{"title":"Gershon Iskowitz: Retrospective","description":"\u003cp\u003eGershon Iskowitz (1921–1988) is among Canada’s most important abstract painters. A Holocaust survivor who endured Auschwitz and Buchenwald before immigrating to Canada in 1948, he transformed a life marked by trauma into a luminous and enduring artistic vision. Inspired by aerial views and the Canadian landscape, Iskowitz developed a singular abstract language that translated nature into radiant fields of color. The exhibition traces the evolution of his ideas from intimate watercolors to ambitious canvases, culminating in the vibrant chromatic compositions of his final decade.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eA recipient of six Canada Council grants and Canada’s representative at the 1972 Venice Biennale, his work is held in every major Canadian museum collection.\u003c\/p\u003e","products":[{"product_id":"gershon-iskowitz-primary-unity-watercolor-1977","title":"GERSHON ISKOWITZ \"PRIMARY UNITY\" WATERCOLOR, 1977","description":"\u003cp data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eIt is somewhat hard to reconcile Gershon Iskowitz's (1921-1988) aesthetic with his personal history. \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eBorn to a religious family in Poland, Iskowitz was allowed to leave yeshiva (Jewish seminary) in order to study art, including a brief stint at the Academy of Fine Arts in Warsaw.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eThe outbreak of the second world war forced him to return to his hometown where shortly after he was conscripted to forced labor. In 1944 Iskowitz was transferred to\u003cspan data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Buchenwald_concentration_camp\" title=\"Buchenwald Concentration Camp\" data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eBuchenwald\u003c\/a\u003e, one of the first and most notorious Nazi concentration camps.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eUpon liberation, Iskowitz spent nearly 9 months in hospital recuperating. Amazingly he would study for six months at the Academy of Fine Art in Munich with Oskar Kokoschka.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eIskowitz would eventually immigrate to Canada. For most of the 1950s, he incorporated representation into his art. By the 60's he had established a modest reputation in Toronto and beyond,  joining the Gallery Moos stable in 1964. \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eThe legend goes that in 1967 thanks to a Canadian Council grant, Iskowitz took a helicopter tour of the north. The experience of seeing the massive expanse of trees from above inspired a major redirection of his aesthetic and approach. \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eThis confident watercolor was realized in various primary colors including canary yellow, cinnabar red, aqua and navy blue. It is a perfect example of Iskowitz's iconic style and his celebration of pure, joyful primary colors. \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eQuestions about this piece? \u003ca href=\"mailto:troy@caviar20.com\" data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eContact us\u003c\/a\u003e or call +1.416.704.1720\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eProvenance: Gallery Moos, Toronto\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eUntitled (\"Primary Unity\")\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eSigned and dated 77 by the artist\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eWatercolor on paper\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eCanada, 1977\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e17\"H 22\"W (work)\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e20.5\"H 25.5\"W (framed)\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eFramed with museum glass\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eVery good condition\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eNote: the price is $5,500 CAD\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Gershon Iskowitz","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":41917026140396,"sku":"01-22x12-25","price":5500.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0074\/2712\/products\/Caviar20_Gershon-Iskowitz-Watercolor-D-1977_icon_dde62d1e-2c23-4075-96bd-7fdefa3143a0.jpg?v=1635096527"},{"product_id":"gershon-iskowitz-untitled-1969","title":"GERSHON ISKOWITZ \"UNTITLED\", 1969","description":"\u003cp\u003eIt is somewhat hard to reconcile Gershon Iskowitz's (1921-1988) aesthetic with his personal history.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eBorn to a religious family in Poland, Iskowitz was allowed to leave Yeshiva (Jewish religious studies) in order to study art independently and later a brief stint at the Academy of Fine Arts in Warsaw.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe outbreak of war forced him to return to his hometown where he was shortly after conscripted to forced labor. In 1944 Iskowitz was transferred to \u003ca title=\"Buchenwald Concentration Camp\" href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Buchenwald_concentration_camp\"\u003eBuchenwald\u003c\/a\u003e, one of the first and most notorious Nazi concentration camps.