Arshile Gorky 1

Arshile Gorky

Arshile GorkyԱրշիլ Գորկի

Arshile Gorky, photographed by Xavier FourcadeBirth name Vostanik Manuk Adoyan

Born April 15, 1904?Khorgom, Vilayet of Van, Ottoman Empire

Died July 21, 1948 (aged 44)Sherman, Connecticut, U.S.

Nationality Armenian

Field Painting, Drawing

Works Landscape in the Manner of Cezanne (1927)Nighttime, Enigma, Nostalgia (1930–1934)

Arshile Gorky (pronounced /ˌɑrʃiːl ˈɡɔrkiː/, born Vostanik Manuk Adoyan; Armenian: Արշիլ Գորկի,Վոստանիկ Մանուկ Ադոյան), (April 15, 1904? – July 21, 1948) was an Armenian-born American painter whohad a seminal influence on Abstract Expressionism. As such, his works were often speculated to have been informedby the suffering and loss he experienced of the Armenian genocide.[1]

Early life

Arshile Gorky's The Artist and HisMother (ca. 1926-1936), Whitney

Museum of American Art, New YorkCity.

Gorky was born in the village of Khorgom, situated on the shores of Lake Van. Itis not known exactly when he was born: it was sometime between 1902 and1905. (In later years Gorky was vague about even the date of his birth, changingit from year to year.) In 1910 his father emigrated to America to avoid the draft,leaving his family behind in the town of Van.

In 1915 Gorky fled Lake Van during the Armenian Genocide and escaped withhis mother and his three sisters into Russian-controlled territory. In the aftermathof the genocide, Gorky's mother died of starvation in Yerevan in 1919. Arrivingin America in 1920, the 16-year old Gorky was reunited with his father, but theynever grew close. At age 31, Gorky married. In the process of reinventing hisidentity, he changed his name to "Arshile Gorky", even telling people he was arelative of the Russian writer Maxim Gorky.

Arshile Gorky 2

Career

Arshile Gorky's Portrait of MasterBill, 1929–1936. Oil on canvas. This

painting appears to depict Gorky'sfriend, Willem de Kooning who saidGorky "had an extraordinary gift for

hitting the nail on the head;remarkable. So I immediatelyattached myself to him and we

became very good friends."[2] [3] [4][5] Although some claim the portrait

is actually of a Swedish carpenterwho Gorky gave art lessons to.[6]

In 1922, Gorky enrolled in the New School of Design in Boston, eventuallybecoming a part-time instructor. During the early 1920s he was influenced byImpressionism, although later in the decade he produced works that were morepostimpressionist. During this time he was living in New York and wasinfluenced by Paul Cézanne. In 1925 he was asked by Edmund Greacen of theGrand Central Art Galleries to teach at the Grand Central School of Art; Gorkyaccepted and remained with them until 1931.[7] In 1927, Gorky met EthelKremer Schwabacher and developed a lifelong friendship. Schwabacher was hisfirst biographer. Gorky said:

The stuff of thought is the seed of the artist. Dreams form the bristlesof the artist's brush. As the eye functions as the brain's sentry, Icommunicate my innermost perceptions through the art, myworldview.[8]

Notable paintings from this time include Landscape in the Manner of Cézanne(1927) and Landscape, Staten Island (1927–1928). At the close of the 1920s andinto the 1930s he experimented with cubism, eventually moving to surrealism.The painting illustrated above, The Artist and His Mother, (ca. 1926–1936) is amemorable, moving and innovative portrait. His The Artist and His Motherpaintings are based on a childhood photograph taken in Van in which he isdepicted standing beside his mother. Gorky made two versions; the other is in theNational Gallery of Art Washington, DC.. The painting has been likened toIngres for simplicity of line and smoothness, to Egyptian Funerary art for pose, to Cézanne for flat planarcomposition, to Picasso for form and color.[9]

Nighttime, Enigma, Nostalgia (1930–1934) is a series of complex works that characterize this phase of his painting.The canvas Portrait of Master Bill appears to depict Gorky's friend, Willem de Kooning. De Kooning said: "I met alot of artists — but then I met Gorky... He had an extraordinary gift for hitting the nail on the head; remarkable. So Iimmediately attached myself to him and we became very good friends. It was nice to be foreigners meeting in somenew place." [2] [4] [10] However recent publications contradict the claim that the painting is of de Kooning but isactually a portrait of a Swedish carpenter Gorky called Master Bill who did some work for him in exchange forGorky giving him art lessons.[6]

