Jonkers, Bertus

Bertus Jonkers grew up in a working-class family.
Education: at Artibus: painting; yoga and eastern philosophy.
Profession/occupation: house painter, artist.
Art form/medium: painting, drawing, graphic art, assemblage, photography, poetry.
Start artwork: 1950’s portraits and landscapes; from end of the 60s switch to unorthodox art forms; around 1980 switch to miniature building and ‘soft’-etching.

Relevant info: Arbeitseinsatz during WWII in Berlin; as artist wellknown in artistic circles in Utrecht.

(Solo-)shows: De Utrechtse Salon, Jaarbeurs Utrecht, 1992; Bespiegelingen, at home, Utrecht, 1993; Museum De Stadshof, Zwolle, 1994; De Utrechtse Parade, Centraal Museum, Utrecht, 1995; Kunstliefde, Utrecht 1998; Disturbed Monarchs, Museum Dr. Guislain Gent, 1999-2000; Kunstliefde, Utrecht 2004.

References: Van Beek, Daan; Vierkante koeien, Utrecht 2004. /Berkum, Ans van, en Liesbeth Reith;  Bertus Jonkers in: Berge, Jos ten; Meesters uit de marge, Zwolle (Museum De Stadshof) 1999, pp. 112-117; Juffermans, Jan; Met stille trom. Beeldende kunst en Utrecht sinds 1900, Utrecht 1976./ Adriaans, Hanneke; De Utrechtse Parade: 1495-1995 ; van Van Scorel tot Rietveld, Utrecht (Centraal Museum) 1994. Sous le vent de l’art brut 2. Collection De Stadshof, 2014, Catalogue Halle Saint Pierre, Paris. Smolders, Frans; Reith, Liesbeth; Ten Berge, Jos; Solitary Creations. 51 Artists out of De Stadshof Collection, 2014.

Film extract on Bertus Jonkers

info: www.dvanbeek.nl/jonkers

Bertus Jonkers’ output comprises miniature buildings, mosaics, tapestries, paintings, ornaments, and even printed dress fabrics. He turns lamps into little prayer wheels and light switches into diminutive altars. Around these objects he spins tales and writes poems:

‘Time after time

I see my buildings in dreams,

But when I awake

the buildings vanish,

In wakefullness, the dreamer is

no more.’

Bertus Jonkers
1920 Utrecht, The Netherlands - 2001 Utrecht, The Netherlands