The Fool // Art Collective

Marijke Koger and Simon Posthuma met in Amsterdam and later started "The Fool" collective along with Josje Leeger and Barry Finch.

Barry Finch, Simon Posthuma, Josje Leeger, Marijke Koger (Left to right)

The mind flowing with creative ideas the two of them decide to move to London in 1966 after a passage in Ibiza where Karl Ferris discovered them among a hippie community, took pictures of them that were published in the Times, they immediately made sensation.

In London the Dutch artists set up an art studio along with Ferris.
 
In the same year the legendary band "Cream" asked the artists to paint their instruments for the band first American tour, Robert Stigwood the manager liked the idea and asked them if they could design their clothes as well.
The Idea behind was to create a sort of "Magic Patchwork" said Marijke.

Soon after that overwhelmed by the demands, Yosha Leeger came naturally to joined them (Marijke childhood friend).
Barry Finch joined later to close the quatuor and take care of the public relation of the creative crew. 

Fascinated by the traditional Tarot Cards, they decide together to name the collective "the Fool" in hommage of the Fool Major Arcana; Posthuma said about it  “represents Truth, spiritual meaning, and the circle which expresses the universal circumference in which gravitate all things.

The Hollies, Evolution
 

Procol Harum

"The incredible String Band" Album Cover

Bob Dylan show poster

Brian Epstein (The Beatles Manager) then was charged to organise concerts every Sunday at the Saville theater, contacted Finch to find someone that would be capable of create the new program's cover for the theater. 
It's after this cover that John and Paul went to meet the collective in their studio, George and Ringo joined them later.
They were all in extase in front of the incredible work of the collective.
Patty ordered some clothes and Georges the painting of a wall in his house and the chimney.

It's then that the famous collaboration between the artists and the band started.

             George Harrison in front of his chimney

Apple Boutique Facade

The first project that "The Beatles" undertook after the creation of Apple Corp Company was the Apple Boutique (Lennon didn't like the term boutique but the name became popular anyway)  
that opened on December 7th, 1967 at 94 Baker Street London.After passing a few times in front of the boutique they thought that it was missing something.
it's after a big reunion with Epstein and their lawyers that it was asked "The Fool" to decorate the facade (with the help of art students).
and in the first floor a reproduction of the crew creations would be sold.

Opening of the Apple Boutique

Here you can the work of "the Fool"
in the costumes design in two performances from
"The Beatles" 

"All You Need Is Love" BBC 1967

"I am the Walrus" Magical Mystery Tour

Contrary to what have been said they haven't painted the Rolls Royce of John Lennon but did his piano and the mini cooper of Georges Harrison, as well as his bungalow Kinfauns in Surrey, several guitars of Harrison and the Gibson accoustic of Lennon.

in 1968 the Joe Massot directed the magnificent Wonderwall movie with the absolutely beautiful Jane Birkin and ask the fool collective to be the set and clothing designers for the movie and what a photography masterpiece!
You can catch a sight of them along with Anita Pallenberg in the party scene which is absolutely mesmerizing and everything in term of decorations is in this movie and Georges Harrison is making the music.

In the same year  the president of mercury record Irwin Green came to visit them in the studio and popped in when Marijke and Simon were rehearsing an acoustic set.

Green loved what he heard and offered the troupe to join him in New-York and record an album; it's then that Graham Bond join the adventure and became their music director, with later Graham Nash (The Hollies, Crosby Still Nash and Young) as the producer. 

Once the album was finished they went around the US to promote them music in the american radios and end up by LA.

One thing bringing another in Los Angeles the band is gonna meet with Michael Butler producer of the broadway musical "Hair" and offered Butler to continue the adventure they started in London by painting the facade of the Aquarius Theater where Hair would go on stage few days later.
Things have finally come full circle in another country.

The adventure of the fool came to an end in 1971 but left behind an extraordinary colorful heritage, which is without doubt an inspiration for many and the beginning of a lot of new stories.