Peter Schmidt Web

Remembering Peter...

2012-01-22T11:22:00.013-05:00

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Today marks 32 years since the passing of Peter Schmidt during a painting holiday in the Canary Islands. Though I never met him, through my work assembling www.PeterSchmidtWeb.com, I have come to know him well, getting to know him has been a rewarding and enriching experience for me. I have met his two children, his brother and sister, two of his wives and countless friends and acquaintances. All have been very kind and generous, letting me into their homes and their lives for the purpose of documenting the life of this obscure but dedicated artist. As his friend Alain D'Hooghe once said to me, "there is not a day that passes that I don't think about him..."

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"Winterflowers", Eggert Pétursson

2012-01-01T11:56:00.008-05:00

"Winterflowers"

2011

Eggert Pétursson(b. 1956)

Oil on canvas, 20" x 10"

Dedicated to Peter Schmidt
(Collection of John Emr)

I absolutely love this artist's work. He has been a pivotal supporter and good friend to me and of the Peter Schmidt Web. He and his friend Ingolfur Arnarsson are responsible for all of the content culled from Peter's time spent in Iceland. A while back, I humbly asked Eggert to enter into a trade, one of mine for one of his. He agreed. Within days, I dug out one of my favorite pieces, "Duchamp Box" and shipped it to Reykjavik. After Eggert completed the work for his spring and summer exhibits, he took a well needed break, and about 2 months ago, set aside some time to create a painting for me. A month ago he advised me he'd completed it, and that once it was dry, he'd send it to New York. The painting arrived on the day of Christman Eve. I was very anxious to see it. I calmed myself, sat down and carefully opened the package. As I finally came to the last layer of protection, I could see the work. I was so stunned by the beauty and intricacy of the painting I was literally trembling. After years of seeing Eggert's work on the internet, I could only imagine the level of detail and sheer beauty he was capable of. A superlative effort.

These are the first flowers that bloom after the harsh Icelandic winter...
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http://www.kvikmyndir.com/eggertpeturssonis/

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A Peter Schmidt exhibition and Offering...

2011-06-04T11:15:00.000-04:00

Courtesy of Simon Hilton

Peter would have been 80 today...

2011-05-17T18:48:00.005-04:00

May 17, 1931

Peter Schmidt was born in Berlin, Germany

The endeavor called "PeterSchmidtWeb", was inspired by his

work and the many people who's lives he touched and inspired.

Peter is pictured above at an exhibition in Reykjavik, Iceland, 1978

(Photo courtesy of the Reykjavik Museum of Photography)

From Hansjorg Mayer's webslide...

2011-05-07T16:07:00.007-04:00

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"Rot-a-prints", title page
Book, published by Editions Hansjorg Mayer, 1968
Image from http://www.hansjorgmayer.com/
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Robert Wyatt & 3 Tigers...

2011-04-30T12:34:00.005-04:00

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A still from a promo video for "Diamond Head" at Phil Manzanera's website.
Looks like maybe 1974 or 75. http://www.manzanera.com/
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"Chair"...

2011-04-21T21:02:00.009-04:00

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"Chair"

Peter Schmidt

1961

oil paint on canvas
(provenance unknown)
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Ephemera from "Remembered Images"...

2011-04-02T13:31:00.006-04:00

Invitation to the private viewing of "Remembered Images", 1987

(Images donated by Kevin Cann)

A review of the retrospective exhibition from the Observer, Watford and West Herts Review, 1987

(Image donated by Kevin Cann)

Brian Eno, Kevin Cann and Brian Eno...

2011-04-02T13:26:00.002-04:00

Photos from the opening of "Remembered Images", 1987

(Images donated by Kevin Cann)

Two Tigers...

2011-04-02T13:12:00.007-04:00

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"Taking Tiger Mountain", 1083 of 1500

Peter Schmidt

1974

Lithograph

(collection of Kevin Cann)

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"Taking Tiger Mountain", 557 of 1500

Peter Schmidt

1974

Lithograph

(collection of Kevin Cann)

Kevin curated the exhibition "Remembered Images", a retrospective of Peter's work at the Watford Museum of Art in 1987.

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Pencil drawing of his studio...

