Ivars Hiršs (1931–1989) was a Latvian-born American painter.

Ivars Hiršs
Ivars Hiršs photograph by Alberts Vasils, from the 1974 edition of Jaunā Gaita
Born(1931-07-11)July 11, 1931
DiedMarch 10, 1989(1989-03-10) (aged 57)
NationalityLatvia, American
Known forPainter
MovementGraphics

Life and work edit

Hiršs was born in Riga, into an extremely wealthy Latvian family of Roberts Hiršs, a textile mill owner. Contrary to his father's wishes that he become a businessman, Hiršs pursued a career in art. The family left Latvia in the late 1930s and moved to Sweden, later continuing on to the United States. There Hiršs graduated with a Masters from the Rhode Island School of Design in 1954.[1]

He continued his studies at the California College of the Arts and Crafts, later moving to San Francisco, where, by the early 1960s he had made a name for himself in graphics, as well as within the greater San Francisco art community.[2] He had several successful exhibits, including one at the Triangle Gallery (San Francisco) in 1962 and another in 1967 at the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art.[3] His work often included a bright primary color upon which other colors were then superimposed. It also often included Latvian decorations or ornaments.[4]

Hiršs died in 1989 from complications related to alcoholism. With the revival of modernist aesthetics, Hiršs' art has received renewed interest from scholars.

Exhibitions edit

Selected major collections edit

(in others as well as many private collections)

List of works edit

References edit

  1. ^ "Ivars Hiršs". timenote.info (in Latvian). Retrieved 2024-01-07.
  2. ^ Jaunā Gaita No. 197, August 1994
  3. ^ Artforum, Vol. II, No. 7, 1964
  4. ^ Jaunā Gaita No. 99, 1974 (http://zagarins.net/JG/jg99/JG99_In_This_Issue.htm)
  5. ^ "The serigraphs of Ivars Hirss. (Edition) | Open Library".
  6. ^ "Serigraphs by Rolf Eiselin and Ivars Hirss (1967 edition) | Open Library".
  7. ^ "Janet Turner Print Museum: Collection: Main Collection". janetturner.org. Archived from the original on 2011-07-26.

Additional reference edit

  • American artist, Vol 28, P 63 1964
  • S.F. Art Clippings v.4: 122 - exhibit

External links edit