print @ 3,000 euro; 160x239 cms., Ed. 3 Digital C-print @ 4,500 euro). Until 30th March. www.lumentravo.nl
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...A few doors away, at AKINCI (Lijnbaansgracht 317) two artists are showing. Moyna Flannigan has a highly stylized style that is in many ways retro; the drawings are reminiscent of figurative fashion' drawings of the 60s. The artist realizes the imagery by an exaggerated elongated body form which gives it not only an abstract feel but a beguiling factor that lends a mysterious aura. (30x22 cms., inkjet, acrylic on cotton paper @ 1,350 euro)

The other artist, Zbigniew Rogalski (Poland) is provocatively subtle. You could almost say he does pornography. But, wait! You only see what your mind dictates you to see. That is, in each photo he has added black circles that "censor" out the "private parts." You know what's going on, but you just don't see it. Teasing, to say the least.  Until 30th March. www.akinci.nl  
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Wang Ningde (China) is at FLATLAND AMSTERDAM (Lijnbaansgracht 314) with b/w photography. He is one of the leading contemporary photographers in China. In this show, he has selected a family of four: mother, father, son and daughter. He poses them in several ways both inside and outside. They are generally posed in a symbolic way and a constant theme is that their eyes are always closed. There are dramatic aspects as well as surrealistic elements in his work. Until 23rd February...Oppps, you missed it. www.flatlandgallery.com (See current show's review, below)
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ARTTRA (2e Boomdwarstraat 4) is showing the work of Carel Lanters. He titles his exhibition Pronounceables. The coined term describes, and accurately, too, what you will see in these "death mask-like" portraits. From each clay piece's mouth something emerges. It might be easily identifiable like a pineapple or a 50+ cm. tree branch-like projection. There is much humor in these conceptual figurative works. (small @ 850 euro; big @ 950 euro)  Until 6th March. www.arttra.nl 
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Tessel Braam is at Gallery Vriend van Bavink (N.B. Gelderskade 30) with the birds of paradise. You get a good selection of exotic birds from cockatoos to parrots and a few human portraits just to confuse things. The technique is something between impressionism and expressionism. Each piece is painted on a black surface. Oh, yeah, almost forgot, you get two paintings for the price of one. Kid you not! The works are hanging from the ceiling with both sides of the panel exposed and with a painting on each side. Price? Well, that's really the cool part. Each work has two prices: 350 or 500 euro. Low income people pay the low price and those better off get soaked. Not really, of course, 550 euro ain't much either, but you know how the rich are always complaining about having to pay more. Until 9th March. www.vriendvanbavink.nl 
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...And, now, for something completely different...Feiko Beckers, at  J. Hofland (De Clercqstraat 62), is a performance artist working with the objects he makes. The objects are basic geometric symbols like the circle, a cross, et al and painted in primary colors. In this exhibition there are three separate works which represent loneliness, fear and embarrassment. Indirectly, you will be able to experience the actual performance. An audio tape is available which walks you through the show with the artist---in English---telling stories; it is 23 minutes long. He has done performances at Theater Frascati and De Appel Art Center. Until 13th April.  
