By Dave Fox
Located in Pasadena, CA
"Vibrant" is the name of a series of serigraphs about the 4 seasons in the city, created in the 1960s by the artist Dave Fox. Fox was fascinated by the ever-changing urban landscape of Los Angeles, the City of Angels, and its suburbs. Austria, specifically Vienna, where the artist was from, was dominated by emblematic architecture that contributed to making the city this amazing architectural ensemble, but the styles that made it famous and marked it the most deeply were undoubtedly the Austrian Baroque and the Jugendstil: Art Nouveau. American urban architecture reflected a different space and culture when Fox emigrated to the US, and it was probably an interesting subject and a source of inspiration for him as an artist.
This serigraphy E/25 depicts a simplified representation of American urban architecture and showcases the fall atmosphere through its use of orange texture and brown hues and graphic structures. The piece falls under the category of geometric abstract, which emerged during a period of urban transformation in the United States. It offers a perspective on the culture and space of that time. Fox, who was also a figurative painter, voluntarily chose to express his astonishment and emotions by moving from the former figurative reality of his birth country to an abstract rendering of a new reality.
The result is a painting with rectangular, horizontal, and vertical forms, one of which presents an opening of light, embedded in one of the towering American buildings. The piece is hand signed and numbered in pencil.
Dave Fox was born in Vienna, Austria in 1920, where he lived until shortly after the annexation of Austria in late 1938. Dave escaped via the German-Belgium border, seeking refuge in Belgium. From there he came to the United States in December 1939 and settled in Los Angeles. Dave was inducted into and served with the U.S. Army in the Philippines and Japan.
Returning to the US, Dave studied at some of the first art schools in Los Angeles. He studied with artists, such as Rico Lebrun, Frances de Erderly, and Emil Bistrim at the Bistrim School of Fine Art. At the Jepson Art Institute, Guy Maccoy, a noted pioneer in the art of serigraphy introduced Dave to printmaking. After completing his studies, Dave was employed by an electronics firm as an artist and graphic designer. Dave went on to earn his BFA, MA, and MFA in drawing and painting with a special emphasis in printmaking from California State University Fullerton. Dave’s work included printmaking, painting, drawing, ceramics, and computer graphics.
Dave Fox was an observer of life and translated all that he saw, heard, or experienced into his artwork. Growing up in Austria, the countryside was his playground. From early on Dave belonged to hiking groups and honed his observation skills, which he transferred to his new life in Los Angeles.
In Los Angeles, Dave found new playgrounds – the LA Farmers Market, Melrose Ave., and the streets of Los Angeles at a time of growth and change. It was through his association with Jewish Federation in Los Angeles that he met his wife, Senta. Shortly after their marriage, they moved to Orange County, where they raised their two children.
Dave divided his artwork equally between landscapes and people. He perfected his skills at drawing the human form and giving it personality and life. Throughout his long career, he always returned to themes that reflected his Jewish upbringing. His sketchpad, always with him, became his vehicle for capturing the world he saw.
His interest in Jewish subjects was reflected in the people walking on Melrose Avenue; in the people enjoying Farmer’s Market in LA; in the chestnut vendor and the fish seller; in the Shabbat series, and in the abstract series reflecting a return to Jerusalem. Finally, when Dave turned his attention to ceramics he created a series of Jewish ceremonial objects – seder plates, Kiddush cups, and Havdalah sets...
Category
1960s Abstract Geometric Dave Fox Art