‘Spinoza’s roller coaster’

publishor Wereldbibliotheek

by Saskia Pfaeltzer and Erik Bindervoet.

A picture story about the life and work of Baruch de Spinoza, by Saskia Pfaeltzer and Erik Bindervoet

Janus Dullemondt – math teacher at an Amsterdam high school wants to explain to his pupils who Spinoza was, what he can teach us and why that’s important. He does this by speaking about Spinoza’s life and clarifying his philosophy by discussing with his students, by giving them assignments and homework. The book is divided in four sections, following the four ways in which we – according to Spinoza – acquire knowledge: by word of mouth, via our senses, by deducting the essence of a case from something comparable, or by intuition.

‘Spinoza’s achtbaan’

uitgeverij Wereldbibliotheek

Een beeldverhaal over werk en leven van Baruch de Spinoza, door Saskia Pfaeltzer en Erik Bindervoet.

Janus Dullemondt – wiskundeleraar aan een Amsterdamse middelbare school, wil zijn leerlingen duidelijk maken wie Spinoza was, wat hij ons kan leren, en waarom dat belangrijk is. Dat doet hij door over Spinoza’s leven te vertellen en de filosofie van Spinoza uit te leggen door met zijn leerlingen te discussiëren, hun opdrachten en huiswerk op te geven.

Het boek bestaat uit vier delen en is opgebouwd volgens de vier manieren waarop wij volgens Spinoza tot kennis komen: van horen zeggen, via de zintuigen, door het wezen van de zaak af te leiden uit iets anders; en door de intuïtie.

Saskia Pfaeltzer writes: “I have to keep on surprising myself, which stimulates me and gives my pleasure in what I do. “

Art is in Saskia Pfaeltzer's blood. Not a day goes by that she doesn't create a work of art - everything around her inspires her. Her keen observations are effortlessly expressed in a variety of materials such as bronze, clay, plaster, wax, paper, epoxy resin and polystyrene. She embraces all formats; from towering porcelain columns, to intimate 10 cm high sculptures of horses and dancers.

In her countryside atelier in north east Belgium, Saskia carves sculptures in local hardstone - and in her atelier on the Nassaukade in Amsterdam, she draws and paints. She frequently visits China, where in the famous porcelain city of Jingdezhen, she experiments with new techniques, using indigenous materials and collaborating with local craftsman. The combination of Saskia Pfaeltzer's no-nonsense approach, her confident control over a large variety of techniques and the diversity of subject matter that she tackles, has led to a unique and colorful oeuvre.

Figuration is the thread the runs through Saskia's work – her sculptures, depicting mostly people and animals, are recognizable and speak directly to the viewer. They seem real, yet inhabit a different reality. They belong to the realms of fantasy and frequently reference ancient civilisations – a sheephead on top of a tall vase, women who carry entire citadels on their heads. The sculptures consciously avoid a polished finish, allowing the lively texture to remain and the material to reveal its individual characteristics.

Recently she turned to making books: grafic novels about philosophers like Spinoza, Nietzsche and more.

Saskia Pfaeltzer (1955) studied at the Rijksakademie of Arts in Amsterdam, where she focused on sculpting and painting. Since the 90's, she has split her time between the Netherlands and the island of St Maarten in the Caribbean. In 2010 she started traveling to China for work and research.

Saskia has exhibited nationally and internationally, and her work – commissioned or personal – is shown in private, corporate and museum collections all over the world.