Mixed Media on Canvas
84 x 96 inches
Gary Komarin
Biography
Born in New York City, the son of a Czech architect and Viennese writer, Gary Komarin is a risk taker and considered a modern master in post painterly abstraction.
Komarin’s stalwart images have an epic quality that grips the viewer with the idea that he or she is looking at a contemporary description of something timeless. For painter Gary Komarin, abstraction has never been a formal dead end. Rather, it has allowed him to challenge the limitations of the style to make painting ‘include more’ precisely because a recognizable image excludes too much.
Komarin has exhibited extensively throughout the United States, the United Kingdom, Europe and Asia. He recently returned from a solo museum exhibition at the Musee Kiyoharu in Japan. The exhibition and catalog, Moon Flows like a Willow, was orchestrated by the Yoshi Foundation in Tokyo and Paris. Mr. Komarin was also invited to show his work at the privately owned Musee Mougins in the South of France where he exhibited Vessel pieces from Twenty Four Vessels at Kit Mandor.
In 1996, Komarin’s work was included in a pivotal exhibition at 41 Greene Street where his work was shown with the paintings of Jean-Michel Basquiat, Philip Guston and Bill Traylor. Gary Komarin was invited to show in a catalog exhibition with Robert Motherwell and Sir Anthony Caro in Dublin in 2009. One of the paintings in this exhibition was recently acquired by Museo d’Arte Contemporanea di Roma. And in 2016, Komarin was invited to show with Joan Mitchell and Manuel Neri in Denver. In 2016, a 60 Minutes Producer, Harry Moses, shot, produced and directed a short documentary film
on Gary Komarin titled, The Painter’s Path. This film can be viewed at https://vimeo.com/199892223. This follows Komarin’s invitation to participate in a film titled, The Chalkboard Chronicles, narrated by Spalding Grey. He was also included in a recent documentary on American master Clyfford Still, which was aired at the New Clyfford Still Museum in Denver, where Komarin’s work was also acquired for their permanent collection.
Articles and essays about Komarin’s work have been published in the New York Times, Art in America, and Arts Magazine among others. His work may be found in many noted public collections including: Galleria Nazionale d’ Arte Moderna, Rome, Italy; Denver Art Museum, Denver; The Museum of Fine Arts, Houston; The Yoshii Foundation, Tokyo; Musée Kiyoharu Shirakaba, Hokuto; Musée d’Art Classique de Mougins, Mougins; Boise Art Museum, Idaho; The Montclair Art Museum, New Jersey; Boston University Museum of Fine Arts; The Microsoft Corporation, galleries Proarta, Zurich; Blount International, Atlanta; The United Bank of Houston, The Hyatt Corporation and American Airlines. Private collections include: Sheila Simonian, New York; James Maher, New York; John McEnroe, New York; Candace Bushnell, New York; The N. Horiuchi Collection, Tokyo; Maxwell Davidson, New York; The Gisep Biert Collection, Zurich; The Abrussezze Collection, New York; The Broadbent Collection, London; The Ron Gremillion Collection, Houston; Mason Klein, The Jewish Museum, New York; Kathryn McCarver Root, New York; Tim Jefferies, London; Robert Lamb, Chicago; Toby Clarke, London; Meredith Long, Houston; David Alan Greer, Los Angeles; Jeffrey Hoffeld, New York; Like Honey, London; Marian Boesky, New York; Tim Culbertt, New York; Wendy Olsoff, New York; The Gonzalo Alvar Collection, Madrid; Ruth O’Hara, New York; Visko Hatfield, Connecticut; Florence de Dampierre, Connecticut.
Gary Komarin lives and works in a house and studio in the wooded hills of Roxbury, Connecticut.
