April 28th saw see the presentation of 'Rare vogels' ('Weird birds'), as well as the opening of the show with the same name. It wasn't exactly the charm (...) of the Marabou storks that led Ploos van Amstel to spend so much time and attention on these weird birds. This interest led to more than 30 drawings and some watercolours. Leo Duppen, director of the Artcenter Haarlem, initiated the publication of these works in a book.
The title of the book is derived from a short story by Dutch writer P.F. Thomése (author of a.o. 'Shadowchild'), written specifically for this project: a beautiful, surreal short story in which the writer, the painter and the storks, seem to meet on their common grounds, the Ripperdapark in Haarlem. The opening (and presentation) was in the capable hands of fellow Haarlem resident, author L.H. Wiener, who managed to find even more flying creatures and airborne beings in relation to the Ripperdapark.
Wiener and Ploos van Amstel, moments before Wiener delivered his speech
(photo: Leo Duppen, Kunstcentrum Haarlem)
The show at Artcenter Haarlem, April 28th - May 26th 2012contains all drawings and watercolours. 'Rare
Vogels' (48 pag., full color, soft cover) is published in a limited edition of 250 copies, numbered and signed by author and artist.
Thomése listening to fellow writer Wiener
(photo: Leo Duppen, Kunstcentrum Haarlem)
(May 8th, 2012) The book is as good as sold out. Therefor it's not possible anymore to order a copy, neither from Artcenter Haarlem nor from Ploos van Amstel.
Click here for an article (sorry, in Dutch) in daily reginal newspaper Haarlems Dagblad (April 26th, 2012) about the book and the show, by Wilma Klaver.
Click here for an article(again: sorry, in Dutch) in the book section of daily national newspaper De Volkskrant (May 5th, 2012) about the book, by Arjan Peters, who rated the book:
a farewell to the jeanne oosting foundation
Januari 1st 2011 Jaap Ploos van Amstel
stepped down from the board of the Jeanne
Oosting Foundation. Painter Jeanne
Bieruma Oosting (1898 - 1994) started back in 1970, from her own private capital, the Jeanne Oosting Prize. After her death in 1994 the Jeanne Oosting Foundation was set up to continue the prize.
Ploos van Amstel got involved with the Jeanne
Oosting Prize in 1990, and became a member of the board when the Foundation started, at first as Secretary and Treasurer, and from 2006 as President
As a parting gift, Ploos van Amstel was given by the Foundation funds to purchase art.
Wendelien Schönfeld -
Hôtel Turgot, the vault
Ploos van Amstel chose the unique works of Wendelien
Schönfeld, more specific woodcuts from her series of prints on Hôtel Turgot, the beautiful home of the Fondation
Custodia , the world renowned art collection started by the late Frits Lugt.
new website, new domain
With the decision to add an English translation
of the website, it was decided that it was time for
a new look for ploosvanamstel.com. Most of the
information from the former website has been
included and has been translated by Amanda
Montalbano. We hope you enjoy the new layout!
Jasper Johns, Flag, 1955
(detail)
In addition, the Jaap Ploos van Amstel
Foundation recently acquired ownership of the
domain www.ploosvanamstel.nl, which will soon be
the home of the Dutch website.
opening of show Achter De Zuilen
(Behind The Pillars), Bloemendaal
photo: Floris Ploos van Amstel (c)
2009
Neighbor and friend, the acclaimed Dutch writer
and AKO Award winner P.F.
Thomése was kind enough to open the
'Flight
and Artwork' exhibition of works by Ploos van
Amstel and sculptor Joop
Hollanders, held at the Behind The Pillars art
gallery in Bloemendaal. For those who speak Dutch,
visit his website and enjoy his prose!
exhibition and book 'Wilhelmina
Monumental'
November 6, 2009 was the opening of the
exhibition 'Wilhelmina Monumental' at Museum
Beelden aan Zee (Sculptures at the Sea Museum). In
1984 Ploos van Amstel was commissioned by The
Hannema-Stuers Foundation to make an artist's report
of the casting process of the monument Wilhelmina
in The Hague, which resulted in a series of 25
drawings. The drawings were subsequently spread
over several collections. For the 'Wilhelmina
Monumental' exhibition, all the drawings were
reunited for the first time since their
creation.
