In Retrospect
2019
During the first part of the year most of my time was spent on the first leporello “Regarding Sebald”. Bernard Ruijgrok of Ruijgrok-Piëzography did a wonderful job in getting the eight images, all in various colour combinations, printed onto the 421cm. long stretch of paper in one go.
The presentation followed on the 25th April in the GardenRoom of the Goethe Institute in Amsterdam for an interested and enthousiastic group of friends and followers.
In February I had visited the Deutsches Literatur Archiv in Marbach am Neckar, Germany, where Sebald’s legacy can be found.
In July we enjoyed a camping holiday in Thüringen, Germany, visiting Weimar and its new Bauhaus Museum and also Buchenwald – a confrontation with the inconceivable.
After a pleasant, sunny week in the Thüringerwald we spent several days in the lively city of Erfurt – the city of Meister Eckhart.
In the meantime my time was taken up with painting, drawing and watercolouring and very little else. I did take part in exhibitions in the KCB, Museum Kranenburgh (Word Image) and as always, the Salon in Arti et Amicitiae.
A visit to Museum Belvédère in Heerenveen has resulted in the promise for an exhibition of my work in 2022, centred around the Sebald-project.
And finally, I have decided to produce two more leporello’s in the coming years. Whilst the first concentrated on Sebald’s poetry, the second will be based on his prose, with the exception of the book “Austerlitz”, which will be the subject of the third leporello.
2018
In 2018 my work once again centred on the project "Regarding Sebald". Several paintings and drawings, as well as watercolours, were completed. Rereading of Sebald's work also kept me occupied in the meantime.
A new initiative, the production of a leporello comprising quotes from Sebald's poetry, complemented by prints based on watercolours and ink drawings, will be presented early in 2019.
Exhibitions: In August I was invited to take part in a group exhibition "Gold under the Ice" in Arti et Amicitiae in Amsterdam. My contribution consisted of 3 paintings and 3 drawings all based on "Regarding Sebald".
In November and December Gallery KUUB in Utrecht was the venue for the exhibition "A Homage" with work by 8 artists on the theme 'landscape'. Five paintings based on my observations made during travels through northwest China were selected – all from the beginning of this century.
On 9th December the KCB exhibition "WORD/IMAGE" opened in Museum Kranenburgh in Bergen, North Holland. A large watercolour and a large drawing could be seen here until the end of January 2019, both "Regarding Sebald".
Travels: In March Joanne and I spent a week in Münich immersing ourselves in the beauty to be found in the many outstanding museums, particularly in the Alte Pinakothek, the brand new Egyptian Museum, the Lehnbachhaus with its impressionists and the Brandhorst Museum where Cy Twombly's work impressed me. Blessed with good weather we spent an afternoon walking in the Englischer Garten and also visited Schloss Nymphenburg and its park.
In September we went to East Anglia - Norfolk and Suffolk – where we followed in Sebald's footsteps along the Heritage Coast and at Somerleyton Hall which he describes so intrigueingly in "The Rings of Saturn".
2017
This year I took part for the last time in group exhibitions by the Dutch Watercolourists Circle and the Dutch Circle of Drawing Artists as I now intend to spend all my time on the "Regarding Sebald" project.
In September I had a solo exhibition in KOEL310 in Alkmaar, a wonderful venue. Arie de Ruiter made a surprising virtual tour of the exhibition, available on my website www.hanslandsaat.nl/expo.html.
Travels: to Australia for 4 weeks in March, camping in Victoria with a visit to the Barmah campsite, remembered from 1996, and where the idea of "River in the form of a boat" originated.
After 2 weeks we sailed from the pleasant city of Melbourne to the north of Tasmania where we enjoyed the hospitality of old friends in Bridport and subsequently drove down the fascinating East Coast to Claremont, near Hobart.
Once again we stayed with old friends and also visited the amazing MONA – a new museum on the Derwent River.
At the beginning of April we returned to Egmond aan Zee for a busy summer.
At the end of September we sailed from IJmuiden tot Newcastle for a 2 week car tour in the Scottish Highlands. We enjoyed long walks in all sorts of weather along lochs and wild coasts and through woods and bogs.
