Lucebert

Lubertus Jacobus Swaanswijk, better known as Lucebert, was born on September 15, 1924, in Amsterdam, Netherlands. Coming from a modest family, he was forced from a young age to juggle his artistic dreams with economic realities. At 15, he was admitted to the Amsterdam School of Arts and Crafts, where he discovered the avant-garde movements of Dada and Surrealism. However, he had to discontinue his studies to enter the workforce.

Despite this, Lucebert dedicated himself to writing and drawing. During his stay in Paris in 1948, he developed experimental poetry influenced by the rhythms of jazz. He met the poet Gerrit Kouwenaar, who introduced him to the avant-garde Dutch literary scene. As a member of the Movement of ’50, Lucebert advocated for a poetic approach based on improvisation, spontaneity, and the creation of a new language, which he referred to as “illiterate” language, in reaction to dominant systems.

Lucebert became close to the artists of the CoBrA group. He participated in his first exhibition at the Stedelijk Museum in Amsterdam in 1949, where he presented “poem-paintings.” His collaboration with painters such as Karel Appel and Corneille enriched his artistic universe, where naivety and spontaneous expression intertwined. In 1955, he received a scholarship from the Academy of Fine Arts in Berlin, and in 1959, the Stedelijk Museum held his first major exhibition.

Painting took on an increasingly important role in his work during the 1960s. Lucebert created paintings filled with grotesque figures and fantastical creatures, often inspired by children’s drawings. His technique, characterized by splotches and splatters, reflected his aversion to any rigid system.

After an artistic hiatus in the 1970s, Lucebert returned to writing in the early 1980s and published several collections until his death on May 10, 1994, in Alkmaar.

This artist embodies freedom of expression and experimentation, both in his writings and his visual creations. His emblematic phrase, “Alles van waarde is weerloos” (Everything of value is defenseless), perfectly summarizes his artistic approach and worldview. His work is preserved in prestigious institutions such as the Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam, MoMA and the Guggenheim Foundation in New York, and the Tate Gallery in London.