Happy Birthday 75, dear Joseph!
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The great Joseph Johannes Visser would have turned 75 years old today if he were still with us.
Joseph Johannes Visser – the Great Man from The Netherlands who did so many for Lithuania, for culture, for artists. It would be difficult to find a more modest, simpler, and tolerant for everybody man like Joseph. Man, who escaped from Amsterdam, from the noise of art, commerce, career, and splendor to small “unknown” village, in Easterlittens, and who consecrated himself for Art. Joseph is a genius: printmaker, typographer, book binder, artist’s book creator, composer, poet, translator and wonderful Man.
The last artist’s book of Joseph
Here in Easterlittens, in Friesland he established art residency for printmakers “It Plein 19”, where artists could create graphic works and artist’s books. Joseph participated in many art projects in The Netherlands and in abroad with his artist’s books, prints and music. Many times, he participates in the “Artist’s Book Triennial Vilnius”, gave lectures and have made artist’s book workshops in Vilnius Academy of Arts.
During his visits Joseph Johannes Visser “discovered” Lithuanian compose and an artist – Mikalojus Konstantinas Čiurlionis. With his friend, worldwide acclaimed carillonists Auke de Boer, they started to adapt the M. K. Čiurlionis music to carillons and to promote his music in The Netherlands. Music of M. K. Čiurlionis was paying on the national radio of The Netherlands! Maestro Auke de Boer included music of M. K. Čiurlionis in all his concerts of carillons! Joseph Johannes Visser with his friends Auke de Boer, Bauke Reitsma, Christiaan Winter several times participate in Pažaislis Music Festival in Lithuania. The last, not finished project of Joseph was Lithuanian folk music and songs – he was adapting it for carillons.
A great Man left us. He left us, to meet us again in Eternity. I hope…
May the Lord be merciful for you, my dear Friend Joseph!
Kestutis Vasiliunas
© Photos: 2Cent., Roberta
© Artist’s Book Creators 2021