Arshile Gorky 3

Arshile Gorky. The Liver is the Cock's Comb(1944), oil on canvas, 73 1/4 x 98" (186 x 249

cm). The painting represents the peak of Gorky'sachievement and his individual style, after he had

emerged from the influence of Cézanne andPicasso.[11]

When Gorky showed his new work to André Breton in the 1940s, afterseeing the new paintings and in particular The Liver is the Cock'sComb, Breton declared the painting to be "one of the most importantpaintings made in America" and he stated that Gorky was a Surrealist,which was Breton's highest compliment.[12] The painting was shown inthe Surrealists' final show at the Galerie Maeght in Paris in 1947.[13]

Michael Auping, a curator at the Modern Art Museum in Fort Worth,saw in the work a "taut sexual drama" combined with nostalgicallusions to Gorky's Armenian past.[14] The work in 1944 shows hisemergence in the 1940s from the influence of Cézanne and Picasso intohis own style, and is perhaps his greatest work.[11] It is over six feethigh and eight feet wide, depicting "an abstract landscape filled withwatery plumes of semi-transparent color that coalesce around spiky,thornlike shapes, painted in thin, sharp black lines, as if to suggest

beaks and claws."[11]

Tragedy and deathThis peak period of Gorky's work was cut short. His final years were filled with immense pain and heartbreak. Hisstudio barn burned down, he underwent a colostomy for cancer, his neck was broken and his painting armtemporarily paralyzed in a car accident, and his wife of seven years left him, taking their children with her. Gorkyhanged himself in Sherman, Connecticut, in 1948, at the age of 44. He is buried in North Cemetery in Sherman,Connecticut.

Personal lifeHis daughter, the painter Maro Gorky, married Matthew Spender, son of the British writer Sir Stephen Spender.

LegacyGorky's contributions to American and world art are difficult to overestimate. His work as lyrical abstraction[15] [16]

[17] [18] [19] was a "new language.[15] He "lit the way for two generations of American artists".[15] The painterlyspontaneity of mature works like "The Liver is the Cock's Comb". "The Betrothal II", and "One Year the Milkweed"immediately prefigured Abstract expressionism, and leaders in the New York School have acknowledged Gorky'sconsiderable influence.But his oeuvre is a phenomenal achievement in its own right, synthesizing Surrealism and the sensuous color andpainterliness of the School of Paris with his own highly personal formal vocabulary. His paintings and drawingshang in every major American museum including the National Gallery of Art, the Museum of Modern Art, the ArtInstitute of Chicago, the Metropolitan and the Whitney Museum of American Art in New York (which maintains theGorky Archive), and in many worldwide, including the Tate in London.A number of English translations of letters allegedly written by Gorky in Armenian to his sisters are now consideredto be fakes produced by Karlen Mooradian, a nephew of Gorky, in the late 1960s and early 1970s (especially thoseexpressing nationalistic sentiments or imparting specific meanings to his paintings). The letters often describedmoods of melancholy, and expressed loneliness and emptiness, nostalgia for his country, while bitterly and vividlyrecalling the circumstances of his mother's death. The contents of the fake letters heavily influenced the authors ofbooks written about Gorky and his art during the 1970s and 80s.A plane crash in 1962 took 95 lives and 15 of his paintings and drawings.[20]

Arshile Gorky 4

In June 2005, the family of the artist established the Arshile Gorky Foundation, a not-for-profit corporation formedto further the public’s appreciation and understanding of the life and artistic achievements of Arshile Gorky. TheFoundation is actively working on a catalogue raisonné of the artist's entire body of work. In October 2009, theFoundation relaunched its website to provide accurate information on the artist, including a biography, bibliography,exhibition history, and list of archival sources.[21]

In October 2009 the Philadelphia Museum of Art held a major Arshile Gorky exhibition: Arshile Gorky: ARetrospective [22] [23] On June 6, 2010, an exhibit of the same name opened at the Museum of Contemporary Art(MOCA) in Los Angeles.[24]

Gorky in fictionGorky appears in Atom Egoyan's movie Ararat as a child in Van and later as an adult survivor of the ArmenianGenocide living in New York.Gorky appears as a character in Charles L. Mee's play about Joseph Cornell, Hotel Cassiopeia [25] and is brieflymentioned in Kurt Vonnegut's novel Bluebeard.Stephen Watts's poem The Verb "To Be" (Gramsci & Caruso, Periplum 2003) is dedicated to Gorky's memory.

