On Friday 27 June, we will be hosting a book presentation of Mark Kremer’s Beautiful Madness: Art Writing as Art Curating, released earlier this year by the international publisher Valiz, and designed by Sam de Groot.
18:00: ‘walk-in’
18:30: conversation between Mark Kremer and Daniel(le) Vorthuys
19:30: drinks/meets with the writer/curator as well as the poet/artist
The practices of curating and art writing share a compelling kinship: both construct meaningful narratives about artworks and artists, each engages with audiences of viewers and readers, and creates spaces for experiencing art. Curators and art writers both tap from the primary source: the living artist, their work and world. An essential tool for curators and art writers alike is the dialogue with the artist. Their proximity to makers allows them to delve into artistic processes, and consider things in a state of becoming.
Beautiful Madness considers curatorial practices and art writing as vibrant, creative forces with a commitment to nurturing both artists and their creations, in order to forge transformative spaces where art is activated. The book celebrates curating as a dance between intuition and intellect, and illuminates the realm of art writing. This dynamic form of writing invites readers on an intimate journey of the discovery of artworks and artists.
Mark Kremer has been collaborating with artists for decades. Beautiful Madness accumulates his writings on contemporary art (1993–2023). The book gathers pieces along lines of affinity, themes, and attitudes, structured in five topics: Trace; Gesture; Rudiment; Polyphony; Fortitude. It mirrors his experiences with art curating, writing, thinking and is of value to anybody who wants to sharpen their pen, and rethink what curating might mean.
Mark Kremer (b. 1963, NL) is an independent curator and writer, based in Amsterdam. He studied art history, comparative literature, and film studies. Since 1987, he has been working in and with several art institutes, educational programmes, and has curated numerous international exhibitions.
Daniel(le) Vorthuys (b. 1990, NL) is an artist and poet based in Amsterdam (NL). His/her work explores the heritage of the western classical tradition through its stories of metamorphosis, transforming this tradition into a mythology of alien and unstable subject-hood. His/her research is geared towards performance and video introducing elements of music and costume. Cold in Church, his/her latest project, is a performance collective and dream pop band investigating pleasure and doubt.