 |
Frank Dammers (Holland, Zwolle, 1951) shares with Mondriaan, and other artists who work in the spirit of the Bauhaus. His fascination for architecture is evident in the geometric and balanced nature
|
Frank Dammers (Zwolle, 1951) shares with Mondriaan, and other
artists who work in the spirit of the Bauhaus, the desire to give
expression and form through his art to the ideology of a better world.
His fascination for architecture is evident in the geometric and
balanced nature of his composition, wherein each area of color appears
to inhabit its natural place of the canvas. The intensity of his
working methods attests to his predisposition towards confronting
challenge and his refusal to take the easy route. He creates tableaux
that are immediately recognizable, in contrast to many of his
geometric-abstract colleagues.
Dammers composes city silhouettes that are easily traced back to their
point
of inspiration. We recognize the skyline of New York and Los Angeles as
readily as we identify the ‘Art Heads ‘captured in geometric patterns
or the patchwork of colors that represents a pyramid. Dammers plays
ingeniously whit space and perspective, thus inviting comparison with
both Esscher and certain magical realists. His world is essentially too
good to be true. Harmony, balance and adventure keep step with each
other in paintings that are easy on the eye, and yet are equally
extraordinary and often tantalizingly misleading.It is
unsurprising that the work of the Dutch painter Frank Dammers is
received with such enthusiasm in the United States. This appreciation
is not only due to the painter’s penchant for portraying the monumental
skylines of American cities, but is also bred out of a shared
mentality. The artist’s fascination whit the impressive modern
architecture that is so typical of that land of innovation is a
reflection of the positive energy that its cities exude.The
expression ‘Only the sky is the limit ‘would be appearing to be Frank
Dammers’ motto. In spite of the many setbacks he has had to endure
during his life, he has never lost his positive attitude. His is a
kindred spirit to the fighter’s mentality exhibited by those who
experienced personal tragedy as the result of the 9/11 attacks, and yet
summoned up the energy and the indomitability to carry on. To Dammers,
the USA is far more than the land of unlimited possibilities. He
recognizes the desire to show the world that adversity exists to be
conquered, and that one can emerge from the struggle as a stronger
person. The ambition to reach the highest goals, coupled with this
dogged determination, appeals to him enormously. These constructive and
positive elements of the American character have found a resonance in
the paintings of Frank Dammers.Taking on fresh challenges.
Choosing for a constructive approach, with no holds barred. Looking to
harvest the maximum yield from each opportunity. Not being afraid to do
things the hard way. Approaches to life are that are all characteristic
of Frank Dammers. In 2004, he made acquaintance with a number of 9/11
survivors, and felt a sense of identification with them. At the same
time, he felt a potent desire to express this feeling through his art.
This gave a new impulse to his painting that did not go unnoticed in
the USA. From that moment on, the interest in his work on the other
side of the ocean has reached great heights. The most impressive
discoveries are most often made when people dare to leave the beaten
track.
To date, Frank Dammers’ path in life has certainly not
been smooth. He has been chastened by adversity, and to good effect.
The story of his life could fill at least one novel; a new chapter has
been added practically every day since he took his first steps in the
world of depictive art. Although there is no direct thematic
relationship between Dammers’ work and his life story, it is evident
that his artistic oeuvre is directly related to his mien and character.Frank
Dammers moved to The Hague soon after his birth, but his parents
separated soon afterwards. His father, who had fought in the Dutch East
Indies, remained in The Hague and Frank moved with his mother to the
town Zwolle where they shared a house with his grandparents and uncle.
This uncle had been in the resistance as a young man, and was later to
work for the British Secret Service under General Montgomery. Frank
traveled through Germany in 1953 with his uncle, who wanted him to view
with his own eyes the scale of the destruction that the bombardments
had caused, and to see how the reconstruction was progressing Frank
attended the exclusive Park school as his mother wanted him to have
nothing but the best. After grade school, his attention to his studies
lapsed and at the age of fifteen he left school to join the Royal
Marines. His mother became afflicted with a virulent form of cancer and
was so ill that he felt obliged to leave the marines and return to
school, in order to be closer to her. However, his mother’s illness
made it difficult for him to study so he went to work as a dental
technician, caring for his mother until her death at fifty-one.After
his mother’s death in 1973 Dammers took up the reins of his own life;
he married, two sons and a daughter were born and rapidly acquired his
accounting certificates. Initially he worked for a bank and then for a
well known computer company in Rotterdam. While working for this
company he followed a course in mathematical programming languages in
London. Between 1975 and 1978 he set up the computerization of a large
trucking company in Zwolle, as head of the computer division. Between
whiles he took computer courses at IBM.He divorced in 1983 and
chose to take responsibility for his children’s upbringing, a few days
a week. He was appointed as the head of administration at a large
foundation in Zwolle that was involved with the running of a centre for
disadvantaged young people, and he met his present wife a few years
later. Frank Dammers was the victim of a serious road accident in 1991
and this was followed by an endless succession of operations. In 1993
he was again the victim of an accident and this time his wife was also
injured. On that moment she was five months pregnant and she gave birth
to a daughter in August 1993. Frank and his wife were unable to
continue in their professions as a result of the injuries they had
sustained, as they had both been rendered severely incapacitated.In
2002 Frank started to paint. Heretofore, he had paid a little attention
to his creative talents, in spite of there being a number
of
artists on both sides of the family. After some initial
experimentation, he arrived quite rapidly at a style that was
reminiscent of Mondriaan and Paul Klee. Although it would be
appropriate to classify Dammers work a geometric-abstract in nature, it
should be noted that he has developed a singular approach to the genre.
His compositions are developed intuitively, while at the same time
making use of his mathematical knowledge and his ability
constructively, both in the literal as in the figurative sense.Frank
Dammers applies principles of order to his work, with enormous
diligence and extreme patience. He organizes his areas of color to
the point that they form an image that is as true to the strictures of
actual perception as to the unbridled imagination of the artist and his
fervor for viewing reality in a positive and constructive manner.
Wim van der Beek
Art critica and publicist