2016
In the past year I took part in the following exhibitions:
March: with 3 other members of the Dutch Watercolourists Circle, in Gallery “Wout Vuyk”, Singel 383, Amsterdam.
May 22 – June 12: in Cultural Centre Kranenburgh in Bergen, Noord Holland, on the theme ‘travels’ titled “Terz 2”, with 2 other members of the KCB (Art Centre Bergen).
August 27 – September 25: in Pulchri, The Hague, the “Biennale of the Dutch Circle of Drawing Artists”.
October 1 – January 7, 2017: in the Bible Museum, Amsterdam, with 8 other members of the above circle, titled “Parables”. A catalogue is available.
October 29 – November 20: once again in Pulchri, The Hague, a retrospective of all members of the Dutch Circle of Watercolourists.
December 24 – January 15, 2017: as always, the annual “ARTI-Salon in Arti et Amicitiae, Amsterdam.
In spring Museum Belvedère in Heerenveen requested all connected artists to supply a small panel for an auction to be held for the purpose of enabling the museum to add a work by Jan Mankes to its collection. The theme of this manifestation was a scene painted by Mankes of a ditch bordered by flowers. I handed in my contribution in July.
During September Joanne and I travelled in Spain, where besides visiting several cities such as Segovia, Avil and Salamanca, we spent time in Extremadura. The towns Guadalupe, Trujillo and Caçeres amazed us as did the surrounding landscape which is unforgettable.
And finally, in the course of 2016 I decided to start working on the theme “Regarding Sebald” with the intention to continue on this path for a long time to come. The writer W.G. Sebald has so much to offer me – comparisons, associations, experiences and more – that it seems inevitable for me to proceed on the themes and impulses he has to offer. The first works have taken shape and can be found on this website as well as on Facebook.
2015
Apart from taking part in several group exhibitions, of which that of the Dutch Circle of Drawing Artists was the latest, work on “Where I was I am” continued throughout the year.
Preparations for 5 colour prints, accompanying texts and 40 unique water colours, one for each book, were made. The 20 black and white prints had been finished earlier on as well as the two paintings on the same theme “Where I was I am”. What remained to be done was the assembling of sets of prints, water colour and texts in a cassette and the inclusion of the film “Hans Landsaat – the way” made by René and Quirijn Bakker.
On Friday, 9th October, the book/cassette was presented in Arti et Amicitiae in Amsterdam by a showing of the film. After the presentation all 35 copies of “Where I was I am” were handed over to their owners in the adjacent Arti Gallery, where a weekend exhibition of new work by Landsaat took place.
Saskia Monshouwer introduced this exhibition (her text, entitled “De hoefslag van Pegasus”, can be found elsewhere on this site). On show were small paintings, all on the theme “Island” identical to that of the 40 water colours included in the cassette, as well as several drawings in black and white.
2014
The first Spring Exhibition, from 21st to 24th March 2014, in our house, the studio and garden, was visited by many enthusiastic art-lovers who enjoyed the display of new and older work.
During the year I took part in various group exhibitions held by the Dutch Circle of Water-Colourists, the Netherlands Circle of Drawing Artists and the KCB (Arts Centre Bergen). In August I showed paintings in the exhibition "Galerie Eewal 45 years" in Beetsterzwaag (Friesland, NL)
In Museum Kranenburgh in Bergen, of which the KCB is now part, I was one of the 40 artists showing work based on a poem by Lucebert, "I attempt by poetic means ..." My painting "Meddling with space" in acryl on wood can be seen until 25th January 2015.
Plans for and thoughts on the book "Where I was I am" to be produced by Atalanta Pers, and presented in October 2015, have kept me occupied for most of the year 2014.
Information on and invitations for the presentation will be forwarded in due time.
To be placed on the mailing-list contact Hans Landsaat at landsaat@ziggo.nl
2013
The book “In ever greater Awe”, a review of my work from 1952 until 2013, was presented at the opening of my exhibition on 20th April in Gallery Schlessart, in Bergen North Holland, by philosopher Jan Bor. This was my only solo exhibition in 2013. I took part in 7 group exhibitions throughout the year (see CV).
In June I collected unforgettable impressions during an expedition by ship, via Scotland to the small volcanic island of Jan Mayen and finally to Svalbard/Spitsbergen.