References[1] Arshile Gorky and the Armenian genocide (http:/ / findarticles. com/ p/ articles/ mi_m1248/ is_n2_v84/ ai_18004719)[2] Abstract Expressionism, Creators and Critics, edited by Clifford Ross, Abrams Publishers, New York 1990, p. 44 ISBN 978-0810919082[3] Willem de Kooning (1969) by Thomas B. Hess[4] de Kooning An American Master, Mark Stevens and Annalyn Swan, Alfred A. Knopf New York 2005, p.210, ISBN 1-4000-4175-9[5] William Feaver, The mysterious art of Arshile Gorky, The Guardian, Feb. 2010 (http:/ / www. guardian. co. uk/ artanddesign/ 2010/ feb/ 06/

arshile-gorky-painting-william-feaver) Retrieved August 20, 2010[6] Haydon Herrara, Arshile Gorky: His Life and Work, p.299, 2005 (http:/ / books. google. com/ books?id=QJx87mp6fAsC& pg=PA299&

lpg=PA299& dq=portrait+ of+ master+ bill& source=bl& ots=6CC5l7Nl26& sig=pT0EG1-74aHwLkW76mX-jx1f7qI& hl=en&ei=x_xtTN6iKoL88Abl1L3iDA& sa=X& oi=book_result& ct=result& resnum=2& ved=0CBkQ6AEwATgK#v=onepage& q=portrait ofmaster bill& f=false) Retrieved August 20, 2010

[7] http:/ / www. metmuseum. org/ toah/ ho/ 11/ waa/ ho_56. 205. 1. htm[8] Abstract Expressionism, by Barbara Hess, Taschen, 2005, pg 10[9] Matossian, Nouritza. Black Angel, The Life of Arshile Gorky. Overlook Press, NY 2000, pp.214–215[10] Willem de Kooning (1969) by Thomas B. Hess[11] "Six masterpieces" (http:/ / www. cleveland. com/ museums/ plaindealer/ index. ssf?/ museums/ more/ 3. html), The Plain Dealer, June 13,

2004. Retrieved June 10, 2010.[12] Matossian, Nouritza. Black Angel, The Life of Arshile Gorky. Overlook Press, NY 2000, pp.352–357[13] Feaver, William. "The mysterious art of Arshile Gorky" (http:/ / www. guardian. co. uk/ artanddesign/ 2010/ feb/ 06/

arshile-gorky-painting-william-feaver), The Guardian, February 6, 2010. Retrieved June 10, 2010.[14] Kimmelman, Michael. "Art view; A restless borrower, and his own man" (http:/ / www. nytimes. com/ 1995/ 05/ 21/ arts/

art-view-a-restless-borrower-and-his-own-man. html?pagewanted=all), The New York Times, May 21, 1995. Retrieved June 10, 2010.[15] Dorment, Richard. "Arshile Gorky: A Retrospective at Tate Modern, review" (http:/ / www. telegraph. co. uk/ culture/ art/ art-reviews/

7190303/ Arshile-Gorky-A-Retrospective-at-Tate-Modern-review. html), The Daily Telegraph, 8 February 2010. Retrieved May 24, 2010.[16] Art Daily (http:/ / www. artdaily. org/ section/ news/ index. asp?int_sec=11& int_new=36171& int_modo=1) retrieved May 24, 2010[17] "L.A. Art Collector Caps Two Year Pursuit of Artist with Exhibition of New Work" (http:/ / artdaily. org/ index. asp?int_sec=2&

int_new=37112), ArtDaily. Retrieved 26 May 2010. "Lyrical Abstraction ... has been applied at times to the work of Arshile Gorky"[18] "Arshile Gorky: A Retrospective" (http:/ / www. tate. org. uk/ about/ pressoffice/ pressreleases/ 2010/ 21322. htm), Tate, February 9, 2010.

Retrieved June 5, 2010.[19] Van Siclen, Bill. "Art scene by Bill Van Siclen: Part-time faculty with full-time talent" (http:/ / www. projo. com/ art/ content/

projo_20030710_artwrap10. 5e2b3. html), The Providence Journal, July 10, 2003. Retrieved June 10, 2010.[20] Time (http:/ / www. time. com/ time/ magazine/ article/ 0,9171,939941-2,00. html)[21] Arshilegorkyfoundation.org (http:/ / arshilegorkyfoundation. org)[22] Holland Cotter, NyTimes review (http:/ / www. nytimes. com/ 2009/ 10/ 23/ arts/ design/ 23gorky. html) Retrieved October 23, 2009[23] Michael Hunter lecture, Philadelphia Museum (http:/ / www. artsjournal. com/ culturegrrl/ 2009/ 10/ gorgeous_gorky_in_philly_micha.

