The Fantastic Art Centre
The Fantastic Art centre is a non profit research project founded by Christian De Boeck in 1977. The Honorary Patron Emeritus is Prof. Ernst Fuchs. Other Honorary Patrons include Brigid Marlin, Prof. Philip Rubinov-Jacobson, Alex Grey, Michael Messner, Roman Hocke, Robert Venosa, Mati Klarwein, Odd Nerdrum and Prof. Werner Tübke.

The first picture Christian De Boeck remembers seeing which made an indelible impression on him is Gabriel Von Max’s famous painting on a dish cloth of "The Veil of St. Veronica" which he saw at the age of three. At the age of nine he discovered ("literally stumbled on") 

Gabriel von Max  The Veil of St. Veronica

Hieronymus Bosch and at fourteen, Ernst Fuchs. "I drew a line from Bosch to Fuchs and have been trying to fill in and document everything in-between ever since." He discovered Brigid Marlin in the late 70s through a review in The Studio of her exhibition at the Drian Galleries in London. He wrote to Brigid in care of the gallery, but the letter was returned undeliverable as they had closed down. Years later he discovered Brigid's mother, Hilda van Stockum Marlin, listed in Who’s Who in American Art and finally managed to make contact by writing to her in care of her address. Thanks to the internet and e-mail they are now in regular contact, which among other things has resulted in a web site for the society. Together with Michael Messner (Fuchs), Roman Hocke and Prof. Philip Rubinov-Jacobson he is involved in the possible establishment of a Museum of Fantastic Art in Vienna and Sedona, Arizona.

The aim, mission and purpose of the Fantastic Art Centre is:

1. To be the definitive, internationally recognised information database/resource on fantastic/surreal/visionary art. The database will eventually contain documentation on some 4000 artists from the Renaissance to the present whose work merits their inclusion.

2. To publish a comprehensive book on fantastic art which will include an exhaustive dictionary of artists, including a concise bio- and complete biblio-/filmography.

3. To collect books, exhibition catalogues, press cuttings, photographs and slides of artwork, CD ROMs, video tapes, posters, reproductions, printed ephemera, etc. on all of the artists from the Renaissance to the present who have worked in the fantastic/surreal/visionary vein.

4. To establish a network of artists, collectors, art dealers, museums, publishers, etc. in order to promote all aspects of fantastic/surreal/visionary art.

5. To facilitate and organise exhibitions, seminars and conferences.

All the material in the centre’s archives will eventually be donated to the Museum of Fantastic Art (in planning) or the Ernst Fuchs Museum in Vienna.

Christian De Boeck
Fantastic Art Centre
P.O. Box 52441
ZA-2132 Saxonwold
SOUTH AFRICA
e-mail: abraxas@global.co.za

The Fantastic Art Centre is affiliated with:

 The Museum of Fantastic Art (in planning) (Vienna, Austria/Sedona, U.S.A.), Centre International de l'Actualité Fantastique et Magique (CIAFMA) (Brussels, Belgium), The Society for Art of the Imagination (Berkhampstead, Herts, U.K.), Labyrinthe Informationsdienst für Phantastische und Visionäre Künste (Rome, Italy), Zentrums der Phantastischen und Visionären Künste (Bonn, Germany), International Bureau of Recordist Investigation (IBRI) (Toronto, Canada), The Boston Visionary Cell (Boston, U.S.A.), Art Visionary magazine (Melbourne, Australia).