Fred van der Wal

"CONVERSATIONS WITH M. K. THE HIPPEST CHICK IN TOWN 1964"

 

CONVERSATIONS WITH  M. K. THE HIPPEST CHICK IN TOWN 1964

 

MRS. M.K. verblijft al 40 jaar in de States en woont nu in L.A. met haar echtgenoot, een pop musicus. In de jaren 60 werd ze eerst beroemd in Amsterdam door zich uit te kleden bij happenings en zich door hippe vogels in te laten smeren met verf, iets dat Yves Klein jaren eerder in Parijs deed. Ik had toen geen hoge pet op van het zootje ongeregelde gedrogeerde kelderartiesten en los lopende asos om haar heen of zoveelste rangs schilders als S.P. die de ganse dag bewelmd door de marihuana of de ether door de stad strompelde. 

 

 

 

 

 Ik was er bij als net twintigjarige en natuurlijk de toen nog onbekende Jan Cremer, een pukkelige, asgrauwe jongeman die gebogen liep en slecht praatte. Hij noteeerde voor de Belgische Post het hele gebeuren met een stompje potlood in een opschrijfboekje en schreef; het was niks, het werd niks en het zou niks worden. Hoogtepunt van de happening was Johnny The Selfkicker die hysterisch begon te schreeuwen.   

 

 

 

' Het eren van de doden, de ter dood veroordeelden en te doden doden' was het thema van de eerst echte happening in Amsterdam december 1962. De titel 'Open het graf' was een reactie op de televisie inzamelingsactie 'Open het dorp' van Mies Bouwman. De happening was een min of meer geïmproviseerd kunstproject . 

 

 Eerdere happenings hadden in Amerika, Parijs en Londen plaats gevonden. Simon Vinkenoog, een van de organisatoren, plaatst 'Open het graf' ook in die traditie. Hij schrijft '...en nu dus Amsterdam: necrofilie. Wees blij dat u erbij bent. Er zal nog veel meer met u gebeuren'. .

 

 

 

 

 

Ik had toen geen hoge pet op van het zootje ongeregelde, gedrogeerde kelderartiesten en los lopende asos  om haar heen of zoveelste rangs schilders als S.P. die de ganse dag bewelmd door de marihuana of de ether door de stad strompelde. 

 

 

 

 

Daar hadden we Gerrit de Ethersnuiver, Barry N. die al ras door de drugswaanzin bevangen aan lager wal raakte en Hans voor de Dood maar ook een Simon Vinkenoog,d e akela van de hasjrokers.

 

 

De zestiger jaren worden vreselijk overschat. Het stelde werkelijk niets voor. Wie zijn haar liet groeien, drugs gebruikte en amateuristische flauwe kul schilderijtjes maakte was gelijk de grootste artiest bij gebrek aan beter. Wie als kunstenares van de vrouwelijke kunne iedereen in haar venerische nestje tussen haar achterpoten liet soppen was een genie.  

 

Langharig, plat Amsterdams binnensmonds pratend schorum op LBO nivo dat in leren jekkies op brommertjes rond reed daar wilde ik niets mee te maken hebben als aankomende elitaire kunstenaar van gegoede huize. Paradiso en Fantasio vond ik opvangtehuizen voor de gedrogeerde padvinders kliek van het Leidseplein en ontsnapte semi criminele Vietnam deserteurs. 

 

M. vertrok al gauw met S.P. naar Londen waar ze triomfen vierde als decoratrice voor de Beatles, Stones en andere popgroepen. De carrière van haar en haar partner in de V.S. liep op niets uit. 

 

S.P. bleek een notoire vreemdganger en kreeg een retour Amsterdam waar hij een noodlijdend bestaan als kunstschilder voerde en zo nu en dan ladderzat op de TV verscheen, hetgeen hem in achting deed stiijgen bij het Amsterdamse grachtengordel publiekje dat zich in zijn gedrag herkende. 

 

 

 

 

 

Fred van der Wal 01 maart om 16:16 

 

 

 

Good afternoon M.,

 

Nice to see you at facebook. You look very happy and beautifull. I lived many years in Amsterdam C. and nowadays near to the sea in Friesland, where I bought two years ago a house. I have since 2002 a second large house in the Bourgogne, France where I lived 6 months a year and 6 months in Holland with 4 cats and my wife. 

 

I've seen several times your works of art, the beautifull dresses you designed and like your works very much.

