Irving Petlin facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Irving Petlin
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Irving Petlin at Kent Fine Art, New York, 2015
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| Born | December 17, 1934 Chicago, Illinois, U.S.
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| Died | September 1, 2018 (aged 83) |
| Education | Art Institute of Chicago 1953-1956. Yale University, MFA, 1960 |
| Known for | Painting, Pastel |
| Movement | Chicago Imagist |
Irving Petlin (born December 17, 1934 – died September 1, 2018) was an American artist. He was well-known for his amazing skill with pastels, which are like colored chalks used for drawing. He also worked with other artists, like Mark di Suvero and Leon Golub. Petlin often created art in "series," meaning he made many related artworks. He found ideas for his art from writers and poets such as Primo Levi and Paul Celan.
Early Life and Art Training
Irving Petlin was born in Chicago, Illinois, USA. He studied art at the Art Institute of Chicago from 1953 to 1956. During this time, a group of artists called the "Chicago Imagists" were very popular. These artists often created imaginative and sometimes unusual art.
After Chicago, Petlin went to Yale University to study more. He earned his Master of Fine Arts degree in 1960. His art was shown in galleries in London and Paris in 1964. He even influenced an art movement in France called Nouvelle figuration, which means "New Figuration." That same year, he was invited to teach art at the UCLA.
Art and Activism
While living in California, Irving Petlin became a key organizer of the "Artist’s Protest movement against the war in Vietnam." He helped start the Artists’ Protest Committee. This group allowed artists to speak out against the war.
In 1966, Petlin helped plan a famous art project called the Peace Tower. He worked with many other artists, including Mark di Suvero. Artists from all over the world sent their artwork to be attached to this tower. The tower was a symbol of peace.
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Petlin’s first big solo art show happened in Brussels, Belgium, in 1965. Later, he moved back to New York City. During this time, he painted a very important artwork called The Burning of Los Angeles. This painting showed his strong feelings about what was happening in America.
Petlin was a founder and active member of "Artists and Writers Against the War in Vietnam." He also took part in other groups that used art to protest. For example, he created a well-known anti-Vietnam War poster called And babies in 1969. He continued to use his art to speak out against unfairness throughout his life. He also taught art at several universities, including University of California, Los Angeles, the Cooper Union, and the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts.
Irving Petlin lived in Paris, New York, and Martha's Vineyard, Massachusetts. He passed away on September 1, 2018, at the age of 83.
Selected Exhibitions
Irving Petlin's art was shown in many important exhibitions around the world. Here are a few of them:
- 2014: "The Still Open Case of Irving Petlin" at Kent Fine Art, New York.
- 2012: Irving Petlin: Storms: After Redon at Kent Fine Art, New York.
- 2010: Irving Petlin: Major Paintings, 1979-2009 at Kent Gallery, New York.
- 2001: Out of the Shadows at the School of the Museum of Fine Art, Boston.
- 1990: Israel in Egypt at Kent Fine Art, New York.
- 1989: A Different War: Vietnam in Art at Whatcom Museum, Bellingham, WA.
- 1982: The Venice Biennale, Italian Pavilion, Venice, Italy.
- 1973: Biennial Exhibition of Contemporary American Art, Whitney Museum New York, NY.
- 1965: Petlin Palais des Beaux-Arts, Brussels, Belgium.