September was spent in Callosa D’En Sarria (Spain) where preperations were made for my book “Where I was, I am”, to be produced by Atalanta Pers in 2015.
Regrettably, Gallery Josine van Bokhoven in Amsterdam closed its doors in November. Since the 1980’s it had been the place where my latest work had regularly been on view for the Amsterdam public. I am now considering new possibilities to present my work.
2012
In January the 'solo cabinet' exposition in Museum Belvédère in Heerenveen came to a close. The painting 'The night, the way, the green mountains' (2009) was accepted as part of the permanent collection of the museum.
Solo exhibitions: in the Passarelle, Town Hall, Terneuzen (February - March) and in Gallery Josine Bokhoven, Amsterdam (March - April).
Group exhibitions:
Four exhibitions organized by the Dutch Circle of Watercolourists – in the Gallery 'Achter de Zuilen', Bloemendaal; in the 'Haagse Kunstkring', The Hague; in Stadsdeel Westerpark, Amsterdam and in the Waterland Museum in Purmerend.
With the Dutch Circle of Drawing Artists I took part in the exhibition in the Natuurmuseum Frieslân in Leeuwarden.
On the 16th November the opening will take place in the CBK Amsterdam of a group exhibition and book presentation of the same Circle.
Preparations for future work were undertaken in Berlin, Brittany and Paris. In July we camped in southern France, visiting many museums and Romanesque churches. At the end of September we spent 2 intensive weeks in New York City and State once more spending much of the time in the splendid museums on offer. In Lille, northern France, we visited the fascinating exhibitions 'Fables du Paysage Flamand' and 'Babel' in Palais des Beaux Arts in October.
In 2013 a voyage to Spitsbergen and the intention to continue working on the theme 'along northern coasts' is planned while a month's stay in a studio in southern Spain will be spent preparing for the 2015 bibliophile publication of 'Where I was, I am'.
Preparations for the publication of a book comprising an overview of my work from 1952 until the present are in full swing. The book will be presented in April 2013 in Bergen, North Holland.
2011
Until April Joanne and I made preparations for our 4th China-journey in April/May and I took part in the following group exhibitions:
January 9 - February 6, 'New Members', Art Centre Bergen
January 15 - February 6, Dutch Watercolourists Circle, Pulchri Studio, The Hague
February 12 - March 27, Dutch Circle of Drawing Artists, Museum Rijswijk
February 13 - May 12, 'Gallery Kokon 40 Years', Tilburg
April 9 - May 15, Members of the Dutch Watercolourists Circle, Gallery De Kapberg, Egmond aan den Hoef
In April and May we travelled in China; from Beijing to Taiyuan, Pingyao and Luoyang. It was extremely busy in this part of China so we decided to go Westwards.
Near Tian Shui is the mountain Maji Shan where we were overwhelmed by the early Buddhist art in this serene environment.
After having revisited the marvellous exhibits in the Gansu Provincial Museum in Lanzhou we went to Xining, the thriving capital of Qinghai province.
We had some unforgettable days, staying on the shore of Qinghai Hu, the immense saltwater lake in this magic area – the foothills of the Himalaya.
Back home I was invited to take part in the 'East/West' Exhibition (China/Holland) in Pulchri Studio, The Hague ( July 9 – 28).
Then preparations for my solo exhibition in one of the cabinets of the Belvédère Museum in Heerenveen took up most of my time.
In October I took part in the group exhibition of the Dutch Circle of Drawing Artists at the Haagse Kunstkring.
This Fall, the Prints Cabinet of The Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam completed the documentation of the complete collection of my graphic work and bibliophile books, donated to the Cabinet by my friend Bram den Blaauwen. The formal tranfer of this collection is now legally finalised.
The first half of 2010
During the first months of 2010, besides working on paintings and watercolours, I prepared the drawings which were to accompany a series of quatrains by Wang Wei and Pei Di, for the latest bibliophile production by Atalanta Pers in Baarn, titled: "By the River Wang".
The two 7th/8th century Chinese poets wrote the poems as a dialogue, and similarly, René Bakker and I made the images to accompany the texts. The book was presented at Gallery Josine Bokhoven in Amsterdam on 25th April, to much acclaim. Silvia Marijnissen, translator of these poems, held an interesting exposé on her translation. For detailed information, see By the River Wang.