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Nick Renshaw, at De Witte Voet (Kerkstraat 135), creates figurative forms in terracotta but while each one is 70 cms. high and from the same mold, each is an individual work with unusual conceptual features. Recently, he spent several months in China and "he has not only come to understand a new perspective on ceramic work but also much more about how the Chinese people he has met both view the world and understand contemporary art." (each work 1,500 euro)  Until 30th March. www.galeriedewittevoet.nl 
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TEN HAAF PROJECTS (Laurierstraat 248)  presents a solo show for Bryan Zanisnik (USofA) and it is his second appearance at the gallery. Hanging are several photographs and all are very personal featuring his family members. His color photography is very good and the imagery, while sometimes posed, is natural. There is also an on-site-specific installation. It is a large wall with a table arranged perpendicularly to it. The title, Five Weeks in a Balloon (from the Jules Verne' novel, of 1863, later known as Around the World in 80 Days). Several hundred postcards, photos and other ephemeral material focuses on many modes of transportation. (30x45 cms., digital C-print Ed. 3 @ 700 euro; Installation, price on request)  Until 13th April. www.tenhaafprojects.com 
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Two artists with much different work are showing at KOCHXBOS (1e Anjeliersdwarstraat 36. Peter Pontiac is a graphic comic illustrator and emulates both the sexuality and grotesqueness of Robert Crump. However, objectively speaking, he may be better at the comic art than the master. He works in b/w with as much intensity as he does with color. You will see the symbols for death, like skulls and skeletons, but also much tongue-in-cheek humor. (180 to 6,900 euro)...Harma Heikens makes sculptured pieces of child-like images, like precocious babies to five year olds, wearing military combat helmets. The work is made from a composition of different materials arranged around chicken wire. (3,000 to 9,000 euro)  Until 16th March. www.kochxbos.com 
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D&A (Sint Nicolaasstraat 21) is exhibiting Zhanhong Liao (China) with her conceptual abstract mixed media works. The artist favors the oval shape of the egg. Generally, there are two to each work; perhaps this refers to Yin & Yang. She also displays handmade and painted books. (225 to 1,600 euro)  Until 12th March. https://bit.ly/2MfvOgz
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At Appels Gallery (Brouwersgracht 151) Joris van Spaendonck is exhibiting unusual work and most is of mixed-media. He favors blue jeans over canvas to paint on. The imagery is a mix of flowers seen from the expressionistic point of view. In many cases, the colors are strong and assertive while another is a charcoal drawing on fabric. The fabric creates subtle depth in each work which lends to its mysterious quality. (30x40 cms., acrylic/oil @ 950 euro; 100x100 cms., acrylic/oil on fabric @ 3,400 euro; 140x160 cms., acrylic/oil on fabric @ 5,200 euro). Until 12th April. www.appelsgallery.nl 
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The new-jewelry, Gallery Rob Koudijs (Elandsgracht 12), displays the work of two jewelry artist. Gemma Draper, is in the front half of the space with work shaped from wood and synthetic materials. She carves the heads of men with a sort of a primitive Oceanic Arts style of imagery. In addition, she adds to the head a carved set of "breast." When asked if this is accurate, she replied, "Well, not consciously, but others have made that same observation." There is a series of simple brooches which come without a pin because you clip on and mold it to the blouse. (Brooch, 90 euro; other works, 1,750-1,925 euro)...In the back space is the work of Terhi Tolvanen (NL/Finland) who fashions brooches, necklaces and rings from a variety of material ranging from wood to cement. The designs themselves have an organic feel. That is, the forms are not always logical and don't fit any true form or pattern. Many pieces 3D would describe as dramatic; they jump out at you. (1,750 to 4,900 euro) EIGHT RED DOTS, Until 1st April. https://bit.ly/2LtDmQm 
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Bertien van Manen is so hot she's sizzling. A major exhibition of hers was seen recently at "foam." She is now at Galerie Gabriel Rolt (Elandsgract 34) with examples from her Russian and "stans" series that was seen at the photographic museum. All the work is in color and captures the essence of the people. But it is what is in the back gallery that steals the show. The work is all b/w and focuses on her children when they were young during the 70s. The shots are either posed or not posed. A catalog is available for this series of b/w photos @ 30 euro. (B/W photos, three sizes and all @ 950 euro; 20x40 cms., color photos @ 2,000 euro) Until 3rd April. www.gabrielrolt.com 
