 Portfolio of
Leon Oks
Interview with Artist
| |
| | | |
Artist Statement
I paint for the satisfaction of the created work. It is important for me that my audience, in a very simple, perhaps old-fashioned way, gets pure enjoyment and pleasure from viewing and living with my paintings. This speaks to the power of art to transcend the troubles and realities of life and offer an alternate vision.
Leon Oks
Biography
When Leon Oks was a young boy, he already knew in a childish, formless way what excited him and gave him a feeling of intense joy and pleasure. Not yet old enough to really understand, he looked at the world around him and was captivated in a way that he vividly remembers but finds hard to describe. The colors, the compositions of nature’s beauty, the faces on bodies, the light and the dark, all touched him and he knew even then that his passion for creating art was implanted.
He was born in the Ukrainian city of Zhitomir in the former Soviet Union. In 1941, when he was two years old, his father was drafted into the army and was soon killed in the line of duty. His surviving family consisting of himself, two siblings, mother, and grandparents was uprooted from Zhitomir and forced to flee over and over again to safer villages, not yet occupied by the Germans. They endured constant instability and frustration in a dreadful, hopeless World War II environment. In 1945, after the war, the family was able to return to ZhitomirThe home consisted of one, rickety room that served as living room and bedroom for six people, and another tiny kitchen with an ancient wood burning brick stove. It was during those postwar years (when he was six) that he began to draw and paint at night in the kitchen when the family was asleep.
One of his most vivid memories was the gathering that used to occur in front of this house. Where neighbors shared their troubles with each other. Leon was a quiet boy, always observing. He remembers reacting strongly to the stories he heard and the emotions that were displayed. The faces, gestures, and moods left their mark. Their longing and melancholy can be traced in many of the expressions that his painted figures wear.
As he grew and matured his need to create art became inevitability. Without instruction, he started copying the masters. These pictures, their power silently transferring to his hand, became his first mentors. He was also drawn to create studies from nature and spent many days walking through the nearby observing the awesome beauty and grandeur that surrounded him. His sensitivity to color, which he developed quickly, was developed against this backdrop. All of these self-taught experiences served as a foundation, which carried him into formal training at the School of Fine Arts which was rigorous and disciplined.
At that time, the Soviet approach to art and culture was purely conservative. Painting, like all the other arts, was expected to support and glorify the communist party line. Though offensive and distasteful to Oks, he was expected to work in this tradition. It was no surprise then that his first exhibition of portraits, landscapes, and what later came to be labeled as “ imaginary expressionism” was quickly censured, It was insulting to the artist by calling these works “twisted modernism” and accusing him of following Western (as opposed to national, Soviet) influences. Ironically, the paintings were nothing more but expressive realism, with their emphasis on the interior psyche of the model. The landscapes were more Impressionist than anything else, with their free and vigorous brush strokes. Whatever political and cultural treason they thought Oks was displaying - clearly a mirror of their own paranoia.
His arrival in the United States in 1980 was more than a liberation of the body but an exhilarating freeing of his potential. Leaving behind the grinding pressure under which he desperately tried to remain true to his own vision, he was now able to fully embrace this newfound opportunity. The seeds that were germinating internally for so long flourished and flowered into his current paintings; the female form, lush and sumptuous, alone or in intricate organic primordial clusters, the tottering, shaky little villages evoking bittersweet nostalgia of childhood, and the forest of birch trees which breathe, sway and beckon. These myriad variations of forms, seemingly unconnected, are chained together by his unabashed romanticism and a commitment to extracting the most expression possible from a fluid line.
Mr. Oks has exhibited widely across the United States and Europe, and is a frequent contributor to Art Expos around the world. He has received many first place awards in juried art shows both nationally and worldwide. His paintings can be found in numerous private collections, corporations, as well as museums. Frequently anthologized in such volumes as International Contemporary Masters, Famous Contemporary Artists, Portraits d’Artistes (Editions Regards, 2007). Art 20-21 century Internationally selected artists published in France. He has been featured in a lavish monograph, Leon Oks: Dreamscape, published by World of Art in 2007 and co-written by Petru Russu. He lives and teaches in the Chicago area where he has a large circle of devoted students and friends.
