Hannes Postma (1933-2020) - Secret memory

Medium: mixed media on paper
Dating: 1970
Numbered: original
Signed: pencil on the bottom
Condition: In good condition - nice colors
Titled: "secret memory"
Sheet size 50 x 65 cm

Johannes Gerardus Maria (Hannes) Postma (Haarlem, – Amsterdam, ) was a Dutch painter, draftsman and graphic artist. Postma studied at the Rijksakademie van beeldende kunsten in Amsterdam. His oeuvre consists of oil paintings on canvas, sculptures in iron and plaster, silkscreens and etchings. In the 1960s the artist gained much recognition with his series of color etchings.

From 1973 to 1978 Postma created the series 'zeeschilderijen' (sea paintings). During this period he belonged to the 'Hoek van Hollandse school,' an anarchist art group made up of artists who did not want to be influenced by external influences, whether traditional or by teachers.

A few years later Postma sought affiliation with the Nieuwe Figuratie (New Figurative). As is characteristic for the art of painters who belonged to this group, Postma combined figurative and abstract elements in his works. In his abstract creations the viewer can occasionally find recognizable, figurative motifs, such as human figures, torsos or limbs. The disproportionate human figures, which are stretched or compressed, seem to float in space. A hallmark of Postma’s style is the use of fantastical shapes. The works are largely layered and brushstrokes with dripping paint are clearly visible. Other characteristics of Postma’s art, and of Nieuwe Figuratie, are the tension between the flat plane and the illusion of space, and the sparkling use of color.

In addition to being a visual artist, Postma was a lecturer at the Akademie voor Beeldende Kunsten in Rotterdam from 1971 to 1988. His work is represented in the collections of companies, private individuals, institutions and museums, including the Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam, the Stedelijk Museum in Amsterdam, the Frans Hals Museum in Haarlem, the Gemeentemuseum Den Haag and the Museum of Modern Art Arnhem. In 1967 the book 'Hocus Focus' was published, a book about Postma’s art. J.G.M. Postma passed away in 2020 at the age of 87.