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Kudditji Kngwarreye (Australia-Aborigine) is at Gallery Leslie Smith (Minervaplein 10) with a series of paintings that are not generally in the style of what you expect from an Aboriginal painter. So when you walk into the space you will be surprise to see work that appears to be geometric/abstract expressionism. He divides the canvas into free form squares and rectangles. Contemporary Aboriginal Art---which is the classification the style is regulated to---is an art movement that is barely 40 years old. The colors range from orange shades to soft reds to yellow and ocher. He is still painting at the age of 85. There is a catalog available which is educational. 3D quotes, "Under Aboriginal Law, an artist is only permitted to portray the images and stories to which he or she is entitled through birth right and initiation. Moreover, the dreaming connects the individual artist to specific parts of the country and specific plants and animals." (109x45 cms., acrylic on canvas @ 5,750 euro; 165x115 cms.,  acrylic on canvas @ 12,500 euro; 190x240 cms., acrylic on canvas @ 20,000 euro)  Until 5th April. www.lesliesmith.nl
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Steendrukkerij Amsterdam (Lauriergracht 80) is hanging the work of Anuli Croon who merges the elements of Pop School with geometric/abstraction. The colors tend to be strong and the "figurative" imagery more simple than that of a comic strip. Sometimes even the figurative comes across as a geometric/abstraction. She also has a series on paper. Croon uses a stencil to create compositions which are all geom/abst that are sometimes contradictions to the style. The crowning piece in this exhibition is a large canvas (170x250 cms.) which asserts itself magnificently: figurative and sort of abstract, great color contrast. Its got everything. (Stencil @ 635-675 euro; acrylic on canvas 3,100 to 6,500 euro)  Until 13th April. www.steendrukkerij.com
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Ornis A. Gallery, the new place in town, shows Hans Lemmen (Bel) who makes very unusual drawings with his own unique technique. The drawings are both figurative and representational but in most there is also an element of the surreal. His skill is obvious especially in his detailed and nuanced faces. (24x31 cms., washed ink drawing on prepared paper @ 900 euro; 91x105 cms. washed ink drawing on prepared paper @ 3,500 euro)  6th April www.ornisagallery.com
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René Treumann is a printer's printer and print makers print maker'. He has operated the printing shop Typique (Haarlemmerdijk 123) since 1979, where the present show hangs. It is an unique print shop in that he uses only 19th century letter presses and works from his collection of type-face that were designed for them. In his spare time, he indulges himself by making his own art prints. Earlier, his work focused on 19th century trains. His newest prints feature delicate and subtle landscapes and assertive geometric/abstracts. All are mono types. (40x60 cms. @ 275 euro)  www.typique.nl
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"Black is beautiful!" was the rallying cry for Afro-Americans during the late 60s and into the 70s as they regained their pride after USofA' Civil Right legislation made them truly equal under American law...and, it is still true, the beautiful part, that is. At "gCS" (Poostjeweg 6) is an exhibition for Jamel Shabazz (USofA) who is a New York City street photographer. His subject matter is the Afro-American of the Bronx and Brooklyn---there are but five exceptions from the 64 photos hanging. He captures the very people you will find on the city streets of these boroughs. He does focus on the young, those "fashionable" attired or with some other unique feature. One of the exceptions to the black theme is the photo of the "Fine Italian Pastries" coffee shop with four wiseguys sitting at the front. All work is in color. (50x33 cms., archival paper, digital print, Dibond, Ed. 25 @ 1,400 euro; 79x57 cms. same technique Ed 9 @ 3,600 euro)  Until 14th April. https://bit.ly/2oVJhAS
