Frank Philippi
1921 - 2010
Born in Schelle (BE), died in Oostende (BE).
After studying at the Royal Academy of Fine Arts in Antwerp, Frank Philippi choses photography over painting. It was his greatest hobby, but he also saw many creative-commercial possibilities in it, and in addition some financial reasons played a part in his choice. He was a very versatile photographer and had an enormously extensive career. In the 1940s he became known for his portraits, reportages, fashion and advertising photos in which aesthetics, sensuality and seduction are central features. During the 1950s he turned mainly to street photography on a commercial level and was one of the founding members of the G58 movement. Later, abstraction crept into his work and through contact with the painter Jef Verheyen, he moved towards Italy in the 1960s, where he ended up in the network around famous Italian painters as Lucio Fontana and Piero Manzoni. Several photo series from that period are, as it were, visual witnesses to these artists environments. Throughout his career, you always notice a focus on the innovative trends of the 1950s to 1970s, as subjects such as the car and the jukebox often recur. Yet his photography remains innovative and playful. His best-known series, however, remains the 1970s egg series. From 1978 until 1986, he was also a teacher at the Brussels Sint-Lucas Institute. Since he practiced almost all photographic genres, Philippi is still widely recognized in Belgium and abroad.
‘ (..) zeer eenvoudige opnamen, die niets aan technische kunstgrepen verschuldigd lijken en die al hun waarde aan de persoonlijke optiek van de fotograaf danken.’ (Marc Callewaert, '“G-58” sluit zijn zomercyclus', in: Gazet van Antwerpen, 8 oktober 1958)
Works
>Jef Verheyen, Frank Philippi, Artist's scrapbook (Portfolio), 1948-1959.Book, collage.
>Jef Verheyen, Dani Franque, Frank Philippi, View of the shop window of Atelier 14 on Rubensstraat, Antwerp, 1955.Photography, photograph.
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>Jef Verheyen, Frank Philippi, List of works made between 1957 and 1960 (different collections) corresponding with Philippi's reproductions, 1957-1960.Text, ink on paper, A4, 1 side.
>Frank Philippi, Jef Verheyen, Jef Verheyen by the window, Rubensstraat, Antwerp, 1958.Photography, photograph.
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>Wim Van Gils, Frank Philippi, Antonio Berni, Enrico Baj, Gianni Dova, Edoardo Franceschini, Antonio Recalcati, Lucio Fontana, Jef Verheyen, Roberto Crippa, Telegram from Roberto Crippa to Jef Verheyen (1 April 1958), 1958.Letter, ink on paper, 2 sides.
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>Frank Philippi, Jef Verheyen, Reproduction of 'Espace vibrante', 1959.Photography, black-and-white photograph.
>Frank Philippi, Jef Verheyen, Reproduction of 'Monochromie in Grijs', 1959.Photography, black-and-white photograph.
>Jef Verheyen, Lucio Fontana, Frank Philippi, Detail of 'Hommage à Fontana', 1959.Photography, black-and-white photograph.
>Jef Verheyen, Frank Philippi, Detail of 'Vibratie - Groen', 1959.Photography, black-and-white photograph.
>Frank Philippi, Jef Verheyen, Detail of a painting, 1959.Photography, black-and-white photograph.
>Jef Verheyen, Frank Philippi, Reproduction, 1959.Photography, black-and-white photograph.
>Frank Philippi, Jef Verheyen, Reproduction of 'Vlaamse Ruimte - Weert', 1959.Photography, black-and-white photograph.
>Frank Philippi, Jef Verheyen, Reproduction of 'Vibrations', 1959.Photography, black-and-white photograph.
>Frank Philippi, Jef Verheyen, Ivo Michiels, Reproduction of 'Le Voile du Mystère', 1959.Photography, black-and-white photograph.
>Frank Philippi, Jef Verheyen, Reproduction, 1959.Photography, black-and-white photograph.
>Frank Philippi, Jef Verheyen, Detail of 'Espace Découpé. Witte Ruimte', 1959.Photography, black-and-white photograph.
>Frank Philippi, Jef Verheyen, Reproduction, 1959.Photography, black-and-white photograph.
