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Hendrik Nicolaas Werkman, (usually referenced as H.N. Werkman) a dutch typographer and printer. He was a member of the artists group De Ploeg, printing their posters, invitations and catalogues. From 1923 to 1926 he produced his own avantgarde magazine called The Next Call. Much of the content in these publications mirrored dada works around at the time- but using experimental collage with both type/letterforms alongside stencilling and stamping techniques he created a very unique set of works.
In 1940, as the Germans invaded Holland, he began designing, illustrating and publishing a series of over forty publications based on Hassidic Jewish stories from the legend of the Baal Shem Tov in an underground publishing house called The Blue Barge (De Blauwe Schuit). All works were full of anti-fascist commentary and a call for spiritual resistance to the oppressive Nazi occupation.
He was arrested and shot on the 13th March 1945 only days before Groningen was liberated. The majority of his works were destroyed, hence the lack of presence in even the most comprehensive of global galleries.
Hendrik Werkman
Page from a 'The Next Call' by HN Werkmann, and an (uncreditted) 'homage'!