Shows
Selected Exhibitions:
RENAISSANCE COURT GALLERY, CHICAGO CULTURAL CENTER: “Later Impressions.” Chicago, IL. November 9 – December 4, 2009.
RHYTHM (LEON OKS INVITATIONAL), Solo show Stara d’Arts Gallery. Laguna Beach, CA. July 11, 2009 – September, 2009.
ARTEXPO NEW YORK, Javits Convention Center. New York, NY. February 26 - March 2, 2009.
ELMHURST ART MUSEUM, “Awakening”. (Solo Show) November 30, 2008 through January 2, 2009. 150 Cottage Hill Elmhurst, IL 60126.
EXPO ART MONTREAL 2008: Art moderne et contemporaine. Place Bonaventure. October 23-26, 2008.
ARTEXPO LAS VEGAS, Mandalay Bay Resort Convention Center. Las Vegas, NV. September 19-21, 2008.
RENAISSANCE COURT GALLERY, CHICAGO CULTURAL CENTER: “Insights into a Culture.” (Group show). Chicago, IL. March 28 - May 4, 2008.
COUTURE FASHION WEEK, NEW YORK, NY: “USA International Fashion Shows.” September 5, 6, and 7, 2008
ARTEXPO NEW YORK, Javits Convention Center. New York, NY. February 28 - March 3, 2008.
ROYALE GALLERIES Inc. (work is on permanent exhibition). New York, NY. 2007-2008.
LATINO ART MUSEUM: “International Art Show.” (Juried group show). Pomona, CA. February, 2008.
FLORENCE BIENNALE: “Biennale Internazionale dell’Arte Contemporanea, Citta di Firenze. ” (Group show.) Florence, Italy. December 1 -9, 2007.
AMERICAN LEGION MEMORIAL CIVIC CENTER: “World of Dreamscape.” (Solo show). Morton Grove, IL. December 2007.
ARTEXPO LAS VEGAS, Mandalay Bay Resort Convention Center. Las Vegas, NV. September 28 - 30, 2007.
MUSEUM OF THE AMERICAS: “May Salon.” (Juried group show). Miami, FL. May 11 - June 2, 2007.
ARTEXPO NEW YORK, Javits Convention Center. New York, NY. March 1 - 5, 2007.
AMERICAN LEGION MEMORIAL CIVIC CENTER: “Dreamscape.” (Solo show). Morton Grove, IL. October 2006.
MUSEUM OF THE AMERICAS: “International Summer Exhibition.” (Juried group show). Miami, FL. August 11 - September 2, 2006.
LINEART 2005: “Contemporary International Artists.” (International art fair, presented by JMA Gallery, Vienna, Austria). Ghent, Belgium. December 2 - 6, 2005.
CRISOLART GALLERIES: “Barcelona ’05, Exposicion del Mes de la Hispanidad.” Barcelona, Spain. October 14 – November 5, 2005.
MUSEUM OF THE AMERICAS: “Salon de Mayo.” (Juried group show?). Miami, FL. May 13 – June 4, 2005.
CRISOLART GALLERIES: “International Artists in Copenhagen.” (group show organized by the Museum of the Americas.) Copenhagen, Denmark, May 10 - 25, 2005.
CRISOLART GALLERIES: “Salon Internacionale IV Centenario Don Quijote De La Mancha.” Barcelona, Spain. February 4 - 24, 2005.
AAI GALLERY, JACKIE MAUERSBERGER-ARCE GALLERY: “Internationale Zeitgenossische Kunstler.” Vienna, Austria. November 4 - 27, 2004.
MUSEUM OF THE AMERICAS: “Encounters.” (Juried group show.) September 10 - October 2, 2004.
CRISOLART GALLERIES: “Gruppeudstilling af kunstnere fra:.” (Group show.) Copenhagen, Denmark. August 20 - September 10, 2004.
LATIN AMERICAN ART MUSEUM: “International Summer Art Show.” Miami, FL. June 11-31, 2004.