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eUpon liberation, Iskowitz spent nearly 9 months in hospital recuperating. Amazingly he would study for six months at the Academy of Fine Art in Munich with Oskar Kokoschka.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIskowitz would eventually immigrate to Canada. For most of the 1950s, he incorporated representation into his art. By the 60's he had established a modest reputation and joined the Gallery Moos stable in 1964. \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe legend goes that in 1967 thanks to a Canadian Council grant, Iskowitz took a helicopter tour of the north. The experience of seeing the massive expanse of trees from above inspired a major redirection of his aesthetic and approach. \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis delicate work on paper is a perfect example of Iskowitz's iconic style. In this work, four islands of color are generously dispersed among an array of light and airy primary-colored swathes.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eCreated in 1969 it is from the key period of the artist's life, as his style comes to maturity. \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eQuestions about this piece? \u003c\/span\u003e\u003ca href=\"mailto:troy@caviar20.com\"\u003eContact us\u003c\/a\u003e\u003cspan\u003e or call +1.416.704.1720\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\"Untitled\"\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSigned and dated by the artist\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWatercolor on paper\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eCanada, 1969\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e21.5\"H 15.5\"W (work)\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e25.5\"H 18.25\"W (framed)\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eVery good condition.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eNote: price is $6,000 CAD\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cdiv\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e","brand":"Gershon Iskowitz","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":42430708482284,"sku":"02-22x2-04-24","price":6000.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0074\/2712\/files\/Gershon-Iskowitz-Untitled-1969-Full-Image_2b047004-8c62-4674-8d08-b0b129390d7d2.jpg?v=1713202100"},{"product_id":"gershon-iskowitz-marigold-joy-1988","title":"GERSHON ISKOWITZ \"MARIGOLD JOY\" 1987","description":"\u003cp\u003eIt is hard to reconcile \u003ca title=\"GERSHON ISKOWITZ PAINTING 1988 CAVIAR20\" href=\"https:\/\/www.caviar20.com\/collections\/gershon-iskowitz\"\u003eGershon Iskowitz's\u003c\/a\u003e (1921-1988) aesthetic with his personal history.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eBorn to a religious family in Poland, Iskowitz was allowed to leave Yeshiva (Jewish religious studies) in order to study art independently; and later, briefly at the Academy of Fine Arts in Warsaw. The outbreak of war forced him to return to his hometown where he was conscripted to forced labor after his arrival. In 1944 Iskowitz was transferred to \u003ca title=\"Buchenwald Concentration Camp\" href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Buchenwald_concentration_camp\"\u003eBuchenwald\u003c\/a\u003e, one of the first and most notorious Nazi concentration camps.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eUpon liberation Iskowitz spent nearly 9 months in hospital recuperating. Amazingly he would study for six months at the Academy of Fine Art in Munich with Oskar Kokoschka.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIskowitz would eventually immigrate to Canada. For most of the 1950's he incorporated representation into his art. By the early 1960's he had established a modest local reputation as an artist and joined the Gallery Moos stable in 1964. \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eIskowitz's survived the darkest side of humanity and \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003ebuilt\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e a life dedicated to creating beautiful art. \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe legend goes that in 1967 thanks to a Canadian Council grant, Iskowitz took a helicopter tour of the north. The experience of seeing the massive expanse of trees from above inspired a major redirection of his aesthetic and approach. \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis acrylic painting is a perfect example of Iskowitz's late style. Painted circa 1987, it demonstrates how Iskowitz expanded his palette during his final decade. He embraced colors that had an almost childlike intensity and joy. Instead of referencing nature, such as cloudy whites, tomato reds and ocean blues, here Iskowitz embraces hyper pastels that invoke creativity and candy. \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIt is also worth mentioning Iskowitz's commitment to supporting future generations of Canadian artists. After his blockbuster retrospective at the AGO in 1982, Iskowitz established an eponymous foundation that would give out an annual grant to a contemporary artist. \u003ca title=\"Gershon Iskowitz Prize\" href=\"https:\/\/iskowitzfoundation.ca\/prize\/\"\u003eClick here to learn about the Gershon Iskowitz Prize.