2011-01-09T10:47:00.005-05:00

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"Studio"

Peter Schmidt

1972

Pencil on paper

(Collection of the Schmidt Family)

An invitation...

2011-01-09T10:14:00.006-05:00

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"Invitation"

Peter Schmidt

1969

Mixed Media

(Collection of Marcus Campbell Art Books)
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"13 x 10 cm brown card box, franked for postage, addressed to Max Wykes-Joyce, containing an artist's multiple of a 6 cm metal spring, cased in plastic netting, pressed into a yellow adhesive blob, laid on scallop and gilt edged card, along with a folded sheet with a printed invitation to Electronic Soupmixes, a concert of recent tapes and live soundmixing at the Curwen Gallery, with rubber stamped exhibition dates. Box lightly worn, staples rusted, o.w. very good condition."
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Currently being offered for sale at Abebooks:

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http://www.abebooks.com/servlet/BookDetailsPL?bi=4038020663&cm_ven=nl&cm_cat=trg&cm_pla=want&cm_ite=viewbook

More details can be had from Marcus at +44 (0) 20 7261 0111 or at info@marcuscampbell.co.uk

Due diligence by Rory Walsh...

5 "Taking Tiger Mountain" prints...

2010-12-31T11:46:00.010-05:00

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This typed description is part of Peter's portfolio.
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"Taking Tiger Mountain"

Peter Schmidt

1974

From an edition of 1500, each unique

Silk screen print

These five and one other are not signed or numbered,

it is not known if they are counted among the 1500.

(Collection of the Schmidt Family)

There are 45 versions documented at Peter Schmidt Web
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Eggert Pétursson speaks...

2010-12-31T11:31:00.006-05:00

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Eggert Pétursson is interviewed on his most recent exhibition of paintings.
http://dagskra.ruv.is/sjonvarpid/4544990/2010/12/08/2/
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Hope you enjoy it despite the mystery of the Icelandic language.
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"Is that 1962?"...

2010-12-31T11:16:00.004-05:00

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"...I handed him a copy of the "Departures(from Cubism and Beyond)" DVD. I told him what it was and he seemed shocked. Looking at it closely he said "I did not even know there was any footage of Peter." Adding "Is that 1962? That's very early. Thank you, I would love to see it". He asked me my name and said that he had seen me at other events. I reminded him that I had approached him at the Royal Academy about doing something for the website and that he had said that he was too busy. "Maybe I will reverse that decision", he said. He thanked me again and then had his picture with Richard(Mills) and his son."

- Rory Walsh, on his encounter with Peter Schmidt's friend and collaborator Brian Eno, after a recent lecture by Eno at Hay-on-Wye. I'd like to acknowledge Rory's friendship and support, and most of all his determination.
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Looking backwards...

2010-12-31T11:07:00.006-05:00

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"I've spoken to Anthea and we're rather mystified that Brian apparently told someone* that he had "tons of stuff". To Anthea (and my) knowledge, he has very little. He has the painting "Evening Star" (which unfortunately has some damage which needs to be repaired) and some lithographs of 'Taking Tiger Mountain'."

From my correspondance with Opal Ltd., Brian Eno's office...
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* Rory Walsh
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At the Kitchen in New York City...

2010-12-31T10:57:00.005-05:00

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On Sunday, February 5, 1978, Fripp made his first official solo appearance in over three years, at the Kitchen in Soho: this was also the first time he used the name "Frippertronics" for his tape-delay system. The concert came about almost by accident: originally Fripp and Joanna Walton had intended to give an intimate performance for invited friends in Walton's apartment; evidently they feared it might get too noisy, and moved the event to the Kitchen.

The concert was written up in the Village Voice by John Piccarella, who describes the atmosphere of anticipation, long lines of people waiting to get in wrapped around the block in the cold. Fripp, perhaps wishing to defuse some of his own anxiety as well as to brace the audience for some very un-King-Crimsonish music, began by comparing his new music to intimate "salon" music; he reportedly "reserved the right to be boring and unintelligent."

