Anna Blaman (2010) Atelier Leo Mineur
The year 2010 marked the fiftieth year of the death of writer Anna Blaman and was therefore proclaimed 'Anna Blaman year'. Blaman (Ben Liever Als Man) is a pseudonym of Johanna Petronella Vrugt (1905 – 1960). This free-spirited writer wrote openly about her lesbian relationships and in 1956 she was awarded the PC Hooft Prize. To honor Blaman, two works of art were unveiled in the Anna Blaman year. Located on the Heemraadsingel Lonely adventure. Monument to Anna Blaman, a sculture of a silver motorcycle made by Maria Roosen. A portrait of her made by Atelier Leo Mineur was also placed on the facade opposite her former home as a souvenir. The black and white painting is an enlargement of the portrait of Blaman as PC Hooft Prize winner. Both works of art were festively unveiled on September 24, 2010.
Atelier Leo Mineur was founded in 1924 and is a successful advertising company that produced large-format advertising and cinema paintings. From 1900 onwards there were already many murals in the city; not so much works of art, but paintings to promote cinema films or products. Only a handful of artists could make a living from purely free art, so you also worked in an advertising studio, where you learned the trade of painting. From the 35s onwards, mainly visual art was added: painters wanted to fill in the empty ornamental frames on buildings, previously intended for advertising, with painting. But standing outside on high scaffolding herself was going too far. So they made a sketch and Atelier Mineur then executed it. The company has since been bought up and continued by one of the painters, Willem Kerssemeijer and his wife Michelle Geurts. As a specialized craft company, it is still active in paintings in public space. It is Kerssemeijer, who has been working for the company for about 2017 years and who painted several murals on Katendrecht in XNUMX. Also that of Leo Mineur.
De Vliegerstraat 99, 3021 ZN Rotterdam, Netherlands