Louis Lehmann
De Surrealistische Centrale
Theo van Baaren, Gertrude Pape, Emiel van Moerkerken
Friday 8 October till Saturday 20 November 2021
Vernissage: Friday 8 October, 7.00 pm
HOK loves collages and HOK is underground. And now HOK is tracing its own historical tracks, by presenting surrealistic collages, photos, drawings, and postcards by Louis Lehmann (1920-2012) and his comrades-in-arms, Theo van Baaren (1912-1989), Gertrude Pape (1907-1988), and Emiel van Moerkerken (1916-1995). A unique collection of works by the four Dutch artists who formed a lifelong gang called ‘de Surrealistische Centrale’ (‘Surrealistic Power Plant’). Their artistic friendship stems from World War II, when they were part of the only surrealistically attuned literary magazine the Netherlands ever had: De Schone Zakdoek (The Clean Handkerchief), a truly underground venture, counting some forty issues in an edition of only one.
Covering the last half of the twentieth century, the works now presented in HOK have made a tour of Europe, from the Amsterdam home of Louis Lehmann’s widow Alida Beekhuis to the late Gerrit Komrij’s and Charles Hofman’s writers’ home in Portugal, and back to Amsterdam, before being unearthed from assorted suitcases, bags, and cardboard boxes. Gems from our own historical heritage, including a never-before-seen Schone Zakdoek-like booklet by Gertrude Pape, brought to the light of day for your pleasure and enjoyment at HOK’s sales exhibition.
So come along, put on your surrealistic glasses, and be enticed by the works on the walls and the accompanying music composed by this jack of all artistic trades Louis Lehmann.
> The vernissage is on Friday 8 October at 7.00 pm, with introductory talks by Jaap van der Bent, author of Louis Lehman’s biography, to be published on 6 November, and by René van der Voort, who made this exposition possible.
> IN HOK #17: Maisie to Lewis. Reissue of the booklet that Gertrude Pape made in an edition of one for Louis Lehmann sometime during the war. Reissue courtesy of Alida Beekhuis. Original design, words, and artworks by Gertrude Pape. Limited edition of 50. Pre-order here.
