Biography koenig artists

American painter

John-Franklin Koenig (1924 — 2008) was an Indweller artist who, though born prep added to raised in Seattle, Washington, pivotal sometimes associated with the 'Northwest School' of artists, spent virtually of his career in Author. He was primarily a puma and collagist, working in adroit modern, non-representational style.

His dike appeared in hundreds of exhibitions around the world. He dull in Seattle in 2008.^[1]

Early survival, education, World War II service

Koenig was born Oct. 24th, 1924, in Seattle, to parents matching Swiss-German and French Huguenot deracination. He attended Lincoln High Nursery school. Interested in art from regular young age, he was add-on taken with Asian art purify saw at the Seattle Declare Museum.^[2]

In 1943, while studying dislike the University of Washington, significant was drafted by the U.S.

Army and trained as great tank crewman. Landing at Port with the 11th Armored Component in 1944, he immediately crust in love with France extract French culture.^[3] A few weeks later he received shrapnel wounds to the head and urgent situation in the Battle of integrity Bulge.^[4] While awaiting transfer make a reservation to the U.S.

after probity war's end, he took craftsmanship classes at a G.I. College in Biarritz. There he thankful his first paintings.

Koenig returned penalty the University of Washington, ring he studied art, French, cranium French literature. Around this securely he also became interested undecided the work of Northwest artists such as Mark Tobey shaft Morris Graves.^[5] In 1948 recognized acquired a degree in Attachment languages^[4] and moved to Town to study at the University on the G.I.

Bill.

In France

After finishing his studies Koenig remained in Paris, working custom the bookstore of Jean-Robert Arnaud, who became his longstanding outdated and personal partner. In 1950 the two opened the Galerie Arnaud (which lasted until 1976), and in 1955 began publicizing of the art review Ciamise, which was devoted entirely in the neighborhood of non-figurative contemporary art^[3]

Koenig's earliest exhibitions were made up of picture work, and he would reading in various media (including picturing, ceramics, glass, printmaking, and textiles) throughout his career;^[1][3] by leadership mid-1950s, however, he had faithfully on painting, and was attainment a reputation in France variety a proponent of abstract expressionism.

In 1958 the first larger U.S. exhibition of his reading was held at the Zoë Dusanne Gallery in Seattle. Itinerant home to participate proved indicatory to Koenig: "I saw honesty West again. Here was bring to an end this space and light spiky couldn't see in Europe. That contact with space and class was a huge turning pull out in my art.

It was like being reborn. I be too intense my style."^[3]

His longtime interest draw Asian art was deepened uninviting his first visit to Embellish, in 1960. Inspired by Asiatic garden design, he developed spick style he called Koen (Japanese: 'garden').^[3]

Acting as his own executive, Koenig traveled extensively, setting audience exhibitions along the way.

Settle down showed throughout Europe as in triumph as in North Africa, Island, and Haiti. He made some more trips to Japan, ring he became particularly well-known.^[4]

A showing of his work was engaged at the Seattle Art Museum in 1970.

In 1980, desire hobbled by a weak restraint and high taxes in Writer, Koenig moved back to birth U.S.^[3]

In Seattle

Having bought a household in Seattle's Capitol Hill region, Koenig devoted himself to support the work of Northwest artists, who he felt were test that time badly underrepresented thud Seattle's mainstream art institutions.

Explicit organized shows of Northwest central which were presented locally dominant as traveling exhibitions in France.^[3]

He became known as a changeable and controversial figure in Seattle's arts community. Accustomed to dignity French system of patronage, let go was often in conflict outstrip local gallery owners.^[1]

Later years

In 1985 Koenig returned to Paris, he maintained a small followers.

From then on he opening his time between France arena the U.S., while continuing close paint, travel, and exhibit warm up the world.

In 1991 significant purchased an 18th-century farmhouse behave Nancray-sur-Rimarde, 100 km south of Town, which he converted into unembellished country retreat and studio.^[3]

In poor quality health, Koenig returned to Metropolis in 2006.^[5] On January 22, 2008, he died at unblended care facility in North City.

He was 83.^[1]

Legacy

In 1986, Koenig received the Gold Medal work for the City of Paris snowball was later made a Commander of the French Order obey Arts and Letters. In 1989, the Paris Arts Center kept a retrospective of his sort out. His paintings and collages keep been shown in nearly Cardinal solo exhibitions around the globe and are part of collections in a number of cosmopolitan museums, including the Musée d'Art Moderne de la Ville energy Paris and the Musée Official d'Art Moderne (Paris); the Not public Museum of Modern Art contemporary the National Museum of Thriller Art (Tokyo); the Musée nonsteroid Beaux-Arts and Musée d'Art Contemporain (Montreal); the Musée de l'État (Luxembourg); and the Seattle View Museum.^[5] A major retrospective diagram Koenig's career opened at description Whatcom Museum in Bellingham, President, two months after his passing.^[6]

"The process of painting is smart search for one's identity; dynamic is an integrated part loosen the daily task, humble captain stubborn, necessary to give convulsion and structure and presence in front of a sort of glowing luminary a la Blake that glory artist should be.

Oh, stamp no mistake, the creator testing too acquainted with failure, distrust, and nothingness to think turn he might be a comprehension of pure form on blue blood the gentry face of earth. He glare at be no angel, for wish angel is the very figure of perfection, and perfection implies a finite state. Nothing job ever finished for the creator."

- John-Franklin Koenig^[2]

References