\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAdditional images available on request. \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eQuestions about this piece? \u003ca href=\"mailto:troy@caviar20.com\"\u003eContact us\u003c\/a\u003e or call +1.416.704.1720\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\"Untitled\" (Marigold Joy) \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cmeta charset=\"utf-8\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eCanada, circa 1987\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eOil on canvas\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003cmeta charset=\"utf-8\"\u003eGershon Iskowitz Foundation stamp and inscribed \"B252\" along with AGO label \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e37.75\"H 32.75\"W (canvas) \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e39\"H 34\"W (framed)\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eVery good condition.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eProvenance: \u003cmeta charset=\"utf-8\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eGershon Iskowitz Foundation\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cmeta charset=\"utf-8\"\u003eLiterature: \u003ca title=\"Gershon Iskowitz ACI\" href=\"https:\/\/www.aci-iac.ca\/art-books\/gershon-iskowitz\/key-works\/not-titled\/\"\u003eIhor Holubizky, Gershon Iskowitz: Life \u0026amp; Work, Art Canada Institute, 2019, reproduced page 54 and 143\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eNote: price is $21,500 CAD\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Gershon Iskowitz","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":45924708155628,"sku":"11-24","price":21500.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0074\/2712\/files\/Caviar20-Gershon-Iskowitz-Marigold-Joy_fulledge.jpg?v=1732230655"},{"product_id":"gershon-iskowitz-red-blue-watercolor-1978","title":"GERSHON ISKOWITZ \"RED-BLUE\" WATERCOLOR, 1978","description":"\u003cp\u003eIt is somewhat hard to reconcile \u003ca title=\"Toronto art gallery collection featuring iconic Canadian artist Gershon Iskowitz\" href=\"https:\/\/www.caviar20.com\/collections\/gershon-iskowitz\" target=\"_blank\"\u003eGershon Iskowitz\u003c\/a\u003e's (1921-1988) joyful aesthetic with his personal history. \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eBorn to a religious family in Poland, Iskowitz was allowed to leave yeshiva (a Jewish seminary) in order to study art, including a brief stint at the Academy of Fine Arts in Warsaw.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe outbreak of the second world war forced him to return to his hometown where shortly after he was conscripted to forced labor. In 1944 Iskowitz was transferred to\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003ca title=\"Buchenwald Concentration Camp\" href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Buchenwald_concentration_camp\"\u003eBuchenwald\u003c\/a\u003e, one of the first and most notorious Nazi concentration camps.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eUpon liberation, Iskowitz spent nearly 9 months in the hospital recuperating. Amazingly he would study for six months at the Academy of Fine Art in Munich with Oskar Kokoschka.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIskowitz would eventually immigrate to Canada. For most of the 1950s, he incorporated representation into his art with an emphasis on landscape. By the 60's he had established a modest reputation in Toronto and beyond,  joining the Gallery Moos stable in 1964. \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eBetween 1967 and 1976, Iskowitz would receive six Canada Council grants for his work, becoming one of the era's leading abstract artists. He represented Canada at the Venice Biennial in 1972. A retrospective of his work was held in 1984 at the Art Gallery of Ontario, AGO, travelling across Canada as well as to Canada House in London, England.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis work is a paradigm of Iskowitz's watercolors from the late 1970s. \u003cmeta charset=\"utf-8\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eMade by dropping color onto dampened paper, Iskowitz's watercolours offer distinctive colourful clusters that vibrate across the page. Iskowitz was measured in his process so that each chromatic patch came across clearly, not muddied with one another. \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003eIn \"Red Blue,\" Iskowitz uses a starbursts of aquamarine blue, yellow with red on top, and a deep purple to create a thoughtful arrangement of color, shape, and process:\u003c\/span\u003e a true celebration of color and medium. \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cmeta charset=\"utf-8\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eQuestions about this piece? \u003c\/span\u003e\u003ca href=\"mailto:troy@caviar20.com\"\u003eContact us,\u003c\/a\u003e\u003cspan\u003e call \u003c\/span\u003e\u003ca href=\"tel:4167041720\"\u003e+1.416.704.1720,\u003c\/a\u003e\u003cspan\u003e or \u003c\/span\u003e\u003ca title=\"Caviar20 Toronto art gallery contact information\" href=\"https:\/\/www.caviar20.com\/pages\/contact\" target=\"_blank\"\u003evisit our Toronto Gallery\u003c\/a\u003e\u003cspan\u003e.