Les deux boutons, 1971

Martin Engelman  

Martin Engelman was born in Holland in 1924. Studied at the School of Graphic Arts in Amsterdam and at the School of Applied Arts in Maastricht. During the war, he joined the Dutch Navy in England.

In 1947, Martin Engelman settled in Paris. He became Cassandre's assistant and worked at the same time creating typefaces for Deberny and Peignot. In 1954, he left Paris for Milan where he worked as a "designer" for three years.

In 1957, back in Paris, he collaborated with Darthea Speyer who directed the exhibitions of the American Cultural Center. At the same time, he made the decision to devote himself to painting, and it was in Paris, in 1960, that he had his first personal exhibition.

In 1964, he was invited to Kassel to participate in Documenta III, then the Stedelijk Museum devoted an exhibition to him in 1965. He then went to the United States. He stayed and painted in New York for a few months before embarking on a long trip to Mexico. At the end of 1967, Martin Engelman was invited by the Hamburg Academy where he taught for six months.

In 1968, he received the 1st Graphic Arts Prize at the International Festival of Holland. In 1969 he obtained the D.A.A.D. in Berlin. In 1970, he was appointed professor at the Academy of Fine Arts in Berlin. Martin Engelman died in 1992.