During the opening ceremony the book Monumental
Wilhelmina was also presented. The book consists of
2 smaller books in one; a reprint of the book from
1987, with new pictures of the works, and a new
publication containing reproductions of drawings
owned by Beelden aan Zee. Published by TienStuks
and is available at the museum shop of Beelden
aan Zee.
gift Friends of the
Gemeentemuseum Maassluis
To mark their 40th anniversary, the Association
of Friends of the Gemeentemuseum Maassluis
commissioned a Ploos van Amstel oil painting to be
donated to the museum.
Ploos van Amstel, the painting,
and museum director Marye Rijnswou, at the opening
of the exhibition
photo: Jan Steehouwer (c) 2009
The official presentation of the painting, an
interpretation of Massluis' nearby canal lock, was
on September 26, 2009 during the opening of a
special exhibition which mainly consisted of works
(portraits) that were contributed by members of the
association. Click here for more information about
the Gemeentemuseum Maassluis.
presentation of the book 'Ploos
van Amstel'
At the July 5, 2008 opening of the exhibition
'Ploos van Amstel, a survey of 60 years' the first
copy of the book 'Ploos van Amstel' was presented
to the artist by Gerrit Bosch, the curator of the art
collection of the Province Noord-Holland, and the
initiator of the book.
Ploos van Amstel receives the first
copy from the hands of Gerrit Bosch
photo: Herman Zonderland (c) 2008
The book, written by Frans Duister and published
by Waanders Publishers, contains more than 120
color reproductions of the works of Ploos van
Amstel. In his acceptance speech Ploos van Amstel
gave his thanks and appreciation to everyone
involved in the project. A special word of thanks
was given to graphic designer Annelies Mikmak, of
Dharuba Design Agency, for the unique collaboration
and for her tremendously valuable creative
input.
Ploos van Amstel signing books
alongside his son Floris Ploos van Amstel , who
oversaw production of the book.
photo: Herman Zonderland (c) 2008
The opening and resentation was attended by
nearly 300, and dozens of books were purchased.
Almost all of these books ended up being signed by
the artist himself.
Ploos van Amstel speaks a word of
thanks
photo: Herman Zonderland (c) 2008
The book is available at Pulchri and Kunstzaal
Van Heijningen for € 29.95 (appr. 40 US$ or 25
UK£). It is also available to order from
bookshops (ISBN 97890 40084737), the SBK / Haarlem
Arts Center and several local galleries, or online
at bol.com.
lithography workshop Obelisk
(cont.)
A very good and entertaining video explaining
the art of lithography, created by Lukas Jonkman,
the son of Wim and Gitty Jonkman of Lithography
workshop Obelisk (see further down this page).
book Henrick Ploos van Amstel
& Nicolaes Heinsius
In the autumn of 2007, Dutch specialist
publisher Avalon
Pers published a bibliophile edition of a
collection of twelve letters from Henrick Ploos van
Amstel (1618-1639) to Nicolas Heinsius (1620
-1681). The letters were written in Latin, during
the period of 1635-1637. The translations of the
letters are written by the classicist Frank
Tichelman (1924-1999).
The letters have a preface and notes written by
Hans Kristian Ploos van Amstel. The book, 32 pages,
25 x 15 cm, in a numbered edition of 150 copies,
also contains a specially crafted vignette
lithograph, drawn on stone by Jaap Ploos van
Amstel, and printed by Wim Jonkman of
Steendrukkerij Obelisk.
The book, while supplies last, can be ordered
for € 20.00. Contact Hans Kristian Ploos van Amstel
via e-mail: ploosheinsius@kabelfoon.net
lithography workshop
Obelisk
At the opening of an exhibition in August 2006
in Bloemendaal, Jaap Ploos van Amstel was invited
by one of the exhibitors and his wife, Gitty
Jonkman and Wim, to come and stay with them for a
while in the Groningen countryside.