The sound, if not the ineffable presence and ambiance, of this event has been preserved on a two-LP bootleg, Pleasures in Pieces. This curious artifact contains five Frippertronics pieces, starkly titled "The First," "The Second," "The Third," "The Fourth," and "The Fifth," as well as a text-music piece by Walton, Fripp, and others, which functioned as an interlude between two Frippertronic sets. Piccarella described Walton's piece as follows: "A taped series of quotations from linguistic philosophers was rendered both sensible and ridiculous by a series of silent physical performances. 'Oblique Strategies,' the set of directional cards written by Eno and Peter Schmidt, were circulated among several performers whose movements were, presumably, improvised according to the cards presented. One woman wrote on a large screen what appeared to be transcriptions, literal or otherwise, of the words on the cards ..."

From:
ROBERT FRIPP - FROM CRIMSON KING TO CRAFTY MASTER
by Eric Tamm
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"A Painters Use of Sound", Programme...

2010-12-26T13:20:00.003-05:00

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"A Painters Use of Sound", Programme

Peter Schmidt

1967

Printed matter to accompany the show at ICA, 1968

(Collection of the Schmidt Family)

Pencil Drawing...

2010-12-26T13:07:00.002-05:00

Pencil Drawing

Peter Schmidt

1972

Pencil on paper

(Provenance unknown)

Gouaches...

2010-12-26T12:50:00.006-05:00

"Gouache 3"

"Gouache 4"
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Peter Schmidt
1971
Gouache painting on board
From a series of 4
(Provenance Unknown)
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"Programmed Tiddly Winks 3"...

2010-12-12T11:09:00.003-05:00

"Programmed Tiddly Winks 3"

Peter Schmidt

1967

152 x 152 cm

Tiddly Winks on board

(Provenance Unknown)

"Dissolution"...

2010-12-12T11:05:00.002-05:00

"Dissolution"

Peter Schmidt

1972

Line drawing

One of 64 "Hexagrams of the I Ching" drawings

(Provenance Unknown)

"Frame Painting"...

2010-12-12T10:59:00.002-05:00

"Frame Painting"

Peter Schmidt

1973

Acrylic on canvas

(Provenance Unknown)

A Curwen "Monoprint"...

2010-12-12T10:54:00.001-05:00

"Monoprint"

Peter Schmidt

From Curwen Gallery Exhibition,

53 x 38 cm, 1968

Silk Screen with hand applied inks

(Provenance unknown)

"Monoprint" from Curwen Gallery Exhibit...

2010-11-07T10:00:00.003-05:00

"Monoprint"

Peter Schmidt

1968

Silkscreen and hand applied inks on board

38 x 53 cm.

"Painting on Furniture..."

2010-11-07T09:43:00.005-05:00

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"Painting on Furniture, Clothes & Objects"

Peter Schmidt

1974

Acrylic paint on furniture, clothes and objects

(Provenance unknown)

Peter grew bored with flat canvas, and took to painting on clothes, furniture and other for added depth and dimension. After this time, he devoted his efforts to watercolor painting almost exclusively.

Hexagrams of the I Ching...

2010-11-07T09:39:00.002-05:00

"Gathering Together"

Peter Schmidt

1972

Rapidiograph on board

From a series of 64 drawings based on the I Ching

(Provenance unknown)

Final "Thoughts", October 15, 2010...

2010-10-14T19:00:00.003-04:00

"The Thoughts Behind the Thoughts"

Peter Schmidt

2010

Web Version

Peter Schmidt, "Gouache"...

2010-10-14T18:55:00.002-04:00

Untitled

Peter Schmidt

1971

Gouache on paper

No. 5 from a series of 5

(Provenance unknown)
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"Monoprint", XV...

2010-10-08T19:33:00.002-04:00

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Lisson Gallery "Monoprint", XV

Petert Schmidt

1968

Collage with overprinting

(Provenance unknown)

"The Thoughts..." for October 8, 2010...

2010-10-08T19:28:00.002-04:00

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"The Thoughts Behind the Thoughts"

Peter Schmidt

2010

Web version

"Printed in Watford"...

2010-10-08T19:21:00.003-04:00

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Untitled

Peter Schmidt

1974

Peter's contribution to the book "Printed in Watford"

An edition of 1000, each unique

Created by his students in the Foundation Course

Published by Watford School of Art

(Collection of John Emr, a gift from Cally)

I Ching Hexagrams...

