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02 february 2024, Flor Linckens

In Memoriam: Julius Vermeulen (1953-2024)

Julius Vermeulen

With great respect and profound sadness, we pause to reflect on the passing of Julius Vermeulen on 1 February 2024. He leaves behind a rich legacy, not only in the world of art and design but also among those who knew him well.

Julius grew up in an artistic family but initially chose to pursue a technical education at MTS. When this proved to be a poor fit, he spent some time working at a zoo. On Instagram, Julius shared a memory from 1974: "Sometimes I had to bottle-feed young animals like this ‘baby’-tiger and a five week old dromedary." During this period, marked by the premature death of his father, he decided to enroll in graphic design at the Academy of Fine Arts in Arnhem. That way, he would still follow in the footsteps of his father, a distinguished graphic designer, publisher, poet, and former deputy director of the same academy.

From 1988, Julius served nearly three decades as an art and design advisor for PTT (the State Company for Post, Telegraphy and Telephony), where he distributed assignments for stamp designs. In this role, he approached numerous artists, photographers and designers, commissioning them to create works on the scale of a postage stamp, resulting in iconic cultural heritage that was widely used. Additionally, he was responsible for the distinctive brand elements such as the corporate identity and was closely involved with the company's art collection. Julius also engaged in curatorial work, with exhibitions at the Escher Museum in the Palace in The Hague and the Dutch Design exhibition at MoMA Café New York (1995) for PTT. In 2007, he launched the website www.iconenvandepost.nl, a platform dedicated to the rich history of stamp design. Julius made a significant contribution to Dutch design during this period. Beyond his duties for PTT, Julius taught for several years at the Willem de Kooning Academy and gave guest lectures at various educational institutions, including the prestigious Yale School of Art. When his position at PTT was discontinued in 2016, he decided it was finally time to realize a long-cherished dream. In the podcast 'Hoe Maakt u Het', Julius shared: "Owning a gallery was always a dream of mine, even while I was working at PTT. For many people, art is an afterthought, but for me, it's a necessity."

When his neighbors moved away, it presented a unique opportunity. Julius approached Barend Koolhaas to transform the old garage on the Koninginneweg in Amsterdam into a futuristic building for a new gallery. The renowned landscape architect Piet Oudolf designed a site-specific garden for the property. In 2017, Julius opened his gallery named EENWERK. The essence of this gallery is captured in its title: it featured just one work at a time, thereby fostering a different, more focused viewing experience. Additionally, Julius did not limit himself to a single discipline.

Steve McQueen in EENWERK.

The gallery owner got off to a flying start with an opening featuring the loaned work "African-American Flag" by David Hammons, an edition of five, one of which is included in the collection of MoMA. This was followed by iconic presentations by Steve McQueen and stanley brouwn — presentations that were sometimes preceded by a full year of research. He also frequently collaborated with American artist Sheila Hicks, who had the cover for her book "Sheila Hicks: Weaving as Metaphor" designed by Julius's wife, the internationally recognized book designer Irma Boom, who won the prestigious Johannes Vermeer Award in 2014. Julius showcased Hicks's work in the gallery, as well as at Art Rotterdam and the PAN in Amsterdam. At Art Rotterdam, he also presented interesting late works by Karel Appel.

But Julius will be missed as a person as well. Amsterdam-based gallerist Diana Stigter puts it eloquently: "How he loved life, and how life loved him back. He had a way of adding just that extra bit of flair to every conversation. He was precise, yet adventurous in his programming. We've lost a dear colleague for whom art was a natural part of life, and who could be as professional as he was cheerful. The shared glass of wine on Friday afternoons in the Hazenstraat always became a bit more sparkling with his presence, as if he brought the bubbles with him. We will miss you!"

Julius Vermeulen lived to the age of 70.

Flor Linckens

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02 february 2024, Flor Linckens

In Memoriam: Julius Vermeulen (1953-2024)

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