Sidney Gordin
Russian-born American artist (1918–1996)
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Sidney Alexander Gordin (1918–1996) was a Russian-born American artist and educator, known for his abstract paintings, prints, and sculptures.[1][2][3] He was a Professor Emeritus at University of California, Berkeley, where he taught from 1958 to 1986.[4][5] Gordin was associated with abstract expressionism and constructivism.[6][7]
Sidney Alexander Gordin | |
|---|---|
| Born | October 24, 1918 |
| Died | January 28, 1996 (aged 77) Berkeley, California, U.S. |
| Education | Brooklyn Museum Art School |
| Alma mater | Cooper Union |
| Occupations | Artist, professor |
| Movement | Abstract expressionism, constructivism |
Early life and education
Gordin was born on October 24, 1918, in Chelyabinsk, Russian Republic.[4][8] When he was born the Russian Empire had recently collapsed due to the Russian Revolution. His family migrated to Shanghai, and later Harbin in Heilongjiang province, China.[9] In 1922, at the age of 4, his family moved to Brooklyn, New York City, New York.[4]
Gordin graduated from Brooklyn Technical High School.[9] He attended Brooklyn Museum Art School in 1935 to 1936; followed by study at Cooper Union in 1937 to 1941, where he graduated.[10][4][11]
Art career
Gordin's first group exhibition was in 1951 at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, named "American Sculpture 1951".[4] That same year in 1951, Gordin's first solo show was held at Bennington College in Vermont.[4] In 1954, the Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) hosted the "Play Sculpture Competition", Gordin had participated and won third place with "Tunnel Maze" (1954).[12] His "Tunnel Maze" was judged as most successful for play, safety, and ease; and subsequently was manufactured by Creative Playthings.[13][14]
In 1958, he moved to California. In 1960, Gordin acquired an art studio in Provincetown, Massachusetts, while still maintaining his home in California.[4] In the 1960s, "The Breakfast Group" was founded by Elmer Bischoff and Gordin.[15] The group was made up of Berkeley-based artists who met weekly to talk art over breakfast, the group held several group exhibitions.[15]
In 1959, he had his first solo exhibition in the San Francisco Bay Area at the Dilexi Gallery of San Francisco founded by Jim Newman.[4] In 1992, he was awarded the Maggie Kuhn Award by Presbyterian Senior Services, for being a role model in aging.[5]
Teaching
He briefly taught in schools in New York state including at Brooklyn College, Pratt Institute, Sarah Lawrence College, and the New School for Social Research.[2][16] Gordin moved to California in 1958 to start a teaching position at University of California, Berkeley, where he remained until 1986.[16] He was a full professor from 1967 to 1986, and served as the department chair.[4][16][17]
Death and legacy
He died on January 28, 1996, at home in Berkeley.[5] His memorial service was held at Kroeber Hall on the U.C. Berkeley campus.[5]
His work can be found in public museum collections include at the Whiney Museum of American Art,[2][18] Museum of Modern Art,[2][19] the Art Institute of Chicago,[5][20] Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco,[10] Lowe Art Museum,[10] San Francisco Museum of Modern Art,[21] Chrysler Museum of Art,[22] Madison Museum of Contemporary Art,[23] Brooklyn Museum,[24] Farnsworth Art Museum,[25] and Oakland Museum of California.[10]
