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Draft:Hans Clavin

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Hans Clavin
Born
Hendrikus Herman Antonius van der Heijden

6 August 1946
Velsen, The Netherlands
Died2016
NationalityDutch
Notable workPoetry, Stamp (art), Collage
MovementVisual poetry
SpouseOlga Agatha Catharina Mooijekind (1944-1996)
ChildrenElvira van der Heijden (1967), Misja van der Heijden (1970-2006), Colien van der Heijden (1976)
Websitehttp://hansclavin.free.fr/index.htm

Hans Clavin, born Hendrikus (Henk) H.H.A. van der Heijden in 1946, was an influential figure in the world of concrete and visual poetry. His pseudonym "Hans Clavin" became synonymous with innovative and experimental art forms that pushed the boundaries of traditional literature and poetry. Clavin died in 2016, leaving a lasting legacy as one of the pioneers of visual poetry in the Netherlands and a leading figure in this movement worldwide.

Biography

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Hans Clavin grew up in a Catholic family in IJmuiden, a coastal town in North Holland known for its port. He was the youngest in a family of seven siblings, in an environment where traditional values and religion played a major role.

At secondary school, the Mulo, which he attended from 1958 to 1962, he already started writing poetry. Initially, he stuck to classical forms, such as sonnets, but he soon began to experiment with the form of his work. He discovered that the content of a poem was less important to him than its visual presentation. This shift was possibly influenced by poets like Guido Gezelle, whose work he studied at school, and which inspired him to play with language and structure, and Dadaism. He discovered what could be done with typography, space, and images.

The style in which he worked is called "concrete poetry", also known as "visual poetry" or "visual poem". The poem as a viewing adventure, as we know it from Paul van Ostaijen, Guillaume Apollinaire, or I.K. Bonset, pseudonym of Theo van Doesburg.

Clavin kept his early experiments secret from his family, indicating a certain restraint or a need for personal space for his creative development. His fascination with the visual aspects of language grew, and he began to break away from the conventional formatting of poetry, using the whole page as a canvas.

Clavin's official debut as a poet took place in 1966 when he published in the Rotterdam magazine Vers Univers. This marked the beginning of his involvement in the international movement of concrete and visual poetry, a movement that emphasizes the typographic and visual properties of language over narrative content. That same year, he met Paul De Vree, a prominent Belgian poet and pioneer of concrete poetry, at an exhibition in Dendermonde. This meeting was a turning point; Clavin definitively became part of a network of experimental poets and artists who were redefining the boundaries of poetry.

Clavin's official debut as a poet took place in 1966 when he published in the Rotterdam magazine Vers Univers. This marked the beginning of his involvement in the international movement of concrete and visual poetry, a movement that emphasizes the typographic and visual properties of language over narrative content. That same year, he met Paul De Vree, a prominent Belgian poet and pioneer of concrete poetry, at an exhibition in Dendermonde. This meeting was a turning point; Clavin definitively became part of a network of experimental poets and artists who were redefining the boundaries of poetry.

Dichter Hans Clavin, IJmuiden 1998

From then on, Clavin began to distribute his work worldwide. He sent contributions to magazines in countries like Italy, Japan, Brazil, and South Africa and traveled to cities like Florence and Milan during summer holidays to meet fellow poets like Ugo Carrega and Gianni Bertini. His house in IJmuiden became a stopping point for international artists exhibiting in the Netherlands, attesting to his central role in this avant-garde movement. From the late 1960s, Clavin worked on a global artistic career that saw him exhibiting from Dendermonde to New York, from Liverpool to Milan, from Bologna to Regensburg, and from the Velsen library to the Stedelijk Museum in Amsterdam. 'koenst,' he called it. vignette|Hans Clavin, Arthur (1985)|gauche

In 1970, Clavin founded Subvers, a magazine that provided a platform for concrete and visual poetry until 1976. Through his own publishing houses, The Subvers Press and later Fizz-Subvers Press, he published not only his own work but also that of other poets, such as Paul De Vree, Herman Damen, and Edgardo Antonio Vigo. 'Subvers' appeared in limited editions, often numbered and featuring experimental elements such as loose sheets, collage-like compositions, and unusual materials. Clavin's own work was characterized by a multifaceted approach to poetry that he himself described as "total poetry". He saw everything – from a single letter to an objet trouvé, from collage to gesture – as raw material for his creations.

His artists' books, such as L'histoire de l'histoire (1968), Porno/graphic Poetry (1971), and L'angerie (1973), are striking examples of this vision. These works combined typography, photography, collage, and sometimes physical objects such as a razor blade or samples of woolen threads, which were included in the books. They were playful, sometimes grotesque or humorous, and often critical of mass media and consumer culture, from which he drew much of his imagery. From the 1970s, the collage technique became dominant in his work. He deconstructed and manipulated images and text fragments from newspapers, comics, films, and advertising but retained a certain recognizability that invited the viewer to interpret the new context. His visual language was heavily influenced by pop culture, which made his work both accessible and challenging.

