Page 16 - Enamel & More

LETTER MARIA VAN ELK TO COOSJE VAN BRUGGEN 29 — 01 — 1985

Dear Coosje

Herewith I send you the models of the lithographs.
The models are made with oil pastel. I tried 3 types of paper.
I am going to use Nr. 1 paper.
So no transparent paper (not sturdy enough).
The edition is 200 copies.
Every lithograph will be folded by hand.
Thus, the not calculated but it is planned.
It is a geometrical fold, no crease.
The last phase of folding gives as end result a rather architectonical image.

Data of the lithographs

a. smooth paper 50 x 50 cm
b. first impression. One fold in the paper, circle red, powdered with bronze, paper unfolded.
2-3 folds in the paper perpendicular to the first fold. Circle printed in blue and powdered with silver. After
that unfolded again.
d. 3-4 folds in the paper again perpendicular somewhat diagonally on the folds in c.
Then some sort of V fold perpendicular on the other folds. Then, circle printed yellow powdered with
gold.

This is the definitive form. The size will be 25 x 32 cm then. This is also the size of the box.
The folds are made in such a way that the work can be hanged at different stages, open or closed or in
between.
The title is Overprint which contains several meanings in Dutch, in appearance as well as referring
figuratively to the process.

The one is as true as the other.

I do not have a good English title yet.

The use of bronze, silver and gold does not have a mystical or alchemical meaning but an ironical that has
to do with the pressures that have been put gradually on artist whereby all kinds of primary values (these are
the primary colours) get covered with glitter and gold.
Bronze, silver and gold are the hierarchical translation of the delivered achievements.

In the lithograph the bronze circle remains intact the most when you suspend the paper unfolded. In the final
phase, when the lithograph is folded the most and is almost an object, you see the circle in gold completely
intact but because of the many folds crumbled the worse.

Also, it excites me that the lithograph looks a bit like the cubistic of the tenth years.
With this work I did overcome a lot of restrictions and possibilities.
a. the size, it is large and small at the same time.
b. the recurrence, 200 but all different.

14