2010-10-08T19:14:00.004-04:00

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"Thunder Under the Mountain"

Peter Schmidt

1972

1 of 64 drawings inspired by the Hexagrams of the I Ching

Rapidiograph on card stock

(Provenance unknown)

"The Thoughts...", October 1, 2010...

2010-10-01T14:35:00.003-04:00

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"The Thoughts Behind the Thoughts"

Peter Schmidt

2010
Web Version

Randomness...

2010-09-29T14:31:00.003-04:00

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A website featuring Oblique Strategies as well as some other concepts that relate to "randomness".

http://random.grama.co/flickr.php

Peter Schmidt, an Australia link...

2010-09-28T11:11:00.004-04:00

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http://cs.nga.gov.au/SEARCH.cfm?CREIRN=22068&ORDER_SELECT=1&VIEW_SELECT=6

These images were recently posted to the National Gallery of Australia's website.

The works were discovered to be in the collection by Rory Walsh, and were just photographed.

Peter's world...

2010-09-28T09:38:00.003-04:00

Untitled

Peter Schmidt

1971

Ink on paper, 102 x 76 cm

(Collection of the Schmidt Family)

Don't It?...

2010-09-26T07:24:00.001-04:00

From the files of Rory Walsh.
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"The Thoughts...", September 24,2010...

2010-09-26T07:21:00.001-04:00

"The Thoughts Behind the Thoughts"

Peter Schmidt

2010

Web version

"Monoprint" from Lisson Gallery show...

2010-09-26T07:08:00.003-04:00

"Monoprint" IX

(Lisson Gallery)

Peter Schmidt

1968

Collage with overprinting, 59" x 38"

(provenance unknown)

The Boyle Family - 77 Billion Paintings...

2010-09-23T20:54:00.010-04:00

. Mark Boyle . The Boyle Family . 77 Million Paintings

Images from The Boyle Family's
light show at a UFO Club performance

by the Soft Machine, 1967.

Peter Schmidt and The Boyle Family collaborated

on many performances that incorporated sounds by

Peter and images by Mark Boyle and Joan Hills.

www.boylefamily.co.uk

Have a look: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QWV2Co4X4pw

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Untitled "Frame Painting"...

2010-09-23T07:51:00.001-04:00

Untitled

(Frame Painting Series)

Peter Schmidt

1973

Oil on canvas

(Provenance unknown)

Lisson Gallery "Monoprint"...

2010-09-22T07:34:00.005-04:00

"Autobiographical Monoprint" - XIII
(Lisson Gallery)

Peter Schmidt

1968

Collage with overprinting, 59" x 38"

(Provenance unknown)

Peter Schmidt's own thoughts...

2010-09-21T12:50:00.002-04:00

A photo of Peter's own copy of

"The Thoughts Behind the Thoughts"

(Collection of Esme)
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"Permutation Crucifix"...

2010-09-17T08:02:00.001-04:00

"Permutation Crucifix"

Peter Schmidt

1972

Oil on canvas, 152 x 122 cm

(Provenance unknown)

"The Thoughts...", September 17, 2010...

2010-09-17T07:56:00.002-04:00

"The Thoughts Behind The Thoughts"

Peter Schmidt

2010

Web version
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"Treading", I Ching Hexagram...

2010-09-15T20:38:00.005-04:00

"Treading"

Peter Schmidt

I Ching Hexagram Series, 1972

Rapidograph on card stock

One of 64 drawings based on the various hexagrams of the I Ching

(Provenance unknown)

A gouache...

2010-09-14T10:32:00.005-04:00

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Untitled Gouache No. 2

Peter Schmidt

1971

Gouache on paper

No. 2 of 5 in this series

(Provenenace unknown)

Untitled...

2010-09-12T13:53:00.002-04:00

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Untitled

Peter Schmidt

1971

Rapidiograph with acrylic wash

126 x 102 cm

(Provenance unknown)

"Monoprint"...