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\"Untitled\" (\"Red-Blue\")\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eCanada, 1978\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWatercolor \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSigned and dated by artist in pencil, lower right\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e13\"H 22\"W (sheet)\u003cspan\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e17\"H 26\"W (framed)\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eFramed with museum glass.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eVery good condition\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe price is $4,500 CAD\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Gershon Iskowitz","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":46811943796972,"sku":"09-25","price":4500.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0074\/2712\/files\/Caviar20_Gershon-Iskowitz-Red-Blue-Watercolour_01.jpg?v=1757625897"},{"product_id":"gershon-iskowitz-midnight-painting-1955","title":"GERSHON ISKOWITZ \"MIDNIGHT\" PAINTING, 1955","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cmeta charset=\"utf-8\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eIt is hard to reconcile \u003c\/span\u003e\u003ca title=\"GERSHON ISKOWITZ PAINTING 1988 CAVIAR20\" href=\"https:\/\/www.caviar20.com\/collections\/gershon-iskowitz\"\u003eGershon Iskowitz's\u003c\/a\u003e\u003cspan\u003e (1921-1988) aesthetic with his personal history. \u003cmeta charset=\"utf-8\"\u003eHe survived the darkest side of humanity and built a life dedicated to creating beautiful art.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003cmeta charset=\"utf-8\"\u003eBorn to a religious family in Poland, Iskowitz was allowed to leave Yeshiva (Jewish religious studies) in order to study art independently. \u003cmeta charset=\"utf-8\"\u003eThe outbreak of war forced him to return to his hometown where he was conscripted to forced labor, then transferred to \u003ca title=\"Buchenwald Concentration Camp\" href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Buchenwald_concentration_camp\"\u003eBuchenwald\u003c\/a\u003e in 1944, one of the first and most notorious Nazi concentration camps. \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003eUpon liberation, Iskowitz spent nearly 9 months recuperating in the hospital. He then studied at the Academy of Fine Art in Munich before immigrating to Canada.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\"Midnight\" is an important painting that demonstrates Iskowitz's transition from figurative painting to abstraction. \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eAround 1950, Iskowitz arrived in Toronto. He was initially disappointed by Toronto's modest art scene and did not respond to the Group of Seven. However, he gradually became interested in the Canadian landscape, sketching in Uxbridge, Muskoka, and beyond. \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eIn 1954, Iskowitz began spending time in McKellar, which was north of Parry Sound in central Ontario. Artists and amateurs would frequent the town's lodge to enjoy the landscape and the two nearby lakes. This setting proved to be an important escape from the city and a place of productivity and inspiration, even during the winter months. Between 1954 and 1957, Iskowitz spent significant time around Parry Sound. This is a significant period as Iskowitz slowly builds a body of work and local reputation in advance of his first solo exhibit in Toronto in 1960. \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\"Midnight\" is one of the most accomplished and exhibited paintings from this seminal early period. It was included in Iskowitz's travelling retrospective \"Painter of Light,\" which started at the Art Gallery of Ontario in 1982 and went to the Gallery of Windsor, Museum London, Glenbow Museum (Calgary) and finally to Canada House (London, UK).\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eThis painting is also fully illustrated in Adele Feedman's essential \"Gershon Iskowitz: Painter of Light\" book on pg. 41. \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eNote: You might notice the odd spelling of the artist's signature here: Ickowicz. As Jews immigrated to English-speaking countries from Eastern Europe, many were either forced or chose to anglicize their difficult or \"ethnic\" last names. For nearly a decade, Iskowitz did not alter his family name, but in the late 1950's he adjusted the English spelling from Ickowits to Iskowitz in order to be phonetically accurate to the Polish pronunciaton. Let us know if you would like more information about Iskowitz's family background and origins. A special thank-you to legendary Iskowitz scholar Ihor Holubizky for sharing this information and assessing the painting. \u003cmeta charset=\"utf-8\"\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003ca title=\"Gershon Iskowitz Canada Art Institute\" href=\"https:\/\/www.aci-iac.ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/05\/Art-Canada-Institute_Gershon-Iskowitz.pdf\"\u003eTo learn more about Gershon Iskowitz we recommend the Art Canada Institute's online book on the artist. \u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cmeta charset=\"utf-8\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eQuestions about this piece? \u003c\/span\u003e\u003ca href=\"mailto:info@caviar20.com\"\u003eContact us\u003c\/a\u003e\u003cspan\u003e, call +1.416.704.1720, or \u003ca rel=\"noopener\" href=\"https:\/\/www.caviar20.com\/pages\/contact\" target=\"_blank\"\u003evisit our Toronto gallery\u003c\/a\u003e.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e“Midnight\" \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eCanada, 1955\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eSigned and dated on lower right face\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eTitled on verso\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003ePartial labels verso (Gallery Moos \u0026amp; London Regional Art Gallery)\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eOil on board\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003e22.5\"H 25\"W \u003c\/span\u003e(panel)\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e29\"H 32.5\"W (framed)\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eVery good condition\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Gershon Iskowitz","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":46811975516396,"sku":"09-25","price":0.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0074\/2712\/files\/Caviar20_Gershon-Iskowitz-Midnight_01.jpg?v=1757792736"},{"product_id":"gershon-iskowitz-indigo-watercolor-1968","title":"GERSHON ISKOWITZ \"INDIGO\" WATERCOLOR, 1968","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eIt is hard to reconcile \u003c\/span\u003e\u003ca title=\"GERSHON ISKOWITZ PAINTING 1988 CAVIAR20\" href=\"https:\/\/www.caviar20.com\/collections\/gershon-iskowitz\"\u003eGershon Iskowitz's\u003c\/a\u003e\u003cspan\u003e (1921-1988) aesthetic with his personal history. He survived the darkest side of humanity and built a life dedicated to creating beautiful art.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eBorn to a religious family in Poland, Iskowitz was allowed to leave Yeshiva (Jewish religious studies) in order to study art independently. The outbreak of war forced him to return to his hometown where he was conscripted to forced labor, then transferred to \u003ca title=\"Buchenwald Concentration Camp\" href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Buchenwald_concentration_camp\"\u003eBuchenwald\u003c\/a\u003e in 1944, one of the first and most notorious Nazi concentration camps. \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003eUpon liberation, Iskowitz spent nearly 9 months recuperating in the hospital. He then studied at the Academy of Fine Art in Munich before immigrating to Canada.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eFor most of the 1950s, he incorporated representation into his art. By the 60's he had established a modest reputation in Toronto and beyond,  joining the Gallery Moos stable in 1964. The legend goes that in 1967 thanks to a Canadian Council grant, Iskowitz took a helicopter tour of the north. The experience of seeing the massive expanse of trees from above inspired a major redirection of his aesthetic and material and approach. \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIskowitz embraced watercolors during two distinct chapters of his career; in 1968-69 as his career gained significant momentum and about a decade later, during 1977-78, as a major monograph of his work was being published and a touring retrospective began. \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eMade by dropping paint onto dampened paper, his watercolours offer floating blips and colourful clusters that vibrate across the page. Iskowitz was measured in his process so that each chromatic patch came across clearly, not muddied with one another.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHere, Iskowitz applies complimentary shades of indigo, green, and marigold--one of his favorite colors of the era. The result is a thoughtful cacophony of colour, shape, and process. Despite its fullness, the composition is quite meditative and soothing.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eIskowitz received six Canada Council grants for his work, establishing him as a Canadian painter in his own right. He represented Canada at the Venice Biennial in 1972. A retrospective of his work was held in 1984 at the Art Gallery of Ontario, AGO, travelling through Canada as well as to Canada House in London, England. His work remains in the permanent collections of the \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/ago.ca\/agoinsider\/mystery-gershon-iskowitz\"\u003eAGO\u003c\/a\u003e and the \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.gallery.ca\/collection\/artist\/gershon-iskowitz\"\u003eNational Gallery of Canada,\u003c\/a\u003e among others.