Galerie Fons Welters - Amsterdam

Berend Strik – The Needles with ‘Deciphering the Artist’s Mind’

Book signing, 21 October 5-7pm: Marja Bloem, Irma Boom, Berend Strik

For the occasion of Berend Strik’s new publication Deciphering the Artist’s Mind, the galleryis presenting a special eight day presentation centring the book and the series of works. Strik will present a substantial overview of new works, combined with some recent large formats from the series. The publication will also receive special attention and we will organize a signing session with author Marja Bloem, designer Irma Boom and Strik.

In recent years, Strik has created and shown an extensive body of work as part of the series. It started as an investigation into his own mind and position as an artist in a world that is constantly changing. To explore this, Strik visited (former) artists’ studios all over the world. During each visit, he examined what connects artists and what distinguishes them, and he talked about artisthood, studio practice, influences, inspirations and more. The works, together with the remarkable anecdotes, are bundled in a book that’s beautifully designed by Irma Boom.

The works on display in the gallery each show their own reflection on the artist’s studio. In Deciphering the Artist’s Mind, Beuys comes and goes 2 Strik combines Beuys’ first and last studio and shows us what remained hidden and elusive. In Deciphering the Artist’s Mind, Judgments of Love we see a construction of the studio of Mondriaan. Strik edited the last photographs of the studio into a flat surface without perspective, straightening out the space that was furnished by Mondriaan and making a unity of the characteristic planes.

In Identity, everyday a clean shirt, Strik reflects on the costume. By dressing up, you can give yourself a different identity, and go along with your surroundings or escape from everyday life. Art, and the artist’s studio, offer the same possibility: a created, open world, a temporary stay for yourself in which development and the display of ideas are essential. Identity is printed on the last page of the publication and symbolises Strik’s vision of the book. The publication is not so much meant to conclude the Deciphering the Artist’s Mindproject, but more as an instrument that encourages the further development of the various subjects that are inspired by the publication.

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