 

Tomorrow I read that you got your education at The Academy De Schans in Amsterdam where you studied long years. It's pity the academy does n't exist any longer.

 

My wife taught in the mid seventies textile and art at the academy. I really liked the staff and students of the academy and in particular the building and the surroundings in Amsterdam C.

 

I lived in the Nieuwe Spiegelstraat, near the Rijksmuseum from 1967-1973.

 

I don't know if you are interested; I got a message of an art dealer in Paris, Delphy Legrain Christ, a former model, who started an art agency, I don't think I will work with her, I never met her, but maybe it is interesting for you. She has many interesting relations in the fashion and art world of Paris I understood.

 

Thank you for your message, I really appreciate it!

 

best wishes

 

Fred 

 

 

 

M. 01 maart om 16:40 

 

 

 

Summer in Friesland and winter in the Bourgogne I suppose. I love the Friesian horses. Do you take the cats with you from place to place? That is remarkable that your wife taught at the Academy, it was a fine school with great teachers. I'll have to look into Delphy, do you have any contact info on her, is she on FB, I guess I'll go check it out. Thanks for writing. 

 

 

 

Fred van der Wal 01 maart om 17:45 

 

 

 

Hello M.,

 

I got a few mails from her, but my way of painting, a typical Northern realism is not her cup of tea, I guess . I don't know if that's true, I did not speak about it with her because I'm not very interested in the French Art Scene. Paris is exit. In Holland it's easy to exhibit my works. In Paris more popular than realism is a way of painting in which fantasy is woven, richness of forms and colours and thats why I thought it could be interesting for you. She also writes about art in a Magazine.

 

Her website is in French and in English.

 

I'm not very fond of art dealers and gallery owners and most of the time I disagree with them, besides that I do'nt need them at all financially. 

 

It's easy to find Delphy Legrain Christ on Google and indeed she is on facebook. She is one of the friends of me on my facebook page and really a beautifull woman.

 

In France I visited regularly two very talented English painters in the town of Clamecy of whom we bought a few pictures and will buy some more. I'm very fond of her art work (and person) which is in a way the Jugendstil artists and pre rafaëlites painted, very romantic. It is very joyfull to visit and talk and drink wine with other painters who paint the beauty of life and are positive in their view on people and reality. 

 

 

 

The Frisian, enormous, Big Black Horses? We lived several years in an seventeenth century old house with a large garden and meadows around it with those black horses.

 

One time I had to defend for hours a cow, that got a new born young cow, against five of those black horses who were curious and tried to kick the new born babycow.

 

If you have a large stick with you they will not act agressive.

 

We always take The 4 cats with us, they are our good friends often they sleep at the same bed of Ina.

 

Did you know the art teacher who taught drawing at Academy De Schans; Mister van Oudheusden?

 

He bought for a large amount of money a house at one of the canals in Amsterdam , I think in the eighties or seventies, I forgot in which year and within six months it sank in the ground. Just like the tale of Edgar Allan Poe. The fall of the House Usher.

 

 

 

M. 02 maart om 19:08 

 

 

 

Big & black that's the Friesians yeah, they are quite gentle usually. They were bred to be warhorses in the days of the knights when crossed with Andalusians.

 

No, I didn't know Mr. Oudheusden but his Poe house story is hilarious (for anyone but himself of course) 

 

 

 

Fred van der Wal 02 maart om 19:51 

 

 

 

Maybe you remember from Akademie De Schans Onne Kooistra of the department of Fashion? I only met him one time at the academy in 1975. His friend was a well known producer at the Dutch TV.

 

Yeah, The Friesian Black Horses, huge, I took some snapshots with my camera of them.

 

You know a lot about horses, I understand. Our daughters were very fond of horses when they were kids. Sometimes they came horse riding to our home and then I saw a horse in the garden for several hours. That would have been impossible in Amsterdam city.

 

Goin'up the country... 

 

 

 

M. 02 maart om 20:41 

 

 

 

I am older than you think probably because I don't know Onne Kooistra either. Leuk dat je dochters thuis konnen komen per paard. Lucky girls. 

 

 

 

Fred van der Wal 02 maart om 21:54 

 

 

 

Yeah, probably, but I guess you are only a few years older. The first time I visited the academy I had a girlfriend of the Academy De Schans in the summer of 1967 . The summer of love. Seven years later again I regularly went to the academy when my wife taught textiles.

