Henk Peeters, Aquarel on black (4 x 4), 1961/1965

16 plastic sandwich bags filled with water (now evaporated), mounted on black flannel on chipboard, 50 x 50 x 4 cm. The backside contains a wooden frame, 38.5 x 38.5 x 4 cm, painted black. Artists' stamp on verso, stamped in black on chipboard, stating 'henk peeters/ title aquarel on black /date design 1961/ nr / date fabrication 1965/ nr 2/5'. Title, date and edition number are added in black marker.

Added is an envelope sent by Peeters containing 22 original empty sandwich bags (from the 1960s, not produced anymore) so the owner can replace the bags and refresh the water. The plastic bags are currently empty with remnants of calcium from the evaporated water, the flannel shows light fading. Provenance from a private collection, derived from Galerie A, Amsterdam. The work was shown in the exhibition 'Nul' at galerie Schoeller in Dusseldorf, 1994. Henk Peeters (1925 - 2013) was a prominent member of the Dutch ZERO movement, and curator of international ZERO exhibitions. His 'aquarel' works were made in various sizes and backgrounds, with different numbers of bags. In 1965 he executed a ceiling aquarel, an installation of about one hundred plastic bags filled with water hanging from the ceiling of the Amsterdam RAI confection centre.