Gershon Iskowitz: Difference between revisions

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Gershon Iskowitz was born in Kielce, Poland, on November 21st, 1921 ^[1].`` He never saw a painting until after the end of WWW II yet he began to draw at the age of four. He had little formal education and, with the exception of a six month association with Oskar Kokoschka, was a self taught artist.

"The Jewish environment in the Tsarist Pale of Settlement from the end of the eighteenth century to the beginning of the twentieth was one long series of economic, cultural, political and economic oppression. These deprivations had deep effects on the physical, spiritual, and emotional life of the people." ^[2]

Early Life

At the age of four he attended the Chachmei Lublin Yeshiva. All the children's activities took place in the same big rooms. This constant noise greatly disturbed Gershon. After a year and a half he begged his father, Shmiel Yankl, to be allowed to return home and was given permission to do so.

He was tutored in Polish and placed in a public school. However the principal was the secretary of the Polish Nazi Party - Narodowa Demokracja. Thus Gershon was often bullied at school. He only lasted two and a half years at the school. This pattern of disconnection with educational institutions and self instruction continued throughout his life.

At the age of nine he offered to exchange original art posters for free admission to one week night screening and the six hour Saturday matinee at a local Jewish Cinema. The cinema owner agreed. Twice a week Gershon would take his sister, Devorah, to the movies. The owner of the second Jewish cinema asked for posters as well. This time Gershon charged a fee. After purchasing art supplies and ice cream he turned the balance over to his father.

Internment during WW II

He registered at the Academy of Fine Arts in Warsaw in 1939. But war broke out and he was forced to return to Kielce and put to forced labour. In September of 1943 the Kielce Ghetto was liquidated. Gershon and his brother, Yosl, were sent to Auschwitz. Gershon painted or drew at night after every one was asleep as he would have been severely beaten or even executed for this activity.

Chronology (1921- 1988)^[3]

1921	Born in Kielce, Poland
1939	Registered at Warsaw Academy of Art. At outbreak of war in September, put to forced labor.
1943	September. Gershon and brother, Yosl, transported to Auschwitz.
1944	Transferred to Buchenwald in the fall.
1945	11 April. Liberation of Buchenwald by U.S. forces. In hospital at Buchenwald. Then was sent to recuperate at hospital near Munich.
1947	January to May. Studied at Munich Academy of Art. Private study with Oskar Kokoschka.
1949	Emigrated to Canada and settled in Toronto.
1952	Attended Artist's Workshop, Toronto (until 1959-60). Began sketching trips to Markham and Uxbridge.
1953	Part-time teaching at Holy Blossom Temple and YMHA. First trip to Lake Simcoe.
1954	First exhibition with the Canadian Society of Graphic Artists. Part-time teaching at McKellar Lake.
1957	First one-man exhibition, Hayter Gallery, Toronto
1960	First one-man exhibition with [\|Here and Now Gallery], Toronto. Associated with the gallery until it closed in 1963.
1961	Solo exhibition at Victoria College, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario.
1962	Moved to his own studio on Spadina Avenue, Toronto.
1964	Became associated with Gallery Moos, Toronto. First of many one-man exhibitions at Gallery Moos from 1964 to 1988.
1967	Solo exhibition at Waterloo University, Waterloo, Ontario (Retrospective Exhibition). Part-time teaching at Three Schools until 1970. First Trip to Churchill, Manitoba.
1970	Group exhibition ‘Eight Artists From Canada,’ Tel-Aviv Museum, Tel-Aviv, Israel.
1972	Chosen with Walter Redinger by the National Gallery of Canada to represent Canada at the XXXVI Venice Biennale, Venice, Italy.
1973	Solo exhibition at Hart House, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario. Group exhibition ‘The Canadian Canvas,’ traveling exhibition organized by Time Canada.
1974	Elected a member of the Royal Canadian Academy.
1975	One-man exhibition at Glenbow-Alberta Institute, Calgary, Alberta.
1976	Solo exhibition at Gallery Moos, Toronto, Ontario.
1977	One-man exhibition at Martha Jackson Gallery, New York, NY. Was awarded a medal in honor of the Queen’s silver jubilee. Solo exhibition at the Art Gallery of Nova Scotia, Halifax, Nova Scotia. Solo exhibition at Gallery Moos, Toronto, Ontario. Group exhibition ‘Seven Canadian Painters,’ Canada Council Art Bank, traveling exhibition throughout New Zealand and Australia.
1980	Group exhibition ‘Contemporary Canadian Art,’ Nabisco World Headquarters Reception Gallery, East Hanover, New York. Group exhibition ‘A Selection of Canadian Paintings,’ The Art Gallery at Harbourfront, Toronto, Ontario.
1981	Purchased and moved to larger studio at 85 Tecumseth Street. Group exhibition ‘Other Places, Other Painters; Canadian Contemporary Art,’ Sir George Wlliams Art Gallery, Concordia University, Montreal, Quebec.
1982	Retrospective exhibition at the Art Gallery of Ontario, Toronto. The exhibition travelled throughout Canada and to London, England (March 1983).
1983	One-man exhibition, Marisa del Re Gallery, New York, NY.
1985	Establishes the Gershon Iskowitz Foundation and the Gershon Iskowitz Prize in association with the Canada Council.
1988	Gershon Iskowitz passes away in Toronto, Ontario.