In the 1970s, the Dutch literary world began to recognize the value of concrete and visual poetry. Critics like Kees Fens praised the way these poets showed the "thing as a thing", and Clavin's work was increasingly exhibited. He exhibited regularly at De Vishal in Haarlem and participated in international exhibitions, such as ‘Concrete Poetry?’ at the Stedelijk Museum in Amsterdam (1970). His reputation grew, although he always saw himself more as a "doer" than a "thinker" within the experimental movement.

After the heyday of concrete poetry in the 1970s, Clavin partially withdrew from the limelight. However, he remained active as a poet and artist, publishing works such as Total (1976), Some and other poems (1982), and 'O.' (1998), often self-published under his real name, Hans van der Heijden. As recently as 2008, he exhibited in Brescia, Italy, with Visual Poems, showing that he continued to create late in life. vignette|300x300px|Dutch artist Hans Clavin during an exhibition|gauche Clavin's personal life also had low points. In his 50th year, his wife died, which was a heavy blow for him. In 1998, he published the collection of poems O. in her memory. Her name was Olga, and on the cover of the collection, the letter "O" disappeared, as did his wife. He lived a relatively reclusive life in his later years, with his dog for company, but his passion for poetry remained intact. He saw "koenst" (as he called it) in everything. His recited poems were often a performance and always accompanied by a cigar.

His work is still appreciated by lovers of visual and concrete poetry and is included in collections such as that of the Museum of Contemporary Art Antwerp (MHKA). He left behind an oeuvre that testifies to a unique vision: poetry as a visual and material experience, blurring the line between art and language. His contribution to the Dutch and international avant-garde is undeniable, and his experimental spirit remains an inspiration for contemporary artists. Clavin's life and work illustrate a search for freedom within the constraints of language and form.

From IJmuiden to the international stages of concrete poetry, his journey was one of daring, playfulness, and an unwavering belief in the power of the visual. vignette|Dutch artist Hans Clavin in IJmuiden Hans Clavin exchanged the temporary for the eternal in 2016 and was cremated privately.

