United artists

In 1982, Art Revisited celebrated its foundation with an artistic gesture: a number of artists were asked to paint the same white bowl in their own way. Not unexpectedly, these resulted in very different interpretations. More than forty years later, it is still an inspiring moment.

When I was asked to help shape the 40th anniversary of the publishing house, the idea of a triptych arose.

Central to the triptych: the white bowl, now a symbol and icon of Art Revisited.

The founding date in 1982 was also important.

I suggested, after a sketch on canvas, to invite the three still active artists from the first hour, to make a first start with filling in the triptych. Thus began a rare adventure.

In the triptych, Henk Helmantel shines again: the white bowl stands in the middle on a table in his well-known velvet realistic style. Jan van Loon conjured up a beautiful expressive air above the entire triptych as a style contrast. Rein Pol brought refinement and poetry with deposited packing plastic under Helmantel's painted still life. The Blue Angel could not be missing: on the right panel she quietly zooms into the painting.

The tone had been set.

Other painters followed the few guidelines in their own style and subject: do not paint over other people's work and leave the horizon above the central bowl as free as possible.

Thus began a fascinating story: soon several artists picked up the thread and began to respond in paint to what their predecessors had left behind.

The acceleration came during the celebration of the 40th anniversary in June this year in Harderwijk.

In the warm spring sun, the plein-air painting inspired participating artists of various backgrounds: simultaneously, side by side, they worked together to further complete the triptych.

An extraordinary spectacle unfolded, meandering from canvas to canvas, an extraordinary universe came to life.

Back in the studio in Tolbert, the last participants followed during the summer and autumn. They gave the chosen path, in their own unique way, colourful accents and the necessary tranquillity.

This richly varied triptych with all its subjects and expressions returned to my studio.

Over the past week, I have been steadily working on final connections, on underlining the colorful diversity of 25 fellow artists universal in paint.

We all worked selflessly and with inspiration on a common unique project, the celebration in paint of a unique anniversary of a special publishing house.

Art Revisited, congratulations!

Ton Dubbeldam, October 6, 2023.

The triptych was on display at Museum Nienoord in Leek on October 7 and 8, 2023. The triptych is available for other exhibition locations and will in any case be exhibited in Stadsmuseum Harderwijk. Behind the scenes, a plan is being made to see how this special work of art can generate a nice return for a charity to be determined. More information about this will follow later...

The following people contributed to the triptych:

Henk Helmantel - Jan van Loon - Rein Pol - Marius van Dokkum - Ton Dubbeldam - Pieter Pander - Geke Hoogstins - Menno Balm - Hans Innemée - Egbert Modderman - Theo Onnes - Michiel Schrijver - Claartje van der Linden - Erik van Ommen - Hope - Wouter Berns - Annette Hoolsema - Dorus Brekelmans - Ben Rikken - Hans Versfelt - Dorry van de Winkel - Keimpe van der Kooi - Jasper Oostland - Peter Durieux - Dinie Boogaart

Basic design and final coherence painted by Ton Dubbeldam.