2010-09-12T09:30:00.002-04:00

"Monoprint"

(Curwen)

Peter Schmidt

1968

Silk screen and hand applied ink on board

38 x 53 cm

(Peovenance unknown)

I Ching - Hexagram: "Fire over water"...

2010-09-11T12:39:00.004-04:00

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"Fire over water"

Peter Schmidt

I Ching Hexagram Series, 1972

One of 64 drawings

Rapidiograph on card stock

(Provenance unknown)

I Ching - Hexagram statement...

2010-09-11T12:31:00.005-04:00

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Peter's description of the elusive I Ching based "hexagram" series of drawings.

From his "Summary of Work II".
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"Permutation, Autumn"...

2010-09-10T12:21:00.003-04:00

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"Permutation, Autumn"

Peter Schmidt
1972

Oil on canvas

(Provenance unknown)

Something to think about..

2010-09-10T12:10:00.004-04:00

"The Thoughts Behind the Thoughts"

Peter Schmidt

1970

Sentences(55), press type on print fragments, a plywood box, a perspex lid

Edition of 100

(Collection of the Schmidt Family)
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"The Thoughts..." September 10, 2010...

2010-09-10T12:05:00.001-04:00

"The Thoughts Behind the Thoughts"

Peter Schmidt

2010

Web version

Autobigraphical "Monoprint"...

2010-09-08T07:23:00.004-04:00

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"Monoprint" - XII

(Lisson)

Peter Schmidt

1968

Collage, overprinted

59" x 38"

(Provenance unknown)
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"Gouache No. 1"...

2010-09-07T19:21:00.005-04:00

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"Gouache No.1"

Peter Schmidt

1971

Gouache on paper

No. 1 in a series of five using "growth programme"

(Provenance unknown)

"Taking Tiger Mountain", LP cover...

2010-09-06T08:21:00.006-04:00

"Taking Tiger Mountain"

Peter Schmidt

1974

Edition of 1500, each unique

Lithograph print using 3-9 screens

24.5" x 17.5"

(Collection of the Schmidt Family)

Note: This one is not signed or numbered, perhaps because it is the one that was used for the front cover of Brian Eno's LP "Taking Tiger Mountain (by Strategy)".
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"...Tacky Dots"...

2010-09-06T08:16:00.002-04:00

"Programmed Tacky Dots 1"

Peter Schmidt

1967

Tacky dots on board
76" x 58"

(Provenance unknown)

"Monoprint", exhibited at Curwen...

2010-09-05T11:07:00.002-04:00

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"Monoprint"

(Curwen)

Peter Schmidt

1968

Silk screen and ink on board

38 x 53 cm

(Provenance unknown)

"...hung on the tree of life"...

2010-09-05T09:33:00.010-04:00

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"The lord's prayer hung on the tree of life"

Peter Schmidt

1972

Printed matter

letter press in black and silver on card stock

(Collection of the Schmidt Family)

"An original combination of the chrisitan prayer with the qabalistic tree of life."

With the addition of this piece, we now have documentation

of all of Peter's known published works in our archives.

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Comments...

2010-09-05T09:28:00.004-04:00

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I have added a comment feature to this blog. I'd love to hear from you...
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"Programmed Invitation" to Lisson 68...

2010-09-04T19:59:00.002-04:00

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"Programmed Invitation"
Peter Schmidt
1968
Printed matter
(Collection of the Schmidt Family)
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Untitled "Frame" series ...

2010-09-04T19:47:00.003-04:00

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Untitled

Peter Schmidt

1973
Oil on canvas

(Provenance unknown)

"While sandpapering a small canvas prior to working on it the 'ghost' of the stretcher came through, and I started to paint frames on the canvases. These paintings work for me on two levels: the relation of the inner rectangle to the surrounding frame, and the image contained in the inner rectangle. These images were often very slight, in some of the last paintings the inner rectangle was empty."

Untitled wash painting...

2010-09-04T17:39:00.003-04:00

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Untitled

Peter Schmidt

1972

Rapidiograph drawing with acrylic wash on paper

(Provenance unknown)

More "...Thoughts"...

2010-09-03T12:37:00.006-04:00

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"The Thoughts Behind the Thoughts"(Detail)

Peter Schmidt

1970

55 sentences printed on old prints mounted

on board, a plywood box, a perspex lid
Edition of 100
(Collection of the Schmidt Family)

"The Thoughts...", September 3, 2010...