One-Man Exhibitions

Group Exhibitions

Winners of the Gershon Iskowitz Prize

Bibliography

References

^ Gershon Iskowitz: Painter of Light, by Adele Freedman, Merritt Publishing Company Limited, 1982, ISBN 0-920866-16-7
^ Yiddish Folksongs from the Ruth Rubin Archive, edited by Chana Mlotek and Mark Slobin, published in 2007 in cooperation with the YIVO Institute for Jewish Research, ISBN 978-0-8143-3258-0, p. xii
^ Catalogue of an exhibition held at the Art Gallery of Ontario, Toronto, Ont., Jan. 23-Mar. 7, 1982, and other museums. Curated by Burnett, David. ISBN 9780919876828

[1] Gershon Iskowitz: Painter of Light, by Adele Freedman, Merritt Publishing Company Limited, 1982, ISBN 0-920866-16-7

[2] Yiddish Folksongs from the Ruth Rubin Archive, edited by Chana Mlotek and Mark Slobin, published in 2007 in cooperation with the YIVO Institute for Jewish Research, ISBN 978-0-8143-3258-0, p. xii

[3] Catalogue of an exhibition held at the Art Gallery of Ontario, Toronto, Ont., Jan. 23-Mar. 7, 1982, and other museums. Curated by Burnett, David. ISBN 9780919876828

[1]

[2]

[3]

@@ Line 1: / Line 1: @@
-{{prose}}'''Gershon Iskowitz''' was born in [[Kielce]], Poland, on November 21st, 1921 <ref>Gershon Iskowitz: Painter of Light, by Adele Freedman, Merritt Publishing Company Limited, 1982, ISBN 0-920866-16-7  </ref>.`` He never saw a painting until after the end of WWW II yet he began to draw at the age of four while attending the [[Chachmei Lublin Yeshiva]]. All the children's activities took place in the same big rooms. This constant noise greatly disturbed Gershon. After a year and a half he begged his father to be allowed to return home and was given permission to do so.
+{{prose}}'''Gershon Iskowitz''' was born in [[Kielce]], Poland, on November 21st, 1921 <ref>Gershon Iskowitz: Painter of Light, by Adele Freedman, Merritt Publishing Company Limited, 1982, ISBN 0-920866-16-7  </ref>.`` He never saw a painting until after the end of WWW II yet he began to draw at the age of four. He had little formal education and, with the exception of a  six month association with [[Oskar Kokoschka]], was a self taught artist.
 "The Jewish environment in the Tsarist [[Pale of Settlement]] from the end of the eighteenth century to the beginning of the twentieth was one long series of economic, cultural, political and economic oppression. These deprivations had deep effects on the physical, spiritual, and emotional life of the people." <ref>Yiddish Folksongs from the Ruth Rubin Archive, edited by Chana Mlotek and Mark Slobin, published in 2007 in cooperation with the YIVO Institute for Jewish Research, ISBN 978-0-8143-3258-0, p. xii</ref>
+== Early Life ==
+At the age of four he attended the [[Chachmei Lublin Yeshiva]]. All the children's activities took place in the same big rooms. This constant noise greatly disturbed Gershon. After a year and a half he begged his father, Shmiel Yankl, to be allowed to return home and was given permission to do so.
 He was tutored in Polish and placed in a public school. However the principal was the secretary of the Polish Nazi Party - [[Narodowa Demokracja]]. Thus Gershon was often bullied at school. He only lasted two and a half years at the school. This pattern of disconnection with educational institutions and self instruction continued throughout his life.
-At the age of nine he walked to one of the two Jewish cinemas in Kielce and offered to exchange original art posters for free admission to one week night screening and the six hour Saturday matinee. The cinema owner agreed. Twice a week Gershon would take his sister, Devorah, to the movies. The owner of the second Jewish cinema asked for posters as well. This time Gershon charged a fee. After purchasing art supplies and ice cream he turned the balance over to his father.
+At the age of nine he offered to exchange original art posters for free admission to one week night screening and the six hour Saturday matinee at a local Jewish Cinema. The cinema owner agreed. Twice a week Gershon would take his sister, Devorah, to the movies. The owner of the second Jewish cinema asked for posters as well. This time Gershon charged a fee. After purchasing art supplies and ice cream he turned the balance over to his father.
+== Internment during WW II ==
-He registered at the [[Academy of Fine Arts in Warsaw]] in 1939. But war broke out and he was forced to return to Kielce and put to forced labour. In September of 1942 the Kielce Ghetto was liquidated.
+He registered at the [[Academy of Fine Arts in Warsaw]] in 1939. But war broke out and he was forced to return to Kielce and put to forced labour. In September of 1943 the Kielce Ghetto was liquidated. Gershon and his brother, Yosl, were sent to Auschwitz. Gershon painted or drew at night after every one was asleep as he would have been severely beaten or even executed for this activity.
 == Chronology (1921- 1988)<ref>Catalogue of an exhibition held at the Art Gallery of Ontario, Toronto, Ont., Jan. 23-Mar. 7, 1982, and other museums. Curated by Burnett, David. ISBN 9780919876828 </ref>==
@@ Line 99: / Line 103: @@
 [[Category:1988 deaths]]
 [[Category:Canadian painters]]
+[[Category:Holocaust painters]]