Exhibitions

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  • 1967: Celbeton, Dendermonde
  • 1969: Inst. Torcuato di Tella (Arg.)
  • 1969: Royal Festival Hall, London
  • 1969: Karnhoval, Rieti
  • 1969: Zaragoza
  • 1969: Museo Prov. de Bellas Artes, Buenos Aires
  • 1969: Suolo EIdPA, Milano
  • 1969: Univ. Nacional, La Plata
  • 1969: The Fine Arts Gallery, University of British Columbia, Vancouver BC
  • 1970: Danae, Madrid
  • 1970: Univ. de Zaragoza
  • 1970: Kunsthaus Zürich
  • 1970: Musée d'Art Moderne, Brescia
  • 1970: Museo del Castello, Brescia
  • 1970: Univ. Montevideo, 1970
  • 1970: Museo Dr. Genara Pérez, Córdoba
  • 1970: De Tor, Amsterdam
  • 1970: Stedelijk Museum, Amsterdam
  • 1970: Marciana
  • 1971: Württemberg. Kunstverein, Stuttgart
  • 1971: Inst. für Moderne Kunst, Nürnberg
  • 1971: Liverpool
  • 1971: Oxford
  • 1971: ICC, Antwerpen
  • 1971: Ulster Museum
  • 1971: De Krabbedans, Eindhoven
  • 1971: Belgiëhuis, Keulen
  • 1971: Neue Galerie, Linz
  • 1971: Atelier Jean, Regensburg
  • 1971: Centro Tool, Milano
  • 1972: Studio Santandrea, Milano
  • 1972: Galeria U, Montevideo
  • 1972: Forum, Madrid
  • 1972: Museo Nacional, Santiago de Chile
  • 1972: Bibliotheek Velsen
  • 1972: 2e Biënal, Panama
  • 1972: Festival de L'Unita, Grottaglie
  • 1972: Festival de L'Unita, Taranto
  • 1972: Antofagasta
  • 1972: Centro Tool, Milano
  • 1973: De Vaart, Hilversum
  • 1973: New Reform Gallery, Aalst
  • 1973: Coopmanshûs, Franeker
  • 1973: Groot-Hoenlo, Olst
  • 1973: De Engelbewaarder, Amsterdam
  • 1973: Galeria Daniel, Madrid
  • 1973: Club Pueblo, Madrid
  • 1973: Bibliotheek Nijmegen
  • 1973: Ned. Letterkundig Museum, Den Haag
  • 1973: New 57 Gallery, Edinburgh
  • 1974: Elison, IJmuiden
  • 1974: 't Hoogt, Utrecht
  • 1974: Concourse Gallery, London
  • 1974: TH Twente
  • 1974: De Engelbewaarder, Amsterdam
  • 1974: De Krabbedans, Eindhoven
  • 1974: TH Twente
  • 1974: De Engelbewaarder, Amsterdam
  • 1974: De Krabbedans, Eindhoven
  • 1974: Vara-Studio, Hilversum
  • 1974: Bibliotheek Uitgeest
  • 1974: Galeria U, Montevideo
  • 1975: Badhuis, Gorinchem
  • 1975: Boek en Stad Amsterdam
  • 1975: De Doelen, Rotterdam
  • 1975: 't Hoogt, Utrecht
  • 1975: L'Institut Néerlandais, Paris
  • 1975: De Krabbedans, Eindhoven
  • 1975: Kuiperspoort, Middelburg
  • 1975: Inst. voor Esthetica Gem. Univ., Amsterdam
  • 1975: Van Gogh Museum, Amsterdam
  • 1975: Museo de Ciudad, Real
  • 1975: Aula de Cultura, Alicante
  • 1976: Salas de Munic. de Cultura, Durango
  • 1976: Rijkscentrum Hoger Kunstonderwijs, Brugge
  • 1976: Zona, Firenze
  • 1976: Poëziehuis, Duiven
  • 1977: Galleria D'Arte Moderna, Bologna
  • 1977: Ned. Kunststichting, Amsterdam
  • 1977: De Krabbedans, Eindhoven
  • 1977: Cultureel Centrum, Tilburg
  • 1977: Landbouwhogeschool Wageningen
  • 1977: Poëziehuis, Duiven
  • 1977: Kruithuis, Den Bosch
  • 1977: Rhode Island
  • 1978: Stadhuis Hengelo
  • 1978: De Meenthe, Steenwijk
  • 1978: De Wereld, Wageningen
  • 1978: Stadhuis Enschede
  • 1978: IBM, Uithoorn
  • 1978: Bibliotheek Zaandam
  • 1978: De Koningswei, Tilburg
  • 1978: Het Bolwerk, Sneek
  • 1978: Haags Gemeentemuseum
  • 1978: Pratt Graphic Centre, New York
  • 1978: De Waag, Almelo
  • 1979: De Oosterpoort, Groningen
  • 1979: Raadhuis Nijverdal
  • 1979: VU Amsterdam
  • 1979: De Ooievaar, Uithoorn
  • 1979: Westfalischer Kunstverein, Munster
  • 1979: Fiuggi
  • 1979: Bibliotheek Hoofddorp
  • 1979: Muzeval, Emmen
  • 1980: Felison, IJmuiden
  • 1980: Museo Lab. di Arti Visive, Brescia
  • 1980: Liceo Artist. Statale di Frosinone
  • 1980: Paleis voor Schone Kunsten, Brussel
  • 1981: Print Gallery Brattinga, Amsterdam
  • 1981: Boijmans Van Beuningen, Rotterdam
  • 1981: De Volkskrant, Amsterdam
  • 1981: De Meervaart, Amsterdam
  • 1982: Muziekcentrum Vredenburg, Utrecht
  • 1982: Het Langhuis, Zwolle
  • 1983: Castilla, La Mancha
  • 1985: Kommunale Galerie, Bieleveld
  • 1985: Sevilla
  • 1987: Patras Int. Festival
  • 1988: Athens Cult. Centre
  • 1988: Poëziefestival Leuven
  • 1991: Kerk Oosthuizen
  • 1993: Stedelijk Museum Alkmaar
  • 1993: Stadhuis Velsen
  • 1994: Bibliotheek Velserbroek
  • 2002: Galerie De Witte Beer, Brugge
  • 2004: SBAC, Brescia
  • 2005: VAC, Marseille
  • 2005: Lodewijk, IJmuiden
  • 2006: Villa Mazzotti, Chiari
  • 2006: Castello Visconteo, Pavia
  • 2007: MART, Rovereto, Italy
  • 2008: Fondazione Berardelli, Brescia, Italy
  • 2009: Galleria Adriano Parise, Verona, Italy
  • 2012: Malindi Biennale, Kenya
  • 2013: MHKA, Antwerp, Belgium
  • 2014: De Player, Rotterdam
  • 2014: MiMa #35, Rotterdam
  • 2016: Concerning Concrete Poetry, Karlsruhe
  • 2023/2024: From De Stijl to Boekie Woekie. Artists publications from the Centre for Artists' Publications, Museum Weserburg, Bremen, Germany. Around fifty artists took part in this exhibition.
  • 2025: Expositie "koenst", Galerie Wagenaar van Co Genieweg, Velsen-Zuid

Books edited by Hans Clavin

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  • vers univers 4 - Antwerp. 1967
  • l'histoire de l'histoire, Hans Clavin, IJmuiden, 1968

Books that talk about Hans Clavin

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