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WALLS (Prinsengracht 737) has welcomed back again Koen Dudink with his unique ceramic work which hangs on the wall like a painting. He works only in b/w. He makes a three+cms. form and drops it from a height of one meter to the floor. The fall and impact creates the final form. Finally, he collects sometimes several hundreds and glue them to the wood (1,950-5,000 euro)...Ibo Pompe likes bunny rabbits and he often features them in his compositions. But you don't have to be into the big eared vermin to appreciate his work. He is essentially a conceptualist and interjects several different elements into the works. He also borrows a page from Cy Twombly by writing phrases/terms on the canvas. Nice.! (21x29 cms., mixed-media @ 475 euro; 138x1651 cms., mixed media @ 2,400 euro; 130x180 cms., mixed media @ 4,000 euro)...Lennard Schuurmans is a geometric/abstractionist. His canvases are very colorful. But some of the work goes further in that he makes construction pieces from wood and printer's print drawers. (51x56 cms., acrylic on wood @ 1,250 euro; 122x122 cms., acrylic on wood @ 3,000 euro). Until ___?___. https://bit.ly/2LRAexM  
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How many times have you looked at a photograph and could have swore it was a painting? Never? 3D doesn't recall doing so anytime in the recent past, but I did at Marie Cecile Thijs exhibition at Eduard Planting Gallery (1e Bloemdwarstraat 2). As you enter the gallery and immediately to your left is a photo of a glass carafe and next to it a fish on a scale. In both instances, I got my eye right up to the image before I could determine absolutely that indeed I was looking at a photo. All the works are still life's but aside from the bunches of grapes, lemons and bundle of garlic cloves there are more unusual subject matter like the fish on the scale, or the stack of 50+ matzos or a blender that is spewing its contents into the air. Her technique is flawless. (70x70 cms., C-print; lambda, Ed. 10 @ 1,950 euro; same photo at 90x90 cms., Ed. 7 @ 2,600 euro). U
ntil 27th April. www.eduardplanting.com  
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Pieter Engles has been around for a long, long time. He is a conceptualist who expresses himself with objects, typography and pithy observations like an empty frame with a sign at the top of the frame that reads "The Absence of a Painting."  And, at the bottom, "The Absence of a Painting Framed by the Absence of This Painting."  Hmmmm. Oh, yeah, did I forget to mention he has a sense of humor? The pair of white boots on display have tap shoes plates on their bottom sole and heel. On one is etched, "Down with Mass-Communication"  and the other has "Down with Mediocrity."  Hey, who's to argue that? The show is at M  v.  Zomeren (Prinsengracht 276).  (60x40 cms., mixed media @ 9,000 euro; Approximately 33x27 cms., shoes @ 12,000 euro; wooden chair with paint, dimensions variable @ 18,000 euro)  Until 13th April. www.gmvz.com  
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FLATLAND GALLERY (Lijnbaansgracht 314) is hanging the work of a duo Franciscus & Franciscus who cooperate making portrait photographs. They tend to be classical in form and style and there is a retro feeling that reflects on the 30s and 40s as to the subjects dress and hairstyles. The backgrounds range from something akin that that in the Mona Lisa to simple landscapes and seascapes (60x45 cms., Lambda dibond Ed. 5 @ 1,800 euro, same photo at 40x30 cms., Ed 5 @ 950 euro; 90x120 Ed. 3 @ 3,500 euro)...F. Franciscus, does individual work. He is a painter whose style reflects back to the Flemish School onwards to Lempicka. You see the resemblance in the elongated faces of the pictured women and their hairdoes. There is also a reflection on the pastoral style with a touch of impressionism. (40x30 cms., oil on linen @ 1,750 euro; 100x80 cms., oil on linen @ 7,500 euro; 250x200 cms., oil on linen @ 25,000 euro)  Until 6th April www.flatlandgallery.com 
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Andrea Lehmann is at Gerhard Hofland with unusual work that reflects several art periods in both style and technique. She uses a classical technique that has a feel of Vasquez (Spanish) however the style is akin to both the 19th century Den Haagse School and even the German Expresisonist at the early part of the 20th century. Then there is the subject matter which ranges from nudes to men looking like philosophers from the 18th and 19th century. A series of four paintings features a mother and child and we feel the religious correlation. She reflects on fairy tales, allegories and myths. A large work on paper (230x300 cms.) is mixed media with collage parts attached and configured in unique ways. (46x36 cms., oil on paper @ 2,400 euro; 120x170 cms., oil & hair on canvas @ 6,000 euro; 260x450 oil and hair on paper @ 21,000 euro)  Until 13th April. www.GerhardHofland.com 
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...And that's it folks...As you can see the art market ain't what it used to be...And whose fault is that? Common, you know who you are...Open the purse and make an artist's day...And do it now. Spring is coming---I think---so one's emotions should turn to things of beauty like a work of art....Hmmmmm!!!

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