Armando

Once I was on my way home by train. During a transfer I ended up at the very back of the international train from Berlin. At the back there were 2 compartments for 6 people. In the rear compartment Armando was sitting by himself at the window. I walked back to the landing to transfer in Hilversum. At Hilversum Armando came walking towards me with his violin case. I said: "You are Armando, I love your work very much". I don't remember what he answered, but I do remember that he opened the door and let me go first. A real gentleman, great! 

Recently I walked past a few trees in a forest on the Veluwe. I saw the bark and immediately thought Armando. Immediately a whole repertoire of his work opened up. Incredibly rich and diverse with all possible cross-connections across so many disciplines. Abstract, but then again not. The wonderful interviews in which he tells why he makes work, from which there is actually no clear story. Simply, because that is what he does.

A while later in Groningen I see a book by Armando in the window of an antique shop. I went in to look at it. Again beautiful work. A book in edition with poems and drawings of hands, printed by Piet Clement, the lithographer from Amsterdam. There too we had a whole conversation about Armando. 

I can't name it exactly and that's not necessary. It affects.