CV
Education:
1975 – 1977
Boston University, MFA in Painting, Graduate Teach-ing Fellowship with Philip Guston
1975
Brooklyn Museum School, NY
1974
School of Visual Arts, NY
1973-1974
New York Studio School, NY
1973
Albany State University, BA in Art and English Literature
Awards:
The Joan Mitchell Prize in Painting, New York
Edward Albee Foundation Fellowship In Painting, New York
Elizabeth Foundation Prize in Painting, New York
Benjamin Altman Prize in Painting, National Academy of Design Museum, New York
The New York Foundation of the Arts Grant in Painting
Graduate Teaching Fellowship in Painting, Boston University Graduate School of Fine Arts
Selected Curatorial Exhibitions:
1996:
“Guston, Basquiat, Komarin, Traylor” McEnroe Gallery, NY
2015:
“Twambly, Motherwell, Poons, Komarin” Ireland
Selected Solo Exhibitions:
2024
Azulejo Gallery, Gangnam District, Seoul, South Korea
2023
Robischon Gallery, Denver, CO
Taylor Graham Gallery, New York, NY
Gail Severn Gallery, Sun Valley
Blonde Contemporary, London, UK
2020
Kim Eagles-Smith Gallery, San Francisco, CA
Laura Rathe Gallery, Dallas, TX
Neon Gallery, London
2019
Azulejo Gallery, Seoul, Korea
Laura Rathe Fine Art, Houston Texas
2018
The Vicomte and Some of His Parts, Madelyn Jordon Gallery, NY
Transfiguration, Bruce Lurie Gallery, Los Angeles, CA
Swiss Positions, Robischon Gallery, Denver, CO
The Mother Tongue, Kathy Dimmit Fine Arts, Houston, TX
2017
Swimming Pink, Julie Nester Gallery, Park City, UT
2016
Mr. Blonde , Robischon Gallery, Denver, CO
Gary Komarin, The First Green Rushing, Gail Severn Gallery, Ketchum, ID
2015
Mark Borghii Gallery,‘A Wilder Blue’, Bridgehampton, NY
Gallerie Design -e- Space, Don’t Tell LIzzie Borden, Paris
Gallerie Baobob, Incident at Osboiurne Grove, Bogota,
Columbia Gallery 88, East Meets West, Seoul Korea
Madelyn Jordan Gallery, New Paintings and Works on Paper, New York
Mark Borghii, Group Exhibition/Selected Works, Palm Beach, Florida
2014
Mini Gallery, New Paintings and Works on Paper, Assisi Italy
The Morrison Gallery, Farmers Logic, Kent, Connecticut
Galerie Proarta, Komarin, Warhol, Bacon, Arp, Zurich Switzerland
Cuadro Fine Arts, New Paintings and The French Wig, Dubai
Mark Borghii, group Exhbition/ Selected New Works, Bridge-hampton, New York
Gail Severn Gallery, New Paintings, Sun Valley, Idaho
2013
Vigo Gallery, In Which the Baron Fallow, London, England
Gail Severn Gallery, Jack’s Bridge, Ketchum, Idaho
Annual Galleries, Solo Exhibition, Paris, France
Galerie Proarta, Arp, Motherwell, Komarin and Heilman, Zurich, Switzerland
Elins Eagles Smith Gallery, Tapping Reeve, San Francisco, California
Gremillion and Co. Fine Arts, The Road so Bare and White, Houston, Texas
Cuadro Gallery, The Early Influences, Dubai
Lotte Gallery, Solo Exhibition, Seoul, Korea
2012
Hillsboro Gallery of Fine Art, Dublin, Ireland
States of Feeling: Gary Komarin, Robert Motherwell and Larry Poons Robischon Gallery, Denver, Colorado
Bonbright Gallery, Down and Dirty Whites, Los Angeles, California
2011
Galerie Proarta, Zurich, Switzerland
Gail Severn Gallery, Ketchum Idaho
