George Chemeche Drawings and Watercolor Paintings

Genre: Contemporary Subject: Landscape Medium: Watercolor, Ink Surface: Paper Country: United States Dimensions w/Frame: 24.75" x 31" George Chemeche, a Jewish artist, was born in 1934 in Basra, Iraq. From 1951-53 he served in the Israeli Army. Chemeche studied at the Avni Art School in Tel Aviv and the Ecole des Beaux Arts in Paris. The style with which he is intimately associated, pattern and decoration painting, is non-minimalist, sensuous, romantic, rational and decorative. Its methods, thematic material and referents range across cultural and class lines. The style is two-dimensional, non-hierarchical, allover and acentric. Because most viewers respond with delight to patterning, it runs counter to the modernist taboo against a decorative quality in art. Though pattern painting's roots are in modern art, it contradicts some of its basic tenets as it attempts to assimilate aspects of Western and non-Western culture not previously accepted into the realm of high art. Though most people intuitively recognize patterning, it is difficult to define. The most serviceable definition is that pattern is the systematic repetition of a motif or motifs used to cover a surface uniformly. The spaces between motifs are either other motifs or are an integral part of the repeat. Whatever from the painting takes, its flat and pictorial space is at a minimum. What makes patterning in pattern painting different from patterning in the "functional" arts-weaving, mosaics and so on, and especially in the art of non-Western cultures-is partly the use of pigment on canvas, but also, and of greater importance, intention and context. The intention is to make a high-art statement within a contemporary context by referring to, and using what to many still remains within the world of non-art. Pattern painting, unlike abstractionism, has structure. It also has content as it refers to patterns in the real world. Usually, patterning intentionally acknowledges the decorative function of art, reconciling both the decorative and the meaningful. George's work hangs in the lobby of the Hotel Chelsea where many have admired it for years. Last year, we had the pleasure of hearing George read his poems of life and love in the Chelsea at the Bowery Poetry Club. Like many Chelsea residents, George was a long time member of McBurney Y until they moved to 14th St. At left, George's response to their move. Living in the Hotel Chelsea since 1972 has taught George a valuable lesson: never ask Women and dogs about their age. Selected Biography: 1934 Born in Basra, Iraq. 1947 Fled Iraq with his family. 1947-49 Lives and attends school in Tehran. 1949 Immigrates to Israel. 1956-59 Studies art in Avni Art School, Tel-Aviv. 1959 Gets American-Israeli Culture Foundation grant to study art in Paris. 1959-1962 Studies at Ecole Supérieure des Beaux Arts, Paris. 1961- Gets two years grant from Lady Francis Fergusson, Scotland. 1962 Gets one year grant from Alex de Rothschild, Paris. First man show at Gallery Transposition, Paris. 1965-72 Exhibits his work in numerous art galleries in Israel including one man show at Haifa Museum. 1972 Travels to New York, checks in the Hotel Chelsea. 1977-- First one-man show in USA at Louis K. Meisel Gallery, New York, followed by other shows around the country and Europe. 1995 Travels to Iceland to publish the Aya Series book. Text by Donald Kuspit; Art Resourses & Technologies, New York, NY. 2002 Publishes, Ibejis: “The Cult of Yoruba Twins” 5 Continents Edition, Milan, Italy. 2003 Curates a show at Museum of African Art, NYC. Ibejis: The Doubly Blessed Twins. 2005 Reads his poems at the Bowery Poetry Club, New York. 2010 Lectures about Ibeji art and cult at Iowa University. 2011 Lectures about Ibeji Art and cult at Neuberger Museum. 2011 Publishes, The Horse Rider in African Art” ACC, UK. INDIVIDUAL EXHIBITIONS: 1978 Goldman Art Gallery, Haifa, Israel. 1977 Louis K. Meisel Gallery, New York. Alexandra Monett Gallery, Brussels. 1977 Givon Art GaJIery, Tel Aviv. 1974 South Houston Gallery, New York. Ray Landis Gallery, East Brunswick, New Jersey. 1973 Gala Gallery, Key Biscayne, Florida. Art Asia Gallery, Cambridge, Mass. Bertha Urdang Gallery, New York. 1972 Selected Artists Gallery, New York. Mabat Art Gallery, Tel Aviv. 1971 Goldman Art Gallery, Haifa, Israel. 1970 Modern Art Gallery, Old Jaffa. 1969 Dugith Art Gallery, Tel Aviv. 1968 Dugith Art Gallery, Te Aviv. 1967 Hadassa "K" Klachkin Art Gallery, Tel Aviv. 1966 Rina Art Gallery, Jerusalem The Museum of Modern Art, Haifa. 1965 Chemerinsky Art Gallery, Tel Aviv. 1963 Galerie Transposition, Paris Collective Exhibitions. 1978 Gordon Gallery, Tel Aviv, "Six Artists". Biv Gallery, New York, "Chelsea Artists". Makler Gallery, Philadelphia, Pa. 1978 "FJ.A.C.," Petit Palais Paris Galerie Naire, Paris. 1977 Weintraub Gallery, New York, Print Show. 1971 OHana Gallery, London. "Six Artists", Modern Art Gallery, Old Jaffa. 1969 The Autumn Exhibition, Tel Aviv Museum. 1965 "Young Artists", TeJ Aviv Museum. 1963 Salon de La Jeune Peinture, Musee d'art Moderne, Paris. The main representatives of Pattern Painting are Kim MacConnel, Tina Girouard, Joyce Kozloff, Frank Faulkner, Robert Kushner, François Rouan, Kendall Shaw...