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Beautiful Madness

Art Writing as Art Curating

€ 28,50 each Add to cart

  • opens up fresh perspectives on viewing, writing about, and understanding art
  • a collection of 28 texts about artists and their work, with the overarching theme: what writing and curating mean in art, and how they interact

Author: Mark Kremer

Featuring work by Absalon (Meir Eshel), Tiong Ang, Christiaan Bastiaans, Harmen Brethouwer, Hugo Canoilas, Lutz Driessen, Helmut Federle, Alicia Framis, Wineke Gartz, Rob Johannesma, Joan Jonas, Mike Kelley, Esther Kläs, Klaas Kloosterboer, Job Koelewijn, André Kruysen, Jos van Merendonk, Almagul Menlibayeva, Aernout Mik, Pieter Laurens Mol, Astrid Nobel, Jan van de Pavert, Roee Rosen, Roland Schimmel, Rirkrit Tiravanija, Lorelinde Verhees, Jeff Wall, and many others

Design: Sam de Groot

Series: vis-à-vis

2025, Valiz | pb | 416 pp. | 23,4 x 16,5 cm (h x w) | English | ISBN 978-94-93246-36-2 | € 28,50

Mark Kremer (b. 1963, NL) is an independent curator and writer, based in Amsterdam. He studied art history, comparative literature, and film studies. Since 1987, he has been working in and with several art institutes, educational programmes, and has curated numerous international exhibitions.


The practices of curating and art writing share a compelling kinship: both contruct meaningful narratives about artworks and artists, each engages with audiences of viewers and readers, and creates spaces for experiencing art. Curators and art writers both tap from the primary source: the living artist, their work and world. An essential tool for curators and art writers alike is the dialogue with the artist. Their proximity to makers allows them to delve into artistic processes, and consider things in a state of becoming. 

Beautiful Madness considers curatorial practices and art writing as vibrant, creative forces with a commitment to nurturing both artists and their creations, in order to forge transformative spaces where art is activated. The book celebrates curating as a dance between intuition and intellect, and illuminates the realm of art writing. This dynamic form of writing invites readers on an intimate journey of the discovery of artworks and artists.

Mark Kremer has been collaborating with artists for decades. Beautiful Madness accumulates his writings on contemporary art (1993–2023). The book gathers pieces along lines of affinity, themes, and attitudes, structured in five topics: Trace; Gesture; Rudiment; Polyphony; Fortitude. It mirrors his experiences with art curating, writing, thinking and is of value to anybody who wants to sharpen their pen, and rethink what curating might mean.