 

About my daughters; I think it to be very important that children should have a happy youth. Some of their friends played guitar or drums in a hard rock band and I went many times along with them to make a VHS video of it. In the garden our eldest daughter grew some cannabis plants when she was sixteen and we made in the kitchen space cake. She's now 40 years old and I get along very well with her and it's always laughter and fun when I'm in her home or she and her new friend are in the Bourgogne and we like red wine and Prosecco in the garden.

 

You know the Dutch language still very well I read in your message! 

 

 

 

M. 02 maart om 22:00 

 

 

 

It sounds like you have a wonderful life. 

 

 

 

Fred van der Wal 02 maart om 22:25 

 

 

 

The one and only problem of every creative person is that life is too short.

 

In Holland (which I HATE) there is among artists much jalousy and agression. In the Bourgogne it is much easier to get along with artists. Things are easy going there. Goin’up the country, that’s what I really like.

 

The only sound around our house in France is the wind and at a distance a churchbell. 

 

When we visit the Auberge to have dinner the owner welcomes you with a smile. 

 

And that’s the difference with Holland.

 

If you need something very urgent you can visit the major of the village at his house in my village and he’ll lend you a helping hand. That behaviour is in many cases impossible in Holland.

 

Only one automobile in an hour is driving along our garden. The baker arrives three times a week in the morning at the gate. It is like paradise regained.

 

Every year I experience Holland and the Dutch more as a pain in the ass. Too many automobiles, too crowded, everyone is in a hurry . Holland is the culture of hate and violence

 

I guess life is better in the States than in Holland?

 

 

 

M 02 maart om 22:40 

 

 

 

That's my kind of life. In the States it's crazy too, too many cars and people even though I live in a semi-rural equestrian community. Haven't been in Holland for 43 years and I have no desire to go back although the social benefit system is amazing there. We don't even have universal health insurance. 

 

 

 

Fred van der Wal 02 maart om 23:09 

 

 

 

That is an amazing time, 43 years! Holland changed a lot since the sixties. Nowadays it is a very materialistic society with great racial problems, much crime and an increasing class of people that is very poor or live out in the streets. In Amsterdam there is the Very Rich, but the majority is poor, half of the population of the capital is on the level of social welfare. It seems the same situation in New York. 

 

The social benefit in Holland is less than decades ago. In the past it was possible to do nothing at all your whole life, nowadays that's impossible. I think that’s better.

 

I read the books of John Fante and Bukowski and many interviews of Bukowski and Fante, two authors who described LA. They are popular in Holland, Germany and France and several of the books of Fante and Bukowski are translated in Dutch. 

 

In particular the poetic way of writing of Fante is remarkable.

 

Besides that I've a dozens of books of Bukowski of Black Sparrow Press or biographical books about Bukowski and the Beats. 

 

I guess you know the books of those writers.

 

My wife wanted to have a house in Holland otherwise I would never heve been re-emigrated from France in Holland. 

 

My daughter and her boyfriend are looking for a house in a town near Amsterdam, Haarlem, near the sea, the woods and some friends. 

 

 

 

M 02 maart om 23:24

 

 

 

I don't know those books but will look into them, thanks. 

 

 

 

Fred van der Wal 03 maart om 8:46 

 

 

 

The first book of Bukowski “Postoffice” is as hilarious as his later works.

 

Bukowski, born to lose, but transformed himself in a winner. I do like such people who start with noting at all, but have a talent for survival and the iron will power to succceed with the result fame and fortune.

 

Of John Fante's "Ask The Dust" a movie on video is available-its a beautifull story of unfilfulled love- and Barfly from Bukowski too, with Faye Dunaway.

 

In the Sixties Bukowski published in The Los Angeles Free Press, an undergroundpaper, that was available in soms bookshops in Amsterdam too. 

 

(What happend in New York on sunday was the next day in Amsterdam going on). 

 

Fante was a Hollywood script writer and author. 

 

 

 

M 03 maart om 15:08 

 

 

 

Oh, that Bukowski, I was kind of confusing him in my mind with Brunowski (the Ascent of Man TV series). Thanks

 

 

 

M 23-4-2011

 

 

 

Cool Fred, I like the reflections in the glasses

 

 

 

xxxM

 

 

 

On Apr 23, 2011, at 12:50 PM, fred van der wal wrote:

 

 

oil painting 30 x 40 cm

 

title: My only friend is fisherman's friend

 

 

 

Fred van der Wal

 

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