ARTHUR HAMMER THE ARTIST
Arthur Hammer (1932–2012) was a self-taught artist, who was strongly influenced by other artists, such as, Alice Neel, Marsden Hartley, and German expressionist, Max Beckmann.
He was a multi year inhabitant of Long Island City, Queens, when it was known as an artist's community. There, he leased a three-story brownstone, which was said to be the home of the first Queensborough President. Since he had three stories, and 17-feet-high ceilings, he could paint and showcase his work of art all through the house. His home turned into a cutting edge salon where he would host various gatherings welcoming companions and benefactors, which is the manner by which he regularly sold his work. He had an extremely diverse, and patrons, and supporters, whom he would amuse with accounts of his life, over a wide span of time. Albeit self taught, he sustained himself, and received handsome payment for his works. Over the most recent seven years of his life he solely sustained himself through his artistic creations.
Hammer started his life as an on-screen character, and moved to NYC from Cleveland, Ohio at 18 years old to take acting classes. He had some accomplishment in little parts on sitcoms (CPO Sharkey), made-for-TV motion pictures, for example, Rage of Angles, featuring Jaclyn Smith, and additionally commercials.
His greatest accomplishment as an actor came in 1979, at the Winter Garden Theater, where he assumed a supporting job, as the journalist, in the creation of Zoot Suit.
With no formal training, he got his first brush in 1961, at 27 years old. Indeed, even while he was acting, he kept on painting. His first art show came in 1963, at The Gallery of Four Walls. In the late 1960s, while living in Greenwich Village, in NYC, he additionally started to manufacture chess sets from mechanical parts. His chess set is showcased in a book distributed by the Museum of Modern Art, by F. Lanier, entitled Chess Sets. One set stays in presence, with his daughter, Deirdre Hammer.
In the mid 1980s, Hammer surrendered his acting profession to commit himself to his art. In the mid 1990s, he opened his own shop, on West 26th Street, where he focused on offering works by Leon Bibel, of the the WPA, period. In his shop, he also displayed his own works, where he received much attention and adulation.
In 2005, Hammer shut his exhibition on West 26th Street, and dedicated himself to his own works, which he continue until his passing in 2012. In 2008, he was the beneficiary of the esteemed Pollak/Krasner grant.
Since his death in 2012, several works have been acquired by various museums. In spite of the fact that he was self taught, galleries have regularly remarked that his works have a tendency to outperform both outcast workmanship, as well as Art Brute, which are frequently connected with artists who live on the edge of society, which he did not.
His favorite images to paint were portraits. He was referred to among his associates as "the poor man's Alice Neel". At the time of his death, more than 80 representations of portraits, reflecting his friends, and benefactors.
The galleries who have gained his works include: The Georgia Museum of Art, 2017, procured his artistic creation, "Domino Dark", some portion of a progression of depictions in light of the Brooklyn Domino sugar manufacturing plant. A comparable, lighter adaptation, of the work of art was likewise procured by The Queens Museum in 2013.
In 2016, four of his artistic creations were obtained by The Leslie Lohman Museum in New York City. These works of art incorporated the pictures "Jack and Harvey", "Johnny in Gray", "Andrew", and "Costa". In March 2017, the Leslie Lohman Museum opened another building and had a multi year review of the historical center and it's history. In that show, the work of art of "Jack and Harvey" was noticeably highlighted.
In 2014, four of the specialists depictions were procured by the American Museum of Visionary Art. It is simply the biggest gallery committed showed specialists, and is situated close to the Inner Harbor in Baltimore, MD. In 2015, one of the compositions, El Martillo, turned into the highlighted painting of the historical centers Big Hope appear. Additionally obtained by AMVA were "Louisa Conchetta", "Johnny in an Antique Chair", and a "Self-Portrait of the Artist in Blue".
Not long after his death, in 2013, the Queens Museum of Art, in Flushing, Queens obtained two of his Queens inspired works entitled "Along the #7 Line", and "Domino Sugar Factory".
One painting amid the artists lifetime was obtained by The Berkshire Museum in Pittsfield, MA, entitled Bash Bish Falls.
Additionally, to date, three of his pieces have been sold at auction, and his sale costs can be seen on Ask Art.
Amid his lifetime, Hammer sold many paintings to companions, and faithful benefactors. A considerable lot of his supporters procured a few of his artworks consistently, and now gloat of their own "Arthur Hammer collections". His customers have included, private collectors', other artists, and performers, for example, Sting (Perplexity of a Monkey), and in addition, those in the motion picture industry, for example, the Producer of the X Files, Bob Goodwin, and his better half Shelia, who were great friends' of the artist.
Arthur Hammer was passionate about life, and he had an almost boundless energy. His sprit, and his joie di vivre, are strongly reflected in his work. He was recently interred at the famous Green-Wood Cemetery, in Brooklyn, NY, and they also acquired two paintings; self-portrait in a black robe, and Backyard at Night.
References[edit]
This article "ARTHUR HAMMER THE ARTIST" is from Wikipedia. The list of its authors can be seen in its historical and/or the page Edithistory:ARTHUR HAMMER THE ARTIST. Articles copied from Draft Namespace on Wikipedia could be seen on the Draft Namespace of Wikipedia and not main one.