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eQuestions about this piece? \u003c\/span\u003e\u003ca href=\"mailto:troy@caviar20.com\"\u003eContact us\u003c\/a\u003e\u003cspan\u003e or call \u003c\/span\u003e\u003ca href=\"tel:4167041720\"\u003e+1.416.704.1720\u003c\/a\u003e\u003cspan\u003e. \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eVisit our Toronto gallery on \u003c\/span\u003e\u003ca title=\"Caviar20 Toronto art gallery contact information\" href=\"https:\/\/www.caviar20.com\/pages\/contact\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" target=\"_blank\"\u003eThursdays or by appointment\u003c\/a\u003e\u003cspan\u003e.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eUntitled (Indigo)\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eCanada, 1977\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWatercolour\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSigned and dated by artist, lower right\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e24.5\"H 18.5\"W (work)\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e30.25\"H 24.25\"W (framed)\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eFramed with Museum Glass\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eVery good condition\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Gershon Iskowitz","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":47211872354540,"sku":"01-26","price":6500.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0074\/2712\/files\/Caviar20_GershonIskowitz_unframed__01.jpg?v=1768332433"},{"product_id":"gershon-iskowitz-parry-sound-variation-22-watercolor-1965","title":"GERSHON ISKOWITZ \"PARRY SOUND VARIATION 22\" WATERCOLOR, 1965","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eIt is hard to reconcile \u003c\/span\u003e\u003ca title=\"GERSHON ISKOWITZ PAINTING 1988 CAVIAR20\" href=\"https:\/\/www.caviar20.com\/collections\/gershon-iskowitz\"\u003eGershon Iskowitz's\u003c\/a\u003e\u003cspan\u003e (1921-1988) aesthetic with his personal history. He survived the darkest side of humanity and built a life dedicated to creating beautiful art.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eBorn to a religious family in Poland, Iskowitz was allowed to leave Yeshiva (Jewish religious studies) in order to study art independently. The outbreak of war forced him to return to his hometown where he was conscripted to forced labor, then transferred to \u003ca title=\"Buchenwald Concentration Camp\" href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Buchenwald_concentration_camp\"\u003eBuchenwald\u003c\/a\u003e in 1944, one of the first and most notorious Nazi concentration camps. \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003eUpon liberation, Iskowitz spent nearly 9 months recuperating in the hospital. He then studied at the Academy of Fine Art in Munich before immigrating to Canada around 1950.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eUpon his arrival in Toronto, Iskowitz was initially disappointed by Toronto's modest art scene and did not respond to the Group of Seven. However, he gradually became interested in the Canadian landscape, sketching in Uxbridge, Muskoka, and beyond. \u003cmeta charset=\"utf-8\"\u003eBetween 1954 and 1957, Iskowitz spent much time around Parry Sound. This is a significant period during which he slowly built a body of work and local reputation in advance of his first solo exhibit in Toronto in 1960.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIskowitz embraced watercolors during two distinct chapters of his career; in 1968-69 as his career gained significant momentum and about a decade later, during 1977-78, as a major monograph of his work was being published and a touring retrospective began.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eMade by dropping paint onto dampened paper, his watercolours offer floating blips and colourful clusters that vibrate across the page. Despite its delicate palette, this work is full of depth. Through a curious and intentional application of pigment, Iskowitz offers a meditative natural scene, evocative of the serenity of Ontario's countryside. This work is a paradigm of Iskowitz's early watercolors.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eIskowitz received six Canada Council grants for his work, establishing him as a Canadian painter in his own right. He represented Canada at the Venice Biennial in 1972. A retrospective of his work was held in 1984 at the Art Gallery of Ontario, AGO, travelling through Canada as well as to Canada House in London, England. His work remains in the permanent collections of the \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/ago.ca\/agoinsider\/mystery-gershon-iskowitz\"\u003eAGO\u003c\/a\u003e and the \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.gallery.ca\/collection\/artist\/gershon-iskowitz\"\u003eNational Gallery of Canada,\u003c\/a\u003e among others.