html) Retrieved June 7, 2010[24] "Current Exhibitions" MOCA.org (http:/ / www. moca. org/ museum/ exhibitiondetail. php?id=425) Retrieved July 11, 2010

Arshile Gorky 5

[25] http:/ / www. charlesmee. org/ html/ hotel. html

Further reading• M. J. Meaker. Sudden Endings: 13 Profies in Depth of Famous Suicides (Garden City, NY: Doubleday &

Company, Inc., 1964), p. 151-167: "The Bitter One: Arshile Gorky"• Matossian, Nouritza. Black Angel, The Life of Arshile Gorky. Overlook Press, NY 2001• Goats on the Roof, Arshile Gorky: A Life in Letters and Documents. Ed. Matthew Spender. Ridinghouse, London

2009

External links• Arshile Gorky (http:/ / www. moma. org/ collection/ artist. php?artist_id=2252) at the Museum of Modern Art• Artcyclopedia (http:/ / www. artcyclopedia. com/ artists/ gorky_arshile. html)• Artnet - Arshile Gorky Art Images (http:/ / www. artnet. com/ ag/ fineartthumbnails. asp?aid=7220)• Arshile Gorky Biography: Hollis Taggart Galleries (http:/ / www. hollistaggart. com/ artists/ gorky. htm)• Whistler House Museum of Art, Lowell, MA – Drawings & Paintings by Arshile Gorky: Mina Boehm Metzger

Collection (http:/ / www. whistlerhouse. org/ )• The Arshile Gorky Foundation – The official website for information on the artist (http:/ / www.

arshilegorkyfoundation. org/ )

Article Sources and Contributors 6

Article Sources and ContributorsArshile Gorky  Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?oldid=424797926  Contributors: A.Kurtz, Alansohn, Alp1776, Armatura, Badagnani, Baristarim, Bender235, Benfo-Dutch, Bigheaeded bob, Bluemoose, Butsurfers, Camembert, Cbernasc, Cbrown1023, Cbustapeck, CommonsDelinker, Concise21, Crzycheetah, Curtbarnes, D6, DBaba, DVD R W, Dfx, EchoBravo,EncycloPetey, Everyking, False vacuum, Fedayee, Fosterchild555, Fpga, Freshacconci, Gabkhach, Gevorg89, Good Olfactory, Groucho, Hmains, Hovhannesk, Hovik95, Hu12,Hughcharlesparker, Iterator12n, JNW, JackofOz, Johnpacklambert, Jujutacular, Kernel Saunters, Kevmitch, Kingturtle, Kobolf, Kuaichik, Kwamikagami, Lambiam, LeeNapier, Leightonwalter,Lentando, Levdr1, Lithoderm, Lockley, Look2See1, Lou051, M1tk4, Mandarax, Manytexts, Marika Herskovic, Meowy, Michael David, Mindspillage, Mkid1, Modernist, Never been to spain,Norm mit, Pablopicasso35, Pethan, Pil56, Quadell, RaffiKojian, Redthoreau, Revricky, Rjwilmsi, RodC, Rowanberrycognac, Rsage, Salmon1, SarahStierch, Senthil82k, Serouj, Slitboy,Sluzzelin, Sophitus, Sparkit, Steelmate, Stepshep, Strontium90, Surrealism Nut, TA-ME, Teak, The Singing Badger, Thegreenj, Thomas Capuano, Threeafterthree, Timmy04, Tjmayerinsf,Tyrenius, Vartan84, VartanM, Violaplayer26, VirtualDelight, Vonones, Waggers, Wikibofh, Wizardman, Yegishe, 81 anonymous edits

Image Sources, Licenses and ContributorsFile:Photo of Arshile Gorky by Xavier Fourcade (detail).jpg  Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=File:Photo_of_Arshile_Gorky_by_Xavier_Fourcade_(detail).jpg  License:unknown  Contributors: Magog the Ogre, TyreniusImage:The Artist and His Mother.jpg  Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=File:The_Artist_and_His_Mother.jpg  License: unknown  Contributors: Arshile GorkyImage:master-bill.jpg  Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=File:Master-bill.jpg  License: unknown  Contributors: Modernist, Never been to spain, SeroujFile:Gorky-The-Liver.jpg  Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=File:Gorky-The-Liver.jpg  License: unknown  Contributors: Mechamind90, Modernist, Tyrenius

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