Ploos van Amstel en Wim Jonkman in
de drukkerij
This invitation was not just a social call, but
an invitation to work with one of the best
lithographers of the Netherlands, Wim Jonkman.
Jonkman, who in his first years at the academy had
had lessons from Ploos van Amstel, has accomplished
an unique position with regard to his artistic and
technical skills in the craft of lithography.
Prior to the visit, Ploos van Amstel prepared
several series of sketches on selected topics that
might lend itself to be drawn on a stone. Jonkman
had prepared 3 stones for Ploos van Amstel to work
on, but after that the battle was for Ploos van
Amstel to fight: fight because he was not very
accustomed anymore to this medium. The first 2
stones worked out well, but then, as he put it,
managed to "professionally waste" a perfectly good
stone. Jonkman subsequently prepared this stone
again, after which a limited number of prints were
made from all 3 stones.
Wim and Gitty Jonkman
In an article about Austrian artist Kokoschka
for the magazine Kunstbeeld, Ploos van Amstel said:
"Of course the principles can be acquired by any
professional, but at a higher level it's the
artistic quality and personal vision of the maker
that make the difference." That is more than
obvious in the case of Jonkman whose personal
insight and artistic skills combined with
innovative drive and internationally recognized
expertise, led him to the European top in his
field.
Ploos van Amstel with the first copy of the third
print
Part of the results of this fruitful
collaboration can be found on the 'prints'
page of this website. Wim and Gitty Jonkman aim for
more collaborations in the future, to establish a
kind of 'artist in residence' program. For more
information visit the website
of Obelisk.
Steendrukkerij
Obelisk, Wim and Gitty Jonkman
Hefswalsterweg 12, 9982
TR Uithuizermeeden, the Netherlands
Tel. +31 - 595 - 413526
Quote Magazine and the
Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam
With the slogan "Vriendjes worden?" ("Wanna be
friends?"), the Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam and Dutch
magazine Quote, famous and infamous for their
annual Dutch richlist, joined forces by publishing
a special edition of the magazine entitled "the
Quote 250 of Richest Dutchmen in the Golden
Century", aimed at recruiting new members for the
Friends of the Rijksmuseum.
The wedding of Adriaen Ploos van
Amstel and Agnes van Bijler, 1616, by Willem
Cornelisz. Duyster
Collection Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam
This unique magazine was presented October 18,
2006, in a very special setting: the Rijksmuseum,
home of Rembrandt's 'Nightwatch'. In an article in
the magazine, Jaap Ploos van Amstel, being the
descendant of the nr 232 of the list Adriaan Ploos
van Amstel, is interviewed, as well as portrayed by
renowned photographer Martijn Steiner Lovisa.
photo: Martijn Steiner Lovisa /
Quote (c) 2006
VPRO Radio 'the evenings' (de
avonden)
VPRO Radio's cultural show 'the evenings' (de
avonden), that aired on May 23 2006, focused on the
demolition of the so called Raaks complex in
Haarlem. This controversial demolition of the Raaks
complex, a collection of 19th century buildings
including a high school and a church, was looked at
following a series of more or less topographical
drawings by Ploos van Amstel.
the void between the church and the
high school, both of which were demolished soon
after the drawing was made by Ploos van
Amstel
In the series 'Brick by brick' (steen voor
steen) documentary maker Marten Minkema visited the
Raaks complex with Ploos van Amstel, discussing the
demolition and the value of the buildings there.
Together they also visited the Archives of the
Province of North-Holland, where they met with
archivarian Alexander de Bruin and discussed the
importance of the artistic vision on urban building
history.
the remains of the parking garage
at the Raaks complex (photo VPRO website De
Avonden)
De Avonden - VPRO Radio; Steen Voor Steen,
Marten Minkema; May 23 2006
This part of the broadcast (22 MB, 24 minutes - in Dutch)
can be downloaded
here in mp3 format.
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