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cmeta charset=\"utf-8\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eQuestions about this piece? \u003c\/span\u003e\u003ca href=\"mailto:troy@caviar20.com\"\u003eContact us\u003c\/a\u003e\u003cspan\u003e, call +1.416.704.1720, or \u003c\/span\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.caviar20.com\/pages\/contact\"\u003evisit our Toronto Gallery\u003c\/a\u003e\u003cspan\u003e.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eParry Sound Variations: XXII\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eCanada, 1965\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWatercolour on paper\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSigned and dated by artist in pencil, lower left\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e25\"H 19\"W (work)\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e26.5\"H 20.75\"W (framed)\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eVery good condition\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eProvenance: Gallery Moos, Toronto | Private Collection, Toronto\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eNote: price is $7,500 CAD\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eNote: Framed images coming soon.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Gershon Iskowitz","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":47305288450284,"sku":"02-26","price":7500.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0074\/2712\/files\/Caviar20_Gershon-Iskowitz-Parry-Sound-Varriation-22_01_d23cdc25-381b-4caf-a3ed-08bf681b12f7.jpg?v=1774627861"},{"product_id":"gershon-iskowitz-blue-mauve-c-1980","title":"GERSHON ISKOWITZ \"BLUE MAUVE-C\" 1980","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eIt is hard to reconcile \u003c\/span\u003e\u003ca title=\"GERSHON ISKOWITZ PAINTING 1988 CAVIAR20\" href=\"https:\/\/www.caviar20.com\/collections\/gershon-iskowitz\"\u003eGershon Iskowitz's\u003c\/a\u003e\u003cspan\u003e (1921-1988) aesthetic with his personal history. As a Holocaust survivor, he experienced the darkest side of humanity yet built a life dedicated to creating art and beauty.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eBorn to a religious family in Poland, Iskowitz was allowed to leave Yeshiva (Jewish religious studies) in order to study art independently. The outbreak of war forced him to return to his hometown where he was conscripted to forced labor, then transferred to \u003ca title=\"Buchenwald Concentration Camp\" href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Buchenwald_concentration_camp\"\u003eBuchenwald\u003c\/a\u003e in 1944, one of the first and most notorious Nazi concentration camps. \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003eUpon liberation, Iskowitz spent nearly 9 months recuperating in the hospital. He then studied at the Academy of Fine Art in Munich before immigrating to Canada.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eFor most of the 1950s, he incorporated representation into his art. By the 60s he had established a modest reputation in Toronto and beyond,  joining the Gallery Moos stable in 1964. The legend goes that in 1967 thanks to a Canadian Council grant, Iskowitz took a helicopter tour of the north. The experience of seeing the massive expanse of trees from above inspired a major redirection of his aesthetic and material and approach. \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eReferencing nature, Iskowitz's abstract composition depicts the dynamic exchange of color and light. Deconstructed trees and skies morph together in a delightful blue, dotted with purple, pink, yellow, and green shapes. Unclear whether the viewer is looking up at the sky through trees, or down through the clouds at the forrest, this painting is a perfect example of Iskowitz's ability to distill the natural world into cleverly abstracted compositions.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIt is also worth mentioning Iskowitz's commitment to supporting future generations of Canadian artists. After his blockbuster retrospective at the AGO in 1982, Iskowitz established an eponymous foundation that would give out an annual grant to a contemporary artist. \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/iskowitzfoundation.ca\/prize\/\" title=\"Gershon Iskowitz Prize\"\u003eClick here to learn about the Gershon Iskowitz Prize.\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan class=\"s1\"\u003eQuestions about this piece? \u003ca href=\"mailto:troy@caviar20.com\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"s4\"\u003eContact us,\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/a\u003e\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003ecall +1.416.704.1720, or visit our\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/tbz8zgjjkz7m1km8-742712.shopifypreview.com\/pages\/contact\"\u003eToronto gallery\u003c\/a\u003e.