Ben-Zion (artist)

Ben-Zion, also known as Ben-Zion Weinman (July 8, 1897 – January 23, 1987)^[2] was a Russian-born American painter, printmaker, sculptor, educator, and poet. He was a member of "The Ten" group of expressionist artists.^[2]

Ben-Zion
בןציון‎
Ben-Zion (1915)
Born	(1897-07-08)July 8, 1897 Starokostiantyniv, Russian Empire
Died	January 23, 1987(1987-01-23) (aged 89) New York City, New York, U.S.
Other names	Ben-Zion Weinman, Benzion Weinman, Ben-Tsiyon Ṿainman, Ben-Tsiyon, Bentsion Veinman
Occupation(s)	painter, printmaker, educator, sculptor, poet
Years active	1914–1970s
Movement	Expressionism[1]
Spouse	Lillian Dubin (m. 1949–1987; death)

Early life

Ben-Zion was born on July 8, 1897, in Starokostiantyniv, Russian Empire (present-day is Ukraine).^[3] His father, Hirsch Weinman was a Jewish cantor, and initially he wanted to enter the rabbinate.^[4][5] In 1909, the family moved to Galicia.^[6] At age 17, he travelled to Vienna to study art.^[4] He had been rejected from entering the Academy of Fine Arts Vienna due to antisemitism.^[4] Early in his career, he wrote fairy tales and poems in Hebrew under the name "Benzion Weinman".^[2]

Career

He immigrated to the United States in 1920 after the death of his father, and started by teaching Hebrew language.^[2][4] When he started painting he dropped his last name and started hyphenating.^[2] His first large scale painting was Friday Evening (1933), depicting his family's Sabbath dinner table.^[4] Starting in 1935, many of his paintings were expressionist versions of reinterpreted biblical scenes.^[1][4] His first solo exhibition was in 1936 at the Artists' Gallery in New York City.^[4][7] His early artwork was primarily done in oil paint, watercolors, and intaglio printmaking.^[1] He was largely a self-taught artist.^[1]

From 1936 until 1942, he was a founding member of "The Ten" expressionist artist group,^[7] which also included the artists Mark Rothko, Louis Harris (artist) [Wikidata], Adolph Gottlieb, Ralph Rosenborg, Louis Schanker, Joseph Solman, Nahum Tschacbasov, and Ilya Bolotowsky.^[2][4] The mission of the art group was, "to protest against the reputed equivalence of American painting and literal painting."^[8]

From the 1930s to the 1960s, Ben-Zion taught art (through the Works Progress Administration) at Cooper Union and other locations.^[6]

In the 1950s, he began working in welded iron sculptures.^[2] In 1959, the Jewish Museum in New York City held a retrospective exhibition of his work.^[7]

Death and legacy

Ben-Zion died on January 23, 1987, in New York City.^[2] He was survived by his wife Lillian (née Dubin).^[2]

Ben-Zion's works are in the Smithsonian American Art Museum,^[3] the Metropolitan Museum of Art,^[2] the Museum of Modern Art,^[2] the Israeli National Maritime Museum,^[2] the Art Institute of Chicago,^[9] the Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art,^[10] the National Gallery of Art,^[11] the Whitney Museum of American Art,^[12] The Phillips Collection,^[13] the Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden,^[14] and the Print Collection at the New York Public Library.^[15]

Publications

• Jick, Millicent. (1986). Ben-Zion: A Tradition of Independence. Berkeley, Calif. : Judah L. Magnes Museum.
• Soltes, Ori Z., ed. (1997), Ben-Zion: In Search of Oneself, B'nai B'rith Klutznick National Jewish Museum
• Weinman, Ben-Zion (1985). Dubin, Lillian; Shalem, Tabita (eds.). Ben-Zion Iron Sculpture. Alpine Fine Arts Collection. ISBN 978-0881681246.
• Weinman, Ben-Zion (1950). Biblical Themes (etching/print portfolio). Roger Lacourière (printmaker). New York City, New York: Curt Valentin Gallery.
• Weinman, Ben-Zion. (1959). Ben-Zion, 1933-1959: A Retrospect. Commentary by Stephen S. Kayser. New York City, New York: The Jewish Museum.