CRISOLART GALLERIES: "Homenaje a Salvador Dali.” (Group show in honor of the Dali Centennial, 2004). Barcelona, Spain. June 18 - July 1, 2004.
PLAZA DE ARAGON, 8: “Homenaje a Goya.” (Group show organized by the Latin American Art Museum.) Aragon, Spain. April 3-24, 2004.
TZ STUDIO AND GALLERY: “My World.” (Solo show.) Chicago, IL. April 5th - May 1st, 2004.
LATIN AMERICAN ART MUSEUM: “Leon Oks.” (Solo show). Miami, FL. January 9 - 31, 2004.
FLORENCE BIENNALE: “Biennale Internazionale dell’Arte Contemporanea, Citta di Firenze. ” (Group show.) Florence, Italy. December 6 -14, 2003.
LIMNER GALLERY: (Juried group show). New York, NY.
December 3-20, 2003.
AMSTERDAM WHITNEY INTERNATIONAL FINE ART GALLERY: (Solo show). New York, NY. October 10 - November 4, 2003.
VILLA TERRACE DECORATE ARTS MUSEUM: “Memories and Expressions: Paintings by Leon Oks.” (Solo show). Milwaukee, WI. August 6 - September 14, 2003.
GALLERY MORNEA: “Visualizing Expression.” (Three person show.) Evanston, IL. May 29-July 28, 2003.
LIGHT OF THE WORLD MISSION GALLERY: (Solo show). Techny IL.
December 3 - February 28, 2003.
SCHACKNOW MUSEUM OF FINE ARTS. (Juried group show.)
Plantation, FL. October 12 - December 7, 2002.
LIMNER GALLERY. (Juried group show.) New York, NY. August 7 - 24, 2002.
UNIVERSITY CLUB OF CHICAGO, Twelfth Floor Gallery: “Leon Oks.” (Solo show.) Chicago, IL.
April 11 - May 6, 2002.
SKOKIE HERITAGE MUSEUM: “Annual Juried Art Show.” Skokie, IL.1995-2002.
ANNUAL SKOKIE CHICAGOLAND JURIED ART SHOW. (Sponsored by The Skokie Fine Arts Commission.) Skokie, IL. 1997-2001.
ARTISTIC EXPRESSIONS FINE ART GALLERY: (Solo show.) Wheeling, IL.
November 3 - December 3, 2000 & January - February 2001.
CHICAGO ART OPEN. (Juried group show sponsored by Chicago Artists Coalition in cooperation with the City of Chicago Department of Cultural Affairs and the School of the Art Institute of Chicago.)
Chicago, IL. 2000 & 1999.
VISION 2000 and VISION 1999. (An International Juried Art Competition .) Zarem/Golde ORT Institute. Chicago, IL.
THE PALETTE & CHISEL GALLERY. “Leon Oks.” Galena, IL. August 2000 – May 2001.
SHERMAN GALLERY: “Boyko Asparouhov and Leon Oks.” (Two person show.) Chicago, IL.
March 24 - April 29, 2000.
MANISCALCO STUDIO GALLERY: “Imaginary Expressionism.”
Detroit, MI. November 1999 - January 8, 2000.
SHERMAN GALLERY: “Freedom of Expression.” (Solo show.) Chicago, IL. June 11 – July 10, 1999.
SHERMAN GALLERY: “Art From the Heart.” (Juried group show). Chicago, IL. February, 1999.
VARIOUS NATIONAL, REGIONAL AND LOCAL EXHIBITIONS AND JURIED ART SHOWS.
(former) Soviet Union. 1962 - 1978.
Galleries
Royale Galleries Inc. 318 East 59 Street, New York, N.Y. 10022
Stara d’Arts Gallery. Laguna Beach, CA.
Sea Side Gallery Pismo Beach, CA.
Schacknow Museum of Fine Arts, Florida
Museum of the Americas, Miami, Florida
Art and Beyond Studio and Gallery, Morton Grow, IL
International Contemporary Artists WOA England
Nude de Nude WOA England
|
|
| | | | | |
|
