too much pressure

1980

A perfect circular 18 times printed on wrinkled paper
Image and picture are not the same
Dimensions 1.84 m  x  3.80 m

Edition 5

Collections
Rijksdienst Beeldende Kunst, Den Haag, NL
PTT Dienst Esthetische Vormgeving, Den Haag, NL
Stedelijk Museum Gouda, NL
Fries Museum, Leeuwarden, NL | gift R. Brattinga
Maria van Elk

card
private edition

Photo: John Stoel

2. 141
2. 16 

2. 2

2. 22

The image is a fact.
The fact has to be a picture to have something in common with the depicted.
The picture has the logical form of representation in common with what it pictures.
The picture represents what it represents, by the form of the image and regardless of whether it is true, or untrue.
Ludwig Wittgenstein - Tractatus logico-philosophicus

The theses of Wittgenstein have been no motive in the making of this lithograph in 18 parts. They do, however, emphasise in language the idea that is at the basis of this work: the similarity and the difference between picture and depicted.
With the lithographic technique I was confronted again with the issue picture/depiction. An almost moral issue because the tradition of depicting reality of the picture – in this case the circle on the lithograph stone – seems unavoidable. How to make a picture again of the depicted that breaks through the logical relation picture/depicted?
The depiction of the picture is the denial of the picture, could have been the title of this work. The rupture of the logical symmetry.

Maria van Elk 1984

bron: Rijksaankopen 1984. Werk van hedendaagse kunstenaars (Gouvernment Purchases 1984. Works of contemporary artists). Uitgave Rijksdienst Beeldende Kunst, Den Haag-Amsterdam 1985. Page 103 (Dutch only)

So close
And yet so unattainable
The moon be reflected in the river

Kees Haafkens as a result of Too much pressure

The back of the card with special stamps

This card is accompanied by a series of five unique stamps. The images are part of the series lithographs Circles turned inside out (Binnenstebuiten gekeerde cirkels), Maria van Elk 1980

Circles turned inside out
Lithograph 1980
Edition 30

Photo: John Stoel
Exhibition in Galery Magazijn, Groningen, Holland (1981)

 

collections
Stedelijk Museum Amsterdam (NL)
Fries Museum, Leeuwarden (NL)
private collections
Mels Crouwel, Maria van Elk, Peter van Ingen, Frans Spruyt, Gerrit Oorthuys, Martien & An de Voigt

publication
For Rento - The printed collection. Text Pietje Tegenbosch. Edition Steendrukkerij Amsterdam - Fries Museum Leeuwarden (2001).

 

Brattinga is always rediscovering his own craft, because each artist brings his or her own problems to the studio. He remembers a project he did with Maria van Elk. She came to him with the idea to break a stone and then print with the fragments, an effect that has also been used sometimes by American artist Robert Rauschenberg. She wanted to pull prints from the broken pieces. When an artist approaches him with such a proposal, the printer's creative work begins.
'I then began to think aloud with Maria, and after this consultation, she decided to draw a perfect circle on the stone and to fold or crumple the Japanese paper that she wanted to use for the print. Fortunately, Maria kept the stone intact. Then we maltreated the paper on which the image of the circle had been printed and put it through the press all bunched up, amidst much creaking and moaning. Then we smoothed out the wad until it was a square piece of paper again, which now contained many fragments. The result was a success, exactly what she wanted. You learn from artists by studying what they want and then thinking about the next step to take. In that way, I can explore new territories myself too.'

source: For Rento - the printed collection. Text Pietje Tegenbosch. Edition Steendrukkerij Amsterdam - Fries Museum Leeuwarden (2001). Page 27/160

Maria van Elk & Coosje van Bruggen in front of the lithograph A perfect circular 18 times printed on wrinkled paper ( Too much pressure ) at the opening of the exhibition tekenen 1973-1980 (drawing 1973-1980), Stedelijk Museum Amsterdam

Photo archive Maria van Elk

Too much pressure (right) in a hall of the Stedelijk Museum Amsterdam at the time of the exposition tekenen 1973-1980 (drawing 1973-1980).

 

 

  
Vier diagonalen op gekreukeld papier (1979)
Four diagonals on crumbled paper
Collection An en Martien de Voigt
 
 		   12 Diagonalen in geel, grijs en blauw (1979)
Diagonals in yellow, grey and blue on crumbled paper
Collection Coosje van Bruggen en Claes Oldenburg, New York