At the Dutch Watercolourists exhibition, 6-23 March, in The Hague Art Society venue, several of my latest watercolours were on display.
At the end of March Joanne and I spent a busy museum and theatre week in London.
On the occasion of the 40th anniversary of Gallery Kokon (Tilburg) an exposition of drawings opened on May 16, in which I participated. The next exposition in this special series will follow in early 2011.
At the end of May we left Egmond aan Zee for a 3-week train/boattrip to Scandinavia.
After the summer I participated in a group exposition of the Dutch Circle of Drawing Artists at "Achter de Zuilen", Bloemendaal.
More work was shown at Gallery De Kapberg (Egmond aan den Hoef, 9 Oct - 14 Nov) at a joint exposition with ceramists Netty van den Heuvel and Bente Hanssen.
I became a member of the Artist's Centre Bergen. Early January 2011 an exposition with work of new members will open at the centre (Plein 7, Bergen) for which I will submit a selection of drawings and paintings.
2009
The Dutch Circle of Drawing Artists held a comprehensive group-exhibition in Pulchri Studio in the Hague from August 30th until September 20th. I took part with 5 brush drawings.
The Tate Gallery in London informed me at the beginning of September that one of my prints from the Museum's collection had been selected for reproduction in the Tate Desk Diary 2010. This silkscreen print Island I from 1977, can also be found on the Tate Gallery website.
City Museum Woerden held the opening of the exhibition The landscape of the spirit, the spirit of the landscape on the 16th October. Four of my water colours are on display in this Dutch Water Colourists Circle exhibition which can be visited until 17th January 2010.
My painting The night, the path, the green mountains was hung as a temporary exhibit in Museum Belvédère in Heerenveen during autumn. It is a recently completed canvas (2009).
Gallery Josine Bokhoven in Amsterdam opened with my solo exhibition on 20th September. The exhibition closed half November after being extended for a week.
At the end of 2009 preparations were commenced for the bibliophile book The River Wang based on poems by the poets Wang Wei and Pei Di from the Chinese Tang Dynasty (8th C) . The book will be produced in close cooperation with Rene Bakker and published by Atalanta Press during 2010.
If you should like to be added to the mailing list please let me know at landsaat@ziggo.nl
2008
At the beginning of the year the Prints Cabinet of the University Library of Leiden aquired 3 of my artist's books from 3 different periods - "Franz K." (1975), "Undestined" (1995) and "Water"(2007). (See under Artist's books on this site).These aquisitions complement the collection of my work already present in the library.
From half February until May I had an extended solo exhibition in Gallery Kokon in Tilburg.
At the end of March the last (group) exhibition in Gallery Eewal in Leeuwarden opened due to their move to Amsterdam. In Tübingen, alas, Gallery Jochen Höltje closed down, also with a large group exhibition. With the closures of the galleries in Leeuwarden and Tübingen comes an end to many years of pleasant and fruitful cooperation.
In May and July my work was displayed at expositions held by The Dutch Circle of Watercolourists in Pictura in Groningen and the Artscentre KCH in Haarlem, respectively.
From September on all my attention was focused on renovating and moving house and studio from Amsterdam to Egmond aan Zee, 55 KM's north of Amsterdam.
2007
In January I took part in the “Wintersalon” in Galerie Kokon, Tilburg.
The artist’s book “WATER”, in an edition of 40 (see also Artist’s books), was presented at the opening of my exhibition of new work in Galerie Josine Bokhoven (March/April). This was a very successful exhibition and the book “WATER” was received with much enthusiasm.
In March/April 5 of my watercolours were displayed at an exhibition organized by the Dutch Watercolourists in Museum Waterland in Purmerend in North Holland.
Gallery Jochen Höltje (Tübingen, Germany) showed work at Art Karlsrühe (Germany), also in March.
In May and June the journey around and through the Taklamakan Desert was undertaken. The rock formations, the sand hills, the sand- and dust-storms, the large and small oases, amongst many other things, left such deep and lasting impressions that it took until August before I had ordered them in my mind to such an extent that I could start working with them. See the article Travelling in Xinjiang (China) 2007 on this website.
