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J.M. (John) Bezold

Faculty of Humanities
Capaciteitsgroep Kunstgeschiedenis

Visiting address
  • Turfdraagsterpad 15
Contact details
  • Research Interests & Profile

    John Bezold (1985, Cincinnati) is an American-Dutch editor, researcher, writer, and journalist. Within academia, he researches connoisseurship, curation, art markets, and collecting practices—especially by museums during the first half of the twentieth century. John holds a BSc from the University of Cincinnati, alongside two master's degrees, from the University of Amsterdam.

  • Editorships, Articles, Books, Etc.

    Articles & Reviews
    'Frans Hals Connoisseurs and Exhibitions: From Thoré to Today', in Frans Hals: Iconography, Technique and Reputation, eds. Rudi Ekkart and Norbert Middelkoop (Amsterdam: Amsterdam University Press, 2024), 237-259.
    'Frans Hals in America: Collectors, Scholars, & Connoisseurs', Oud Holland Reviews (Aug. 2023).
    'Frans Hals: The Male Portrait', Early Modern Low Countries 6, no. 2 (Dec. 2022): 278-280.
    'Gerard, Lina, & Jan Gratama als schilders en tekenaars', Eigenbouwerno. 16 (Nov. 2022): 22-33.
    'Van de Velde & Sons: Marine Painters', Oud Holland Reviews (Nov. 2022).
    'The Frans Hals Family Portrait Exhibition', Oud Holland Reviews (Dec. 2020). 

    Edited Books
    Bezold, John (ed.). Basquiat: The Artist & His New York Scene (Heerlen: Schunck, 2019).
    –––. Un-Conscious-City (New York City: Actar, 2019). 
    –––. Ellen Kooi Above Rotterdam (New York City: Actar, 2016). 
    –––. Wiel Arets–Bas Princen (Ostfildern: Hatje Cantz, 2015).

    Edited Journals
    Review Editor & Editorial Board Member, Oud Holland, 2019–2024. 
    Published 60+ reviews over a five year period as the review editor.

    • Established editorial guidelines, style guide, and publishing process for the journal.
    • Managed commissioning, editing, and publishing of new exhibition and book reviews.
    • Wrote announcement articles and other digital media messaging to promote new editions.
    • Sourced and secured supporting imagery, along with the necessary copyright permissions.
    • Supported the editor-in-chief and the managing editor, including at editorial board meetings.
    • Within two years of launching the review section of the website, its online readership doubled.

    Podcasts
    Dutch Art & Design Today, 2022–
    Frans Hals Paintings—The Podcast, 2022-

    Conference Papers
    'The Many Frans Hals Connoisseurs and Exhibitions: From Thoré to Today.' Frans Hals: A Survey of Current Research, Organized by the Frans Hals Museum, Haarlem, 8 January 2023.

    Popular Articles
    Bezold, John. 'The Creation, Curation, & Connoisseurship of AI Art', johnbezold.com, Dec. 2022. 

    –––., 'Manifest Destiny: The Wild West & Post-Glitch Infused World of Artist Jon Cates', johnbezold.com, Dec. 2022. 

    –––., ‘Zelfreflectie: Niet alleen in de Verenigde Staten maar ook in China en Frankrijk doet men een poging de selfie als kunst te beschouwen.’ Museumvisie 4. 2018, 20-21.

    –––., ‘Amos Rex Museum in Helsinki.’ Museumvisie 4. 2018, 62-63.

    –––., ‘Bewaarplaats: In Nederland en België wordt hard gebouwd aan gloednieuwe depots met de allernieuwste technieken op het gebied van klimaatbeheersing.’ Museumvisie 3. 2018, 62-63.

    –––. ‘Vreemde Wereld: Door tentoonstellingen te populariseren, vergroten musea hun doelgroep. Rijk of arm, homo of hetero, bekend of onbekend: portretten bereiken nieuw publiek.' Museumvisie 2, 62-63.

    –––. ‘Op de Vlucht: Twee tentoonstellingen in Nederland belichtten het leed van vluchtelingen. Ook elders in de wereld blijft hun lot niet onopgemerkt.' Museumvisie 1. 2018, 62-63.

    –––. ‘Verjongingskuur: Musea verbinden hun collecties aan modern werk om hun relevantie te laten zien en bezoekers bij hun missie te betrekken'. Museumvisie 3. 2017, 63-64.

    –––. ‘The IJhal in Amsterdam's Central Train Station.' Domus no. 1007 (Nov. 2016): 60-71.

    –––. 'Oving Caps a House with Glass.' Mark Magazine. Apr./May 2015, 30-31. (Essay on preservation of a former guard's house at Camp Westerbork).

    –––. 'Paper Gallery: Ellen Kooi.' Elephant Magazine 20. 2014.

    –––. ‘Abandoned Amusements.' Mark Magazine. Dec. 2008/Jan. 2009, 156-163. (Essay on abandoned amusement parks in the USA, Korea, and Japan).

    –––. ‘Migrating Formations by CAP.' Frame. Jan./Feb. 2009, 75. (Exhibition review of MoMA’s ‘Home Delivery: Fabricating the Modern Dwelling’).

    –––. ‘Neri Oxman Interview: By experimenting with materials in an open-ended manner, Neri Oxman reshapes the look and feel of architecture yet to come.' Mark Magazine. Oct./Nov. 2008, 204-209. (Profile of MIT-based ‘new material’ architecture researcher, Dr. Neri Oxman).

    Awards
    Frits Duparc Thesis Award 2017, Honorable Mention: Contrasting Connoisseurs: Attributing the Family Portraiture of Frans Hals (MA–Dutch Art 2015).

    Fellowship
    American Friends of the Mauritshuis Researcher, Royal Picture Gallery Mauritshuis, 2016.

  • Ancillary activities
    No ancillary activities