2010-09-03T07:37:00.005-04:00

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"The Thoughts Behind the Thoughts"

Peter Schmidt

2010

Web Version

Originally assembled by Peter in 1970.

"More Than Nothing"...

2010-09-01T21:29:00.019-04:00

. Brian Eno
. Peter Schmidt
. More Than Nothing

"More Than Nothing" Exhibit Poster

Brian Eno and Peter Schmidt

Paul Ide Gallery, Brussels, 1980

Printed matter, 60 x 37 cm

(Private collection)

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"More Than Nothing", Curated by Alain D'Hooghe

"At Peter's suggestion, the exhibition was entitled "More Than Nothing".

We decided to dedicate it to the collaborations between Peter and Brian.

Peter produced four amazing etchings for the occasion as well as many

new water colours; we also included Eno's light box, his very first video

installation "Two Fifth Avenue", several "Taking Tiger Mountain" lithographs

and "Portrait of Eno with Allusions". Even if he didn't speak the language,

Peter helped me translate the "Oblique Strategies" into French (we had a

good time 'working' on that!). He never saw the exhibition as he passed away

totally unexpectedly a few days before the opening."

Alain D'Hooghe from Enoweb's "Allusions" page

http://music.hyperreal.org/artists/brian_eno/allusions.html

- From nothing to more than nothing -

"Oblique Strategies", Third Edition, 1979

Paintings and prints...

2010-09-01T07:14:00.003-04:00

Curwen Gallery Exhibit Poster

Peter Schmidt

1966

Printed matter

(Collection of the Schmidt Family)

Growth programme painting...

2010-08-30T18:27:00.004-04:00

Untitled

(growth programme)

Peter Schmidt

1965

oil on canvas

126 x 126 cm

(Provenance unknown)

Curwen "Monoprint"...

2010-08-29T19:33:00.004-04:00

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"Monoprint"

(Curwen)

Peter Schmidt

1968

Silkscreen and ink on board

38 x 53 cm

(Provenance unknown)

"Programmed Tiddly-Winks 1"...

2010-08-29T07:55:00.004-04:00

"Programmed Tiddly-Winks 1"

Peter Schmidt

1967

Tiddly-Winks on board

178 x 178 cm

(provenance unknown)

Note: this is a black & white photo of a color work.

"Monoprint", Curwen...

2010-08-29T07:45:00.003-04:00

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"Monoprint"

(Curwen)

Peter Schmidt

1968

Silkcreens and ink on board

38 x 53 cm

(Provenance unknown)

"Rotaprints"...

2010-08-27T18:33:00.004-04:00

"Rotaprints", two pages

Peter Schmidt

Published by Editions Hansjorg Mayer, Stuttgart, 1968

Edition of 16

Ink on paper

(Collection of Jasia Reichardt)
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Three versions of the Alecto "Monoprint"...

2010-08-27T18:23:00.009-04:00

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Peter's description of his motivation and processes.
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"Monoprint"

(Alecto)

Peter Schmidt

1968

silk screen print on board 102 x 76 cm

(Provenance unknown)

"The Thoughts...", August 27, 2010...

2010-08-27T12:24:00.002-04:00

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"The Thoughts Behing The Thoughts"
Peter Schmidt

2010

Web version

Originally created in 1970

A wood box, with press type letters on unused fragments

of old work mounted on board with a perspex lid.

Untitled, growth programme...

2010-08-24T18:07:00.002-04:00

Untitled

"growth programme"

Peter Schmidt

1966

oil on canvas

(Provenance unknown)

"Tacky Dots 12"...

2010-08-24T17:53:00.004-04:00

"Programmed Tacky Dots 12"

Peter Schmidt

tacky dots on black canvas board, 81 x 81 cm

1967

(Provenance unknown)

Note: this is a black & white photo of a color work.
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"Hawthorn", 1961...

