Catapult
Posters

Floris Jespers, 2006

Floris Jespers (Merksem (Antwerp), March 18, 1889 - Antwerp, April 16, 1965) was a Flemish-Belgian painter. JESPERS was born in an Antwerp family of artists. His father, Emile JESPERS was a sculptor. Together with his older brother Oscar he went to the Academy when he was very young. Oscar became a sculptor and Floris a painter.

During a long time the brothers had earned their daily bread with their music. Floris played cello. They occurred in music-halls and theaters. During one of their performances Floris met Paul VAN OSTAIJEN, who would become his great friend and driving force. VAN OSTAIJEN brought him into contact with international modernist art movements. Together with Jespers, his brother Oscar and another Antwerp painter Paul JOOSTENS the Anwerp poet formed 'the union that we have concluded without sealed paper', one of the first modernist groups in Belgium. VAN OSTAIJEN mentions JESPERS also in his famous poem Singer.

In its initial period (to 1917) his work is very similar to that of Rik WOUTERS both its color palette and its themes. In 1918, there is a a radical break. Cubist elements make their appearance and in the early twenties, he also use constructivist concepts and sometimes he paints abstract works. But the figurative remains dominant. In the twenties he created his major works with highlights like Adam and Eve (1924), The Chess Game (1926), Bonjour Ostende (1927), Salut, Messieurs! (1927), etc.

The opinions on Floris JESPERS are still divided. Some see him as an epiogone, others stress that in the wake of several styles he could always keep a certain authenticity.

This series of posters ‘literally’ symbolizes the variety of styles JESPERS used. In the poster we have stacked the letters F, l, o, r, i, s, J, e, s, p, e, r and s. By using different types the ‘style’ of the poster image changes.

Specifications

PUBLISHER Catapult
YEAR 2006
DIMENSIONS 700 x 1000 mm
VERSIONS —
NUMBER — ex.
PRINT Recto 13 x black / 11 x black, 2 x PMS
PAPER —
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