A selection from these new Taklamakan and Dunhuang drawings, plus numerous other works, were shown at the Gallery Eewal, Leeuwarden, exhibition which opened on December 8th. This gallery, alas, is closing its doors in Leeuwarden in April 2008.
2006
During 2006 the catalogue "De Kracht van de Beperking - Hans Landsaat, werken op papier, 1995-2005" (The Power of Restraint - Hans Landsaat, Works on Paper, 1995 - 2005) was presented as the third publication in the 'Series of Drawings' (Derby Pier Publishers in collaboration with SBK-Amsterdam). The retrospect was edited and prefaced by Rob Perrée; it can be ordered at
landsaat@ziggo.nl. The price is € 12.50 plus € 5 postage.
Consequently there were solo exhibitions in Gallery 59, Amsterdam, in Gallery 14-16, Het Posthuys, De Koog, Texel, and in Gallery 21, De Meerminnen, Dordrecht.
There was also participation in the group exhibition "Nieuwe Schatten uit de Kunst-Uitleen" (New Treasures of the Art-Loan System), in Groningen. In June/July there was an exhibition of paintings in Egmond aan de Hoef, North Holland.
"Holterdiepolder/Holderdepolder", a book comprising silkscreens by Hans Landsaat and 4 poems in German by Richard Pietraß (Berlin), with a Dutch translation by Stefaan van den Bremt (Brussels), was on display at Buchhandel "Die Weiße Rose", Rozengracht 166, Amsterdam.
At the studio preparations were started for the artist’s book titled 'WATER'.
2005
From September 2004 until end January 2005 we travelled through China and Australia. The Chinese observations and impressions of Bruny Island (Tasmania) in particular resulted in a large number of drawings, followed by paintings. A selection of the work was exhibited for the first time at Gallery Josine Bokhoven in April/May 2005, see the review by Hans Sizoo.
After the removal of the studio to Amsterdam-Osdorp expositions took place at Gallery Eewal in Leeuwarden (September 2005) and Gallery Kokon in Tilburg (October 2005).
In November 2005 I participated in the exposition of the Dutch Watercolourists Circle in the Amstel Church in Amsterdam.
2004
The exhibition "Unterwegs" opened on February 21st, 2004 in Galerie joho, Tübingen (Germany). The opening speech was held by Professor Dr. Chr. Theuerkauff, Berlin (see speech in German). This was the second exhibition in this new gallery and it lasted until March 21st. Also on February 21st a review of a number of bibliophile editions was to be seen in Gallery Druck und Buch, also in Tübingen.
During the 2004 Whitsun weekend the studio was open to the public as part of the 20th Open Studio Route Western Islands Amsterdam.
2003
At Gallery Josine Bokhoven, Amsterdam, at the exhibition starting in December 2002, a certain change was to be seen in Landsaat's work. Besides several works titled "Travelling Backwards", a great deal of the work on view originated from a trip through Mongolia in the spring of 2002. Besides paintings there were drawings in pencil and chalk. This exhibition had as theme "The amazing simplicity of the landscape". In March/April 2003 Landsaat exhibited at Gallery Eewal in Leeuwarden and in July at Gallery Meinhold in Berlin.
In the spring of 2003 the artist's book "Holterdiepolder-Holterdepolder", a portfolio with four separate pages of poems by the Berlin poet Richard Pietrass, translated into Dutch by the Flemish poet Stefaan van Bremt and illustrated by Landsaat was presented at Gallery Josine Bokhoven. In July the presentation took place in Galerie Meinhold in Berlin and in October 2003 it was presented in "Wortraum", Winterhausen (near Würzburg), also in Germany.
2002 and earlier
The title of numerous paintings and drawings made after 1999 is "Travelling Backwards". This title was also the theme of several exhibitions in Germany (Galerie joho, Tübingen, and Zehdenick, north of Berlin), in Sweden, in the Konsthallen I Hishult (catalogue available) and of a comprehensive show in the Kunsthal De Remise in Amsterdam. In conjunction with this last exhibition an artist's book was presented, the leporello "Travelling Backwards" (22x266 cm. unfolded in a cover, 23x22 cm.). In 2001 a series of large rectangular triptyches was started a number of which were also to be seen at this show.
In the Netherlands gallery exhibitions took place in Leeuwarden, Tilburg and Amsterdam.