Nov Week 2 → Side Quest
Unbound, Karel Martens (Stedelijk Museum Amsterdam)
Karel Martens trained at the Academy of Visual Arts in Arnhem (HKA, now ArtEZ), and graduated in 1961. However, graphic design had yet to be introduced to the curriculum, so he emerged without feeling qualified as a designer. "I knew I still had a lot to learn, and I feel the same today."
In the 1960s, Martens playfully discovered the power of color and the impact of layered materials. He began experimenting with collages, paper reliefs, and sculptures composed of papier-mâché and discarded printed matter, such as newspapers, comic books, and telephone directories, cutting, layering and arranging the used sheets into compelling, abstract compositions that he would sometimes print on.
These shelves contain a selection of Martens' experiments and earliest graphic design commissions. They mark the beginning of his never-ending journey of exploration of color, technique, and materials.
MONOPRINTS
Monoprints are central to Karel Martens' practice, and he's been making them since the 1960s. He creates his compositions with flat, found metal objects, which he rolls in ink, and prints them out on repurposed newsprint using his old bookbinding press. "Nothing gets me up in the morning like the smell of fresh printing ink." He often prints in multiple layers, one color at a time. This produces a different result each time, making each monoprint as unique as the repurposed printed material on which it is made.
Since the 1990s, Martens has also been repurposing the Stedelijk's old archival cards for his monoprints. The cards were designed by former Stedelijk director Willem Sandberg and used to be filled-in by museum staff. Martens treats the information on the cards as an element of his compositions.
"Two worlds converge: the archivist's handwriting and the unforgiving process of printing."
Chance plays an important role in Martens' creative process.
He sees himself as a laboratory technician, for whom a spilled drop of liquid can lead to a new discovery. This open-minded approach allows for unexpected outcomes.