>Frank Philippi, Jef Verheyen, Reproduction of 'Espace', 1959.Photography, black-and-white photograph.
>Frank Philippi, Jef Verheyen, Lucio Fontana, Reproduction of 'L'air est plein de ta chaleur', 1959.Photography, black-and-white photograph.
>Jef Verheyen, Frank Philippi, Reproduction of 'Espace Découpé. Witte Ruimte', 1959.Photography, black-and-white photograph.
>Frank Philippi, Jef Verheyen, Reproduction, 1959.Photography, black-and-white photograph.
>Frank Philippi, Jef Verheyen, Reproduction of 'Vibrations', 1959.Photography, black-and-white photograph.
>Jef Verheyen, Piero Manzoni, Frank Philippi, Jef Verheyen and Piero Manzoni (right) in a restaurant in Milan, 1959.Photography, photograph (leica).
>Frank Philippi, Zonder titel, 1959.Photography, fotogram, 90 x 69.4 cm.
>Frank Philippi, Jef Verheyen, Jef Verheyen in front of his painting 'Zwarte Ruimte', 1960.Photography, photograph.
>Englebert Van Anderlecht, Jef Verheyen, Frank Philippi, Englebert Van Anderlecht & Jef Verheyen at work in atelier 'Lange Noordstraat', 1960.Photography, black-and-white photograph.
>Frank Philippi, Jef Verheyen, Reproduction of 'Monochrome - Achrome I', 1960.Photography, black-and-white photograph.
>Jef Verheyen, Frank Philippi, Recording of candle smoke in front of a painting, 1960.Photography, black-and-white photograph.
>Frank Philippi, Jef Verheyen, Recording of candle smoke in front of a painting, 1960.Photography, black-and-white photograph.
>Frank Philippi, Jef Verheyen, Recording of candle smoke in front of a painting, inscribed: DE AARDE NU WAS WOEST EN LEDIG, EN DUISTERNIS WAS OP DEN AFGROND, 1960.Photography, black-and-white photograph.
>Frank Philippi, Jef Verheyen, Recording of a painting in the artist's atelier and Royal Museum of Fine Arts Antwerp, 1960.Photography, black-and-white photograph.
>Frank Philippi, Jef Verheyen, Recording of a painting in the artist's atelier and Royal Museum of Fine Arts Antwerp, 1960.Photography, black-and-white photograph.
>Frank Philippi, Jef Verheyen, Englebert Van Anderlecht, Guy Vaes, Jef Verheyen and Englebert Van Anderlecht (right) working together on their joint series of paintings 'The One and the Other – Neither One Nor the Other', 1960.Photography, photographic print.
>Frank Philippi, Jef Verheyen, Reproduction, 1961.Photography, black-and-white photograph.
>Frank Philippi, Jef Verheyen, In situ photograph of a wall sculpture, 1961.Photography, black-and-white photograph.
>Frank Philippi, Jef Verheyen, In situ photograph of a wall sculpture, 1961.Photography, black-and-white photograph.
>Frank Philippi, Jef Verheyen, Reproduction of 'The singer, not the song', 1961.Photography, black-and-white photograph.
>Jef Verheyen, Galerie Bernard, Guy Vaes, Frank Philippi, Jef Verheyen, 1961.Book, ink on paper.
>Frank Philippi, Jef Verheyen, Reproduction of a landscape painting, 1963.Photography, black-and-white photograph.
>Jef Verheyen, Ivo Michiels, Paul Ibou, Frank Philippi, Multi-Art Gallery, Multi-Art Press International, Liliane Emma Staal, Jef Verheyen 40, 1972.Poster, ink on paper, 80 x 40 cm.
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>Multi-Art Gallery, Frank Philippi, Liliane Emma Staal, Ivo Michiels, Multi-Art Press International, Jef Verheyen, Paul Ibou, Sammlung Lenz, 157 Jef Verheyen 40 (ed. 220), 1972.Multiple, book multiple containing 4 serigrpahs, 180 pages book with texts, photographs and colour illustrations. package: white cardboard box inside chromed aluminium box finished with a printed tricolour laser, bookmultiple , 43 x 43 x 4 cm box, 40 x 40 cm each serigraph.
