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Posts Tagged ‘Martin Lewis’

Armin Landeck

Posted in Favorite Things, Influences, tagged Armin Landeck, Columbia University, Etching, Great Depression, Martin Lewis, New York City, Printmaking, The School for Printmakers, Wisconsin on March 6, 2014| 1 Comment »

Armin Landeck- Cat’s Paw 1934

I have often featured the work of artists here who work in black and white, mainly printmakers who work in forms of etching or lithography. For myself, I like seeing the pattern and rhythm of these compositions without the influence of texture or color. Probably because I am always looking for a new way of looking at the normal and these give me a clear view of their construction, their bones. There’s something very pure in that.

Last week I wrote bout Martin Lewis who achieved some success with his wonderful etchings in the 1930’s only to fade into obscurity in the 40’s until the end of his life. Today I want to feature a contemporary as well as an associate of Lewis, Armin Landeck. Born in Wisconsin in 1905, Landeck came to New York City in the 20’s to study architecture at Columbia University. He and his wife traveled to Europe from 1927 until 1929 where he studied art and became interested in printmaking, producing his fist body of prints there. Returning to the states and not being able to find work as an architect, Landeck turned his complete attention to printmaking.

Armin Landeck- Pop’s Tavern 1934

Like Lewis, he documented the New York of the early 30’s, the tonal nature of his black and white etchings creating a perfect atmosphere for the gritty urban landscapes. The nature and popularity of their work eventually brought Lewis and Landeck together. Together they opened The School for Printmakers in 1934 but it quickly became a victim of the Great Depression, closing in 1935. As I noted, it was during this time that Lewis left NY and work soon fell from favor in the post-war years as Abstract Expressionism and other new trends in art took over the city. Lewis never regained his footing.

Armin Landeck- Chair and Table 1980

Landeck, on the other hand, let his work be influenced by the new atmosphere in the art world, adopting more and more elements of abstraction in it. Without really altering his own unique perspective, his work continued to expand and evolve, remaining vital until his death in 1984.

I like that while I love this work there is also a lesson to be learned here about allowing new influences into your work, not simply cutting yourself off or settling at a plateau at a certain point in time. I will ponder that while I continue to look at Mr. Landeck’s beautiful work.

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Martin Lewis’ Etchings

Posted in Favorite Things, Influences, tagged Australia, Edward Hopper, Etchings, James MacNeil Whistler, Japan, Martin Lewis, New York City on February 28, 2014| 9 Comments »

I saw a Martin Lewis etching years ago and was transfixed by the crisp contrast of its darks and lights and the easy moodiness it gave off. I knew nothing of the artist but it was obvious that he was masterful in his etching and in his artistic eye. I had largely forgotten this artist until I came across a group of his etchings that are coming up for auction. Seeing them rekindled that same feeling I felt years ago. Mainly images from New York in the 20’s and 30’s, they often capture a feeling of urban anonymity and isolation, mining the same vein of emotion in which Edward Hopper worked in his paintings. This is probably not a coincidence since Lewis and Hopper were friends, Lewis having taught Hopper the art of etching around 1915.

Martin Lewis was born in Australia in 1881 and ran away from home at age 15, working rough jobs for a few years as he travelled and sketched his way through Australia and New Zealand. He ended up in Sydney where he studied and did illustrations for a local newspaper. He migrated to the US around 1900, arriving in San Francisco where he painted backdrops for the presidential campaign of William McKinley before finding his way to New York City.

Inspired by the dynamism of the city at that time, Lewis worked as an illustrator and painter. It was a 1910 trip to England, where he was introduced to the printwork of English artists such as James MacNeil Whistler, that inspired him to take up etching. However, it was an 18 month stay in Japan in 1920 that set the groundwork for his signature work which captures light and air and mood so well. He was active and increasingly successful from 1925 until about 1935. However, the Great Depression brought a downturn to his popularity and by the 1940’s his work was out of favor. His work never really took hold after that and he died in 1961, largely unknown. In fact, just finding some of the details on his life for this short blog post took some doing.

I think his work is wonderful and evocative and find it amazing that his work ever fell out of favor. But such is the nature of art. But the etchings of Martin Lewis will persevere through the fickle cycles because they capture something elemental and personal. And that is what real art does.