2010-08-23T20:13:00.005-04:00

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"Hawthorn"

Peter Schmidt

1961

oil on canvas, 32" x 22"

(Provenance unknown)

Seen being painted in the BBC film

"Departures: Cubism and Beyond",

exhibited at Beaux Arts Gallery, 1961
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Jasia Reichardt on Peter Schmidt...

2010-08-23T19:47:00.008-04:00

From the catalogue of the Lignano Biennale I, 1968
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Peter Schmidt's use of sound...

2010-08-23T19:40:00.006-04:00

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Peter Schmidt performing "A Painter's Use of Sound" at ICA, 1967
(Photo by Graham Keen)

"Window", a missing work...

2010-08-22T18:41:00.010-04:00

"Window"

Peter Schmidt

1962

oil on canvas

102 x 76 cm

(Collection of the UK Government Art Collection)
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Note: "Window" was purchased by the GAC in February of 1962 just after

Peter's first one man show at Beaux Arts Gallery, September/October,

1961. This painting is listed as "missing" at the GAC website, and

was last seen at the British Embassy, Lima, Peru circa 1974.

http://culture.gov.uk/images/freedom_of_information/106855_reply.pdf

(Hats off to Rory Walsh)

Peter Schmidt, prior to 1951...

2010-08-22T15:22:00.018-04:00

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"Lot's Wife"

Carved from a block of salt

1950

(Unknown provenance)

As described by Ernest Cross, an RAF comrade of Peter's.
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These works and the photo are from before 1951.

Bear Lane Gallery exhibition...

2010-08-22T13:57:00.008-04:00

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Bear Lane Gallery

Invitation to Peter Schmidt's show at Bear Lane Gallery, 1969
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Untitled
Peter Schmidt
gouache
76 x 51 cm, 1967
(Unknown Provenance)
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"Daylight Through Hedge"
Peter Schmidt
acrylic on canvas
102 x 102 cm, 1967
(Unknown provenance)
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Curwen "Monoprint" from Australia...

2010-08-21T17:04:00.010-04:00

"Monoprint"

(Curwen)

Abstract Composition with circle, blue

Peter Schmidt

Lithograph on board, multiple screens with hand tinting

38.2 x 53.8 cm

1968

(Collection of and image supplied by the National Gallery of Australia, Canberra

Acquired as part of the Felix Man Collection, by special government grant, 1972)

"Electronic Soupmixes"...

2010-08-21T10:30:00.003-04:00

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"Electronic Soupmixes"

Peter Schmidt

Invitation to sound art performance

1969
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"A Painter's Use of Sound"...

2010-08-21T10:18:00.005-04:00

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"A Painter's Use of Sound"

Peter Schmidt

Poster for a sound art exhibition

1967

"The Thoughts...", August 20, 2010...

2010-08-20T09:20:00.001-04:00

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"The Thoughts Behind the Thoughts"

Peter Schmidt

Web version, 2010

Originally created in 1970
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"Monoprint" from down under...

2010-08-19T08:25:00.021-04:00

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"Monoprint"

(Curwen)

Abstract composition with circle in the middle, green
Peter Schmidt

Lithograph on board, printed from multiple screens
38.2 x 53.8 cm

1968

(Collection of and image supplied by National Gallery of Australia, Canberra

Acquired as part of the Felix Man Collection, Special Government Grant, 1972)

Thanks to Nick Nicholson at NGA, and Rory Walsh for the lead.

Note: I have determined, based on the "Summary of Work" portfolios and the emergence of this Monoprint and another like it, that there were three distinct Monoprint types:

1. "Lisson": autobiographical, collage, 1968(see January entries).

2. "Alecto": round, three screen, 1968(see May entries).

3. "Curwen": round, organic, Dieter Roth influenced, 1969(seen above).

"...the gradiations..."

2010-08-16T19:10:00.005-04:00

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"The Clear Light"

Peter Schmidt

Acrylic on canvas

127 x 127 cm

1973

(Provenance unknown)

"The Red Hole"

Peter Schmidt

Acrylic on mounted paper

189 x 122 cm

1973

(Collection of Simon Hilton)

In Autumn 1973, I became interested in working with gradiation again. In these paintings the gradiations began to overlap and cut in on themselves.

Peter Schmidt from "Summary of Work II"

Brian Eno, a pencil portrait, 1972...

