Coumans, Willem K. — Paul Beckers

Van Spijk, 1985 Cloth. Text in several languages. Signed. As new. Few people will be familiar with the name Paul Beckers. Perhaps this selection from the work of this young (born 1954) Limburg artist will change that, so that the somewhat sour remark by Coumans in his introduction - 'Limburg (is) the stepchild of national culture' - loses some of its truth. Beckers' lyrically abstract yet also realistic interpretations of landscape show a close involvement with nature. His watercolours, gouaches and wash drawings (reproduced in colour and black and white) lead through a wild, inhospitable world, capturing its grandeur without trivialising it into overwhelming drama. There is no direct human presence. The concern Coumans mentions about the damage to the landscape ('tormented nature') is not immediately obvious to the unprejudiced viewer. A well-produced edition with interesting material. The accompanying text is translated into English, French and German. Hand-numbered [A 4/52] and signed.