>Ivo Michiels, Frank Philippi, R. Stanislawski, Jef Verheyen, Jef Verheyen, 1973.Book, ink on paper.
>Jef Verheyen, Frank Philippi, Portrait of Jef Verheyen in his atelier 'Ten Bosch', 1981.Photography, black-and-white photograph.
>Frank Philippi, Jef Verheyen, Portrait of Jef Verheyen in Heist-op-den-Berg, 1981.Photography, black-and-white photograph.
>Frank Philippi, Jef Verheyen, Contact sheets with portraits at atelier Ten Bosch, 1981.Photography, contact sheet.
>Frank Philippi, Jef Verheyen, Contact sheet of artist's portraits at atelier Ten Bosch, 1981.Photography, contact sheet.
>Frank Philippi, Jef Verheyen, Reproduction of 'Zwarte Ruimte / Espace noir' .Photography, black-and-white photograph.
>Frank Philippi, Jef Verheyen, Reproduction of 'Regen'.Painting, black-and-white photograph.
>Frank Philippi, Jef Verheyen, Reproduction of 'Lumières noires'.Photography, black-and-white photograph.
>Frank Philippi, Jef Verheyen, Reproduction of 'Pluie'.Photography, black-and-white photograph.
>Frank Philippi, Jef Verheyen, Reproduction.Photography, black-and-white photograph.
>Frank Philippi, Jef Verheyen, Reproduction.Photography, black-and-white photograph.
>Jef Verheyen, Frank Philippi, Reproduction.Photography, black-and-white photograph.
>Jef Verheyen, Frank Philippi, Reproduction.Photography, black-and-white photograph.
Exhibitions & Ensembles
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> Exhibition: De 4 Elementen. 06 April 1963 - 11 April 1963.
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> Exhibition: Jef Verhejen. .
> Exhibition: Jef Verheyen. 24 November 1956 - 14 December 1956.
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> Exhibition: Jef Verheyen. 26 April 1959 - 09 May 1959.
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> Exhibition: Jef Verheyen - Arkturus. 07 July 1972 - 31 July 1972.
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> Exhibition: Jef Verheyen - Painting . 10 June 1973 - 08 July 1973.
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> Exhibition: Jef Verheyen - Peintures essentielles. 23 November 1961 - 16 December 1961.
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> Exhibition: Jef Verheyen - Peintures monochromes. 29 April 1960 - 05 June 1960.
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> Exhibition: Jef Verheyen - Schilderijen. 17 October 1959 - 06 November 1959.
> Exhibition: Jef Verheyen. Window on Infinity. 23 March 2024 - 18 August 2024.
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> Exhibition: Klein - Rotraut - Uecker - Verheyen. 20 October 1965 - 07 November 1965.
> Exhibition: LATT: new art in Antwerp 1958-1962 #1 the attic myth. 10 February 2012 - 18 March 2012.
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> Exhibition: Seeing is feeling with the eyes. 22 February 2019 - 20 April 2019.
> Exhibition: Vision in Motion / Motion in Vision. 21 March 1959 - 03 May 1959.
> Ensemble: Jef Verheyen - ARCHIVE.
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> Ensemble: Jef Verheyen - Artist's Writings and Theory.
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> Ensemble: Jef Verheyen - Ateliers.
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> Ensemble: Jef Verheyen - Ceramics .
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> Ensemble: Jef Verheyen - Monographic exhibition catalogues.
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> Ensemble: Jef Verheyen - Notebooks and Sketchbooks.
> Ensemble: Jef Verheyen - OEUVRE.
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> Ensemble: Jef Verheyen - Photographs.
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> Ensemble: Jef Verheyen - Sketch Drawings and Notes .
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> Ensemble: Jef Verheyen - Solo Exhibitions Posters.
> Ensemble: Jef Verheyen - Works from the 1970s.
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> Ensemble: Jef Verheyen - Writings about the Artist.
> Ensemble: Window on Infinity - Room 02.
> Ensemble: Window on Infinity - Room 03.
> Ensemble: Window on Infinity - Room 04.
> Ensemble: Window on Infinity - Room 10.