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2015 AnExhibitionofWorksbyGERSHONISKOWITZPaintingsfromthe1960sand70sApril25th-May302015Thereisanoften-repeatedGershonIskowitzstoryrelatingaturningpointandbreakthroughinhispainting.HavingreceivedaCanadaCouncilgrantin1967totraveltoChurchillManitobatheconsequenceofaconversationandsuggestionbyafriendhecharteredahelicoptertoflyovertheArcticlandscape.Onhisreturntheworksnappedintoafullflightabstractionandwascelebratedforitsfreshvisionandinventiveness.Itisatemptingandsatisfyinganecdoteinlocatinganoriginforcreativeinspiration.IftherearediscerniblelandscapecuesinhisworkandsometruthtotheArcticexperiencehereturnedafewtimesletusnotrelegateIskowitztoapainterintheserviceofit.In1971hestatedpaintingisjustanextensionofmyself.ItsaplasticinterpretationofthewayIthink.COVERHIGHLANDBLUE1detail1977OilonCanvas66x72inches.167.6x182.9cm Thereisampleevidenceinthisselectionofworks.Wecanrightlyadmirethemindimprintofthe1970sHighlandsOctoberNovemberandRedGpaintingstheirvibrancyandatthesametimeofferingthecontemplative.Thequalitiesofcolourandcomposition-spaceareIskowitzsowninvention.ButIskowitzwaswellonthisroadintheearly1960swithhisParrySoundworksalocationhefrequentedbeginninginthemid-1950s.LateSummerEveningisanocturnemovingtowardsafullabstractionitisnotastretchtoimagineanaffinitytothe19thcenturyBritishartistSamuelPalmer.CompareittoSummer77No.51977.ApartfromtheobviousdifferencesinthepaletteandscaletheyshareavisionofdensityandcomplexitysotoofortheunderappreciatedatleastIthinksoandremarkableLowlandspaintingsfrom1969.ThinkingandassociationisthemiracleofthehumanbrainasAmericanengineerandinventorVannevarBushwroteina1945articleAsWeMayThinkthespeedofactiontheintricacyoftrailsthedetailofmentalpicturesisawe-inspiringbeyondallelseinnature.InthissenseIskowitzsworkandstatementisaboutpaintingasthinkingthementalpicturesalthoughtheformalaspectscannotbedenied.Oneinsightisevidencedinagroupoflatecareerpalettes60x60cmboardsheusedtomixhispaintsnowinthearchivesoftheArtGalleryofOntario.Unlikemostarchivedpalettesthatarefetishizedfortheirartist-auraIskowitzscolourandstructureisalltherelikerototypepaintingsandwhichManRayinacomparableseriesofhisworksin1959titledNaturalPainting.Iskowitzstotalizingvisionspontaneousyetmeasuredhasitsorigininthenatureofthemind.Dr.IhorHolubizkySeniorCuratorMcMasterMuseumofArt LOWLANDS101969OilonCanvas52x38inches132x96.5cmSignedanddatedlowerleft LATESUMMEREVENING1962OilonCanvas45x50inches114x127cmSignedanddatedlowerright WhydoIpaintItisjustacertainkindofexpressionmyexpression.GershonIskowitz1977 HIGHLANDINGREEN11977OilonCanvas42x36inches106.7x94cmSignedtitledanddatedonverso HIGHLANDBLUE11977OilonCanvas66x72inches167.6x182.9cmSignedtitledanddatedonverso NOVEMBER31976OilonCanvas52x48inches132.1x121.9cm REDG1979OilonCanvas62x54inches157.5x137.2cmSignedtitledanddatedonverso SUMMER77NO.5B611977OilonCanvas71x79inches180.3x200.7cmSignedtitledanddatedonverso Ialwaystrytogetendlessspacethatwontstoptheeyesothatitcanlookthrough.GershonIskowitz1977 OCTOBER21976OilonCanvas55x47inches139.7x119.4cmSignedtitledanddatedonverso 16AHazeltonAvenueTorontoOntarioM5R2E2tel416.925.2461fineartmiriamshiell.comwww.miriamshiell.com