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\"Blue Mauve-C\"\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cmeta charset=\"utf-8\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eCanada, 1980\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eOil on canvas\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e38\"H 33\"W (work) \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e39.25\"H 34.25\"W (framed)\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eVery good condition\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eNote: price is $60,000 CAD\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Gershon Iskowitz","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":47635102728428,"sku":"05-26","price":60000.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0074\/2712\/files\/Caviar20_Gershon-Iskowitz-Blue-Painting_01.jpg?v=1778874621"},{"product_id":"gershon-iskowitz-northern-lights-8-1984","title":"GERSHON ISKOWITZ \"NORTHERN LIGHTS #8\" 1984","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eIt is hard to reconcile \u003c\/span\u003e\u003ca title=\"GERSHON ISKOWITZ PAINTING 1988 CAVIAR20\" href=\"https:\/\/www.caviar20.com\/collections\/gershon-iskowitz\"\u003eGershon Iskowitz's\u003c\/a\u003e\u003cspan\u003e (1921-1988) aesthetic with his personal history. As a Holocaust survivor, he experienced the darkest side of humanity yet built a life dedicated to creating art and beauty.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eBorn to a religious family in Poland, Iskowitz was allowed to leave Yeshiva (Jewish religious studies) in order to study art independently. The outbreak of war forced him to return to his hometown where he was conscripted to forced labor, then transferred to \u003ca title=\"Buchenwald Concentration Camp\" href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Buchenwald_concentration_camp\"\u003eBuchenwald\u003c\/a\u003e in 1944, one of the first and most notorious Nazi concentration camps. \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003eUpon liberation, Iskowitz spent nearly 9 months recuperating in the hospital. He then studied at the Academy of Fine Art in Munich before immigrating to Canada.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eFor most of the 1950s, he incorporated representation into his art. By the 60s he had established a modest reputation in Toronto and beyond,  joining the Gallery Moos stable in 1964. The legend goes that in 1967 thanks to a Canadian Council grant, Iskowitz took a helicopter tour of the north. The experience of seeing the massive expanse of trees from above inspired a major redirection of his aesthetic and material and approach. \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis painting is from a group of 22 works that Iskowitz produced between 1984-85, titled \u003cem\u003eNorthern Lights\u003c\/em\u003e. The paintings have similar compositions, with ovoid blips depicted punctuating an oscillating monotonous substrate. Referencing nature, the composition depicts the dynamic exchange of color and light. This painting is a perfect example of Iskowitz's ability to distill the natural world into cleverly abstracted compositions.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIt is also worth mentioning Iskowitz's commitment to supporting future generations of Canadian artists. After his blockbuster retrospective at the AGO in 1982, Iskowitz established an eponymous foundation that would give out an annual grant to a contemporary artist. \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/iskowitzfoundation.ca\/prize\/\" title=\"Gershon Iskowitz Prize\"\u003eClick here to learn about the Gershon Iskowitz Prize.\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan class=\"s1\"\u003eQuestions about this piece? \u003ca href=\"mailto:troy@caviar20.com\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"s4\"\u003eContact us,\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/a\u003e\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003ecall +1.416.704.1720, or visit our\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/tbz8zgjjkz7m1km8-742712.shopifypreview.com\/pages\/contact\"\u003eToronto gallery\u003c\/a\u003e.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\"Northern Lights #8\"\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cmeta charset=\"utf-8\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eCanada, 1984\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eOil on canvas\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eSigned, dated, and titled, verso\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e33.5\"H 38\"W (work) \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e34\"H 38.5\"W (framed)\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eVery good condition\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eProvenance: Gallery Moos; Galerie Samuel Lallouz\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eNote: price is $29,500 CAD\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Gershon Iskowitz","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":47765528215788,"sku":"06-26","price":29500.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0074\/2712\/files\/Caviar20_Gershon-Iskowitz-Northern-Lights-_8-1984_01.jpg?v=1781904635"}],"url":"https:\/\/www.caviar20.com\/collections\/gershon-iskowitz-retrospective.oembed","provider":"Caviar20","version":"1.0","type":"link"}