Gremillion and Co. Fine Arts, Houston, Texas
2010
Robischon Gallery, Denver, Colorado
Cuadro Gallery, Dubai, United Arab
Emerates The Neilson Gallery, Cadiz, Spain
2009
Spanierman Modern, New York, New York
Galerie Proarta, Zurich, Switzerland
Broadbent Gallery, London, England
2008
Gail Severn Gallery, Blue Scrubbed White, Ketchum, Idaho
Kiyoharu Museum, Kiyoharu, Japan
The Fine Art Society, London, England
Gremillion & Company Fine Arts, Houston, Texas
2007
Gail Severn Gallery, Ketchum, Idaho
Spanierman Modern, New York, New York
The Goss Gallery, Dallas, Texas
Elins Eagles Smith Gallery, San Francisco, California
Costello-Childs Gallery, Phoenix, Arizona
2006
Karolyn Sherwood Gallery, Incident at Echo Lake, Des Moines, lowa
Galerie Proarta, Zurich, Switzerland
SG Modern and Contemporary Fine Arts, New York, New York
The Fine Art Society, The Bourdon Gauge, London, England
Gremillion & Company Fine Arts, Houston, Texas
2005
Elins Eagles-Smith Gallery, San Francisco, California
J. Johnson Gallery, Jacksonville Beach, Florida
Donna Tribby Fine Arts, Palm Beach, Florida
2004
Karolyn Sherwood Gallery, Des Moines, lowa
Bentley Gallery, Scottsdale, Arizona
Gerald Peters Gallery, Dallas, Texas
Mira Godard Gallery, Toronto, Canada
Hamiltons Gallery, London, England
Galerie Proarta, Zurich, Switzerland
Broadbent Gallery, London, England
Gremillion & Company Fine Arts, Houston, Texas
2003
McGrath Gallery, New York, New York
Kraft Leiberman Gallery, Chicago, Illinois
Robischon Gallery, Denver, Colorado
Kunstart Zurich, Galerie ProArta, Zurich, Switzerland
Galerie Proarta, Zurich, Switzerland
2002
Gremillion & Company Fine Arts Houston, Texas
Peyton/Wright Gallery, Santa Fe, New Mexico
Galerie ProArta, Zurich, Switzerland
Lizan Tops Gallery, East Hampton, New York
Steven Vail Gallery, Des Moines, lowa
Ballard Featherston Gallery, Seattle, Washington
2001
The Lowe Gallery, Atlanta, Georgia
Museum of Fine Art, New Orleans, Louisiana
Vanier Gallery, Scottsdale, Arizona
Gremillion & Company Fine Arts, Houston, Texas
Selected Group Exhibitions:
1996 (Noted)
AMERICAN MASTERS FROM MODERN TO POP: WARHOL, JENKINS, FLAVIN, SONNIER, KOMARIN: GALLERIE PROARTA, ZURICH, 2014
– TRAYLOR, GUSTON, BASQUIAT, KOMARIN: JOHN MCENROE GALLERY NY, NY
2024
A Space for Art, London UK
2016
In With the Pop, Madelyn Jordon Fine Art, Scarsdale, NY
2015
Color IV , Gail Severn Gallery, Ketchum, ID
Group Exhibition/Selected Works , Mark Borghii, Palm Beach, Florida
Seattle Art Fair, Seattle, WA,
Gail Severn Gallery San Francisco Art Market, SF, CA,
Gail Severn Gallery, ID
Color &Form as Metaphor , Gail Severn Gallery, Ketchum, ID
2014
Color III, Gail Severn Gallery, Ketchum, ID
Gary Komarin Part II , Gail Severn Gallery, Ketchum, ID
San Francisco Art Market, SF, CA,
Gary Komarin, Color II Gail Severn Gallery, Ketchum, ID
2013
San Francisco Art Market, SF, CA
Gail Severn Gallery, ID
2012
Pavilion Des Arts Et Du Design with Galerie Jean-Francois Ca-zeau, Paris, France
Palm Springs Fine Art Fair with Elins Eagles-Smith Gallery, Palm Springs, California
India Art Fair, New Delhi with Neilