Ton Mars
Ton Mars (born 1950) is a Dutch visual artist whose work consists of abstract paintings, drawings, installations and poetic texts. In 1976, he graduated from the art academy Minerva in Groningen, after which he travelled through North, Middle and South America. Ton Mars taught fine art at Academie Minerva and the Frank Mohr Institute in Groningen, Netherlands, the latter of which he headed from 2006–2007.
Work
Inspired by the clarity of the works of Piet Mondrian and Barnett Newman, Ton Mars developed his own version of abstract art in the 1980s. He supplemented abstraction with the analogy between image and language while connecting painting, sculpture and architecture. Herewith he obtained a working system that is the basis of his oeuvre and which guarantees him a constant style yet is flexible enough to allow ambiguity.[1]
Image and language
In his monochrome paintings from this period, Mars began to incorporate lines and circle segments derived from letters of the alphabet. He used these simple elements to form his own signs that are seemingly carved into the surface of the paintings. The signs invite viewers to read, but they are abstract and as such remain illegible.[2][3] From the 1990s, Mars began making multi-part works by hanging individual paintings of the same size next to each other with gaps between them, referring to the gaps between words in a sentence. He also added titles to these works, in which continents, oceans and compass directions of the earth are metaphorically equated with the realms of the human mind, challenging viewers to form interpretations. This first happened with the series Synonymous Works for Continents of the Mind (1991–1996). Each of the five works of this series is a monochrome, consecutively in black, white and primary colours and has its own signs. In general, the works resemble each other as synonyms, and with their titles they invite viewers to see them as continents of the mind comprising different ideas, emotions and moods.[4]
Painting, sculpture and architecture
Space and movement are very important for Ton Mars, and this is evident in his works in various ways. Although most of his works look like two-dimensional paintings, they have sloping sides that narrow towards the back and rest against the wall. A viewer walking past can experience these works as sculptures, neatly embedded in the architecture of the exhibition space. From the 2000s, this led to four large, site-specific installations linking the painterly, sculptural and architectural interests of the artist. The installations are constructed out of large Perspex panels, painted with white enamel paint on the back and a different colour on the front. The signs are cut out of the paint on the front whereby they appear white. All four bear the title Stazione, presenting metaphorical ways of travelling and enabling the exploration of earthly and mental spaces in connection with each other.[5] The panels of Stazione III, in the former Groninger Museum in 2009, were painted a glossy celestial blue with white signs. The panels reflected each other, the space and visitors, visually absorbing the architecture and any movement within it.[6]
Poetic texts
Ton Mars writes poetic texts that are published in catalogues about his work. These texts include conversations between three fictional characters: Anthony (Mink) Swindon, Rachman and Giovanni, who come from different compass directions and have distinct personalities. They address the position of art and the artist in relation to the state of the world, hereby helping Ton Mars to explore new ideas in his work.[7]
Collaborations
In 1979, Ton Mars co-founded artists' initiative Stichting De Zaak, Groningen, together with Jouke Kleerebezem and Hans Scholten. The foundation was active until 1990.[8]
Mars has collaborated with art historian Katalin Herzog from 1991–present.
Publications
Publications co-authored
- Ab Uno / Ad Unum (Eurasia), Ton Mars & Katalin Herzog, Groninger Museum, Groningen, 1998, ISBN 90-71691-39-X
- Ab Uno / Ad Unum (Africa), Ton Mars & Katalin Herzog, Museum am Ostwall, Dortmund, 2001, ISBN 3-925998-35-7
- Ab Uno / Ad Unum (America), Ton Mars & Katalin Herzog, Museum Belvédère, Heerenveen, 2018, ISBN 978-90-71139-34-5
Publications by Ton Mars
- Drukwerk De Zaak. Nr. 21/22, Datsja (Eerste lokatie), Stichting De Zaak, Groningen, 1984.
- Kunst, Europa, Hermetica (Zweiter Schauplatz), Arbeitsgemeinschaft deutscher Kunstvereine, Köln, Karlsruhe, 1991, ISBN 3-87439-240-6.
- Reflecties op de Schilderkunst II (De schilder), Hermetica (Derde lokatie), Academie Minerva Pers, Groningen, 1996, ISBN 90-73233-05-4.
- Ab Uno / Ad Unum, Hermetica, Groninger Museum, Groningen, 1998, ISBN 90-71691-39-X. Ab Uno / Ad Unum (Africa), Hermetica, Museum am Ostwall, Dortmund, 2001, ISBN 3-925998-35-7.
- Ab Uno / Ad Unum (America), Hermetica (Locatie: Galisteo Creek), Museum Belvédère, Heerenveen, 2018, ISBN 978-90-71139-34-5.
- Voorjaar 2020 (ton mars), Hermetica (Locatie: Een tuin in het noorden), De Ketelfactory, Schiedam, 2020, ISBN / EAN: 978-94-90360-61-0 no. 646.
Exhibitions (selection)
- Museum Het Kruithuis, Tussenblik, 's-Hertogenbosch, Netherlands, 1987.
- Groninger Museum, Ab Uno / Ad Unum, Groningen, Netherlands, 1998.
- Staatliche Kunsthalle Karlsruhe, Ab Uno / Ad Unum, Karlsruhe, Germany, 1998.
- Museum am Ostwall, Ton Mars - WeltenSammler, Dortmund, Germany, 2001.
- Museum Insel Hombroich, Stazione II, Neuss, Germany, 2008.
- Museum Belvédère, Ton Mars - Ab Uno / Ad Unum, Heerenveen, Netherlands, 2019.
Work in museum collections (selection)
- Groninger Museum, Groningen, Netherlands.
- Kunstmuseum Den Haag, The Hague, Netherlands.
- Museum Belvédère, Heerenveen, Netherlands.
- Staatliche Kunstsammlungen Dresden, Dresden, Germany.
- Museum am Ostwall, Dortmund, Germany.
- Lentos Kunstmuseum Linz, Linz, Austria.
Notes
- ↑ Herzog, Katalin (22 September 2023). "OVERZICHT van het beeldende werk en artistiek systeem van Ton Mars" [An overview of the visual work and artistic system of Ton Mars]. kunstzaken.blogspot.com. Retrieved 31 October 2023.
- ↑ Haase, Armine (1985). "Für den Glauben an eine Sprache der Zeichen" [For Believing in a Language of Signs]. Kunstforum International. Band 79.
- ↑ Hummeltenberg, Hanna (1988). "Zu den Arbeiten von Ton Mars - Schauplatz" [About the Works of Ton Mars – 'Location']. NIKE (New Art in Europe). 6.
- ↑ Herzog, Katalin (1994). "Wegen naar het centrum; De functies van beeld en taal in het werk van Ton Mars" [Directions to the Centre. The Functions of Image and Language (this article describes the functioning of the series Synonymous Works for Continents of the Mind)]. Krisis, Tijdschrift voor Filosofie (55).
- ↑ Herzog, Katalin (31 December 2009). "De Derde Halte Hemelsblauw" [Third Stop Celestial Blue; The Installations of Ton Mars (a description of all of Ton Mars's Stazione installations)]. kunstzaken.blogspot.com. Retrieved 31 October 2023.
- ↑ Herzog, Katalin (31 December 2009). "De Derde Halte Hemelsblauw" [Third Stop Celestial Blue: The Installations of Ton Mars (an interpretation of Stazione III)]. kunstzaken.blogspot.com. Retrieved 31 October 2023.
- ↑ Herzog, Katalin (22 September 2023). "OVERZICHT van het beeldende werk en artistiek systeem van Ton Mars" [An overview of the visual work and artistic system of Ton Mars (discusses the poetic texts of Ton Mars)]. kunstzaken.blogspot.nl. Retrieved 31 October 2023.
- ↑ "Kunstenaarsinitiatief De Zaak: Onafhankelijke verkenning en ontwikkeling van vormen van hedendaagse beeldende kunst". artisbook.nl. Retrieved 31 October 2023.
References
- Ottevanger, A. (1985) 'De Zaak: Jouke Kleerebezem, Ton Mars, Hans Scholten', Metropolis M, no. 3.
- Haase, A. (1985) 'Für den Glauben an eine Sprache der Zeichen', Kunstforum International, Band 79.
- Lakke, G. (1986) 'De Zaak, het groeiend verantwoordelijkheidsbesef van een avant-garde instelling', Metropolis M, no. 3.
- Hummeltenberg, H. (1988) 'Zu den Arbeiten von Ton Mars - Schauplatz', NIKE (New Art in Europe), vol. 6.
- Hettig, F.A. (1989) 'Ton Mars/Michel Sauer', in: Kunstforum International, Band 102.
- Groot, P. (1992) 'De Zaak im Rückblick; Und die Entwicklung von Ton Mars, Hans Scholten und Jouke Kleerebezem bis Heute', Kunstforum International, Band 117.
- Herzog, K. (1994) 'Wegen naar het centrum; De functies van beeld en taal in het werk van Ton Mars', Krisis, tijdschrift voor filosofie, no. 55.
- Herzog, K. (1997) 'Voor Dansers', Feit & Fictie, Vol. III, no. 3.
- Herzog, K. (1998) 'The Two Called One', in: Ton Mars and Katalin Herzog, Ab Uno/Ad Unum, exhibited at 'Groninger Museum' in Groningen; 'Statliche Kunsthalle' in Karlsruhe, Germany; 'Museum am Ostwall' in Dortmund, Germany.
- Herzog, K. (2009) 'De oneindige wereld van Ton Mars' [The infinite world of Ton Mars], De Nieuwe, 'Arti et Amicitiae'.
- Bos, E. (2001), 'De tempel van Ton Mars; Terug naar bijna nul', Nieuwsblad van het Noorden, 23.02.2001.
- Meier, A. (2002) 'Die Qual der Zahl', Kunsthalle Lingen, Westdeutsche Zeitung.
- Westdeutsche Zeitung, 'Zeichen einer verlorener Welt - Die Zahl, das Wort, die Sprache: Arbeiten des Niederländers Ton Mars im Buschhüterhaus des Kunstvereins Krefeld, 12.03.2004.
- Hölzl, D. (2007) 'Ton Mars -Stazione', Galerie Cora Hölzl.
External links
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