Boekie Woekie, Amsterdam. Three owners and 7,000 art books from independent creators

Boekie Woekie, Amsterdam

When it was first established on January 1st 1986, Boekie Woekie, Amsterdam was an assemblage of works. These were brought together by six artists as a means to go against the grain within the realms of publishing. Each of the six founders brought forth a characteristic from their inner-selves, a practice in art forms, and reflection on their surroundings. Coming from varied countries in the European region, the six founders became three as of 1991. Since its reshuffling, the art-based bookstore has been managed till today by Henriëtte van Egten, a Dutch national; Rúna Thorkelsdóttir, an Icelandic native; and Jan Voss, a German citizen from the city of Düsseldorf.

Having moved their physical location in 1995 to their current space in Berenstraat 16, the store has since grown its catalogue. Today it carries around seven thousand art books from independent creators and artists. Boekie Woekie has curated a synonymity within the locale and the artist community in the European region. Today the current managers of the store are still managing their careers in their designated field of the arts. Within the space, they curate a section for the viewing of customers and for the purpose of art exhibitions. Sitting in on behalf of the bookstore is Jan Voss. «Boekie Woekie began as a revolt against the bodies of publication houses and the ways in which books in the genre of the arts became a tool for profit».

The name of Boekie Woekie, Amsterdam

The seventy-six year old states that inhabitants of the environs did not accept the name of the store since its birth. «People made fun of it as it was counterproductive to our intention of disseminating art though books».

Having the intent to play a pivot in narrating the landscape of the bookselling world in art, Voss states that the name of the bookstore, ‘Boekie Woekie’, garnered side-eyed reviews as it held a child-like narrative to its identity. «There was a juxtaposition in the name of our brand and what we intended to do. Being located in a city like Amsterdam, this hindered our relevance in the artist community». Though they were set back by this tribulation, Boekie Woekie stood itself apart from businesses adjacent to theirs. Voss adds that on an international scale, Boekie Woekie garnered press for itself, whereas within the locale they inhabited, there was trepidation for a newcomer like Boekie Woekie.

«The disciplinary team came together by pooling our funds to found Boekie Woekie. We began the bookstore by selling works that we have brought together and produced by ourselves over the years. As an artist-first disciplinary, our attention was to accentuate our works as the individuals in publishing had a stringent set of rules that we did not conform to». During the past twenty-six years, Voss, assisted by Egten and Thorkelsdóttir, persevered in maintaining the child-like essence of the bookstore. This while seeing through the intertwining of art related literature. Over the years, the bookstore has been enlisted by creators up-and-coming to assist in the production and publication of their art based literature.

The Founders of Boekie Woekie

According to Voss all three managers and owners of Boekie Woekie carry forth an art practice dissimilar to the other. Thorkeldóttir – the youngest of the three, at fifty-seven years old – began her education in the Reykjavik School of Visual Arts. In the departure from her home-country she decided to keep pursuing an education in arts at the Rietveld School of Art & Design.

«While she pursued her Master’s education here, she did not see it through. She went on to begin a life with her partner whilst carrying forth her artistic interests. While she did this, she held her role as a co-founder and manager of the bookstore».The second individual is Egten, a Dutch artist who studied art in Enschede in The Netherlands. Voss shares that Egten was introduced to the world of the arts in her youth. One which Voss shares to be influenced upon from the art movement of the sixties. The last owner of the bookstore, Voss, is a painter who graduated from the art school in Düsseldorf.

«In my youth, I had the pleasure to be acquainted with artist Dieter Roth. Within his ethos of practicing art away from the mindset of profit that we brought Boekie Woekie into today». Alongside practicing their craft, the owners of Boekie Woekie steered away from the public eye to gain traction over time. Rather, the collective looks to utilize their space to become a mouthpiece for the works presented in the literature sold at Boekie Woekie. «Artists have a command of their narrative and their creative work. They aren’t hindered by the molds in which publications and galleries place them in when pushing forth their work».

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Books sold at Boekie Woekie

Existing on their online and offline platforms, Boekie Woekie caters to their customers from within The Netherlands and across Europe. Operating from their physical space, the bookstore has been embellished through by the books sold within its walls. Stacked upon bookshelves is a collection of books brought in and sold in the last twenty-six years. «There is no stringent manner of choosing which books make the cut to be on our bookshelves».

Having designated a collective decision to incorporate books from varied artists over time, Voss states the co-owner’s intention to do so was to allow for an offering of works for their consumers. Boekie Woekie’s business model started by publishing and selling works from the six owners of the store. Voss states that there was a need to include works from varied artists. This because works produced by the collective were limited. «As the collective shrunk in size, we made the decision to bring in works from artists in the environs and abroad to assist the business model and allow us to stand apart from businesses in the same vein».

Today Boekie Woekie sells art books from artists and creators like Dieter Roth, Colin Sackett and Thomas Greiger. The co-owner states that the store is open to carrying works from up-and-coming creators who have faced challenges whilst intending on publishing their works through the means of publishing houses and gallery collectives. «In the bookstore’s infancy, the collective used a printing press to see through that their artwork was realized into physical print. We malleated our individual art practice while amalgamating the use of press to see this through». As Voss explains, he has since created copies of a single literary work varied from each print.

Other works, the gallery and the future

Carrying prints produced by the creators and merchandise, Boekie Woekie has worked to assort a coalesce of items. Prints from artists across regions are sold alongside to those from the owners. «When the store began its business, I designed tote bags. Along to this, I was the individual who designed the ‘reading-man’ logo for the store». While the merchandise has remained unchanged, Voss intends to update the designs to create awareness of the store. This whilst disseminating the identity of Boekie Woekie.

The gallery space, as Voss states is a four-square meter space that is within the confines of the bookstore. Working to showcase works of creators of sorts, Voss shares that due to its limited area, the store allows viewings to occur while guests are perusing for literary goods. In an effort to remain sustainable, Boekie ensures that they are recycling all waste. «We do not encourage the use of plastics and have abolished the use of it in Boekie Woekie. Tote bags that are available for purchase. We use additional cardboard boxes that we receive as packaging for online orders. We intend on adhering to regulations and insist minimizing our carbon footprint».

In the coming new year, Boekie Woekie will be shifting its space to one a distance away from the city center. Voss states that the reasoning in shifting their abode was due to gentrification that has occurred in the area and has caused a raise in rent for the dwellers of Berenstraat. While Boekie Woekie faces this, Voss explains that the bookstore will continue to persevere as a pivot in selling and educating consumers in art-based literature.