2010-08-14T12:21:00.005-04:00

Brian Eno, pencil portrait
Peter Schmidt

Pencil drawing

1972

(Unknown provenance)

"programme", revealed...

2010-08-13T19:42:00.004-04:00

From "Summary of Work", Volume I

I read about "programme" on Peter's Wikipedia page several years ago. I have been familiar with this group of works, as "Droplet" and "For Esme" were created under it's guise, though I didn't know it was "programme". Several images of these works were donated by Hansjörg Mayer a few months back.
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Peter Schmidt - Summary of Work...

2010-08-13T18:30:00.012-04:00

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"Self Portrait"

Peter Schmidt

Oil on canvas, 76 x 61 cm

1961

(Provenance unknown)

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Feast or famine.
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Having just about run out of materials to feed this personal beast, PeterSchmidtWeb, I have been stretching out "The Thoughts Behind the Thoughts" over the past couple of months. Recent eBay auctions, and some quotes I've been collecting have somewhat rounded things out. Very hungry, bordering on bored.
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I remembered when I first met Peter's family in Southwark in 2007, I was shown a couple of scrapbooks. At the time I was only aware of about 15 of his works. The books were certainly of interest, though my journey to London was to see paintings. I don't even think the website was more than an idea.
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Last week I spoke with Simon, and enquired about the scrapbooks. My recollections of the bits and pieces I could remember, told me there was a treasure trove of information, that would keep the beast at bay for some time. He offered to send them over to me in New York for digestion.
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The books arrived today. I relaxed, posted today's "...Thoughts", made a cup of coffee and opened the package. The two "Summary of Work" portfolios are indeed chock full of ephemera, which I, your humble curator, find truly elucidating. Assembled in 1975, and reaching back as far as the late 1940's. These books will help to fill in many of the blank spaces which have existed in Peter's oeuvre, for me, for some time. They are rich with details, and images of unseen works. It will take weeks to scan and months to post. These books will double the size of the collection. A feast for this beast.
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An "Untitled" abstract painting...

2010-08-13T17:12:00.005-04:00

"Untitled"

Peter Schmidt

Oil on canvas board, 46" x 27.5"

1960-65

(Private Collection)
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"The Thoughts...", August 13, 2010...

2010-08-13T17:01:00.005-04:00

"The Thoughts Behind the Thoughts"

Peter Schmidt

Web Version, 2010

Based on the original from 1970

Loose translation : We must somehow come a little bit more

"The Boat"...

2010-08-12T18:46:00.010-04:00

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"The Boat"
Peter Schmidt
Oil on canvas board

1974
35.5" x 25.5"
(Private Collection)

"The Ten Freedoms"...

2010-08-06T13:21:00.006-04:00

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"The Ten Freedoms"

Peter Schmidt

Printed postcard, edition of 20

1970

(Collection of Alain D'hooghe)
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"The Thoughts...", August 6, 2010...

2010-08-06T12:42:00.004-04:00

"The Thoughts Behind the Thoughts"

Peter Schmidt

2010

Web Version

"...ideas."

2010-08-03T19:10:00.003-04:00

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Brian didn't really tell me much about what he was doing, we just talked about ideas. I think he used my ignorance of his more public activities to get away from them and keep his other interests alive".
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Peter Schmidt
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"...sense of daring..."

2010-08-02T20:56:00.003-04:00

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Later in the evening we talk about the work of Die Brucke, the group of German painters active between 1905-25, who impressed us all so much in Berlin. I particularly liked Otto Mueller and Karl Schmidt-Rotluff.
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Peter posed the question: "What could one do now that would have the sense of daring which those works had?" I reply that I think the answer must lie in doing things that are very quiet, which make no assault, and perhaps do not obviously trade in novelty. Like watercolours. At a time when drama is at a premium, reticence and delicacy communicate best.
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Before I leave, we discuss the possibilities of marketing visual objects in the way that records are sold. We both agree that this would drastically alter the nature of contemporary painting, since it would once again put it in touch with demand on the level of a genuine response to the work itself, rather than to its "value" (be that financial or "cultural").
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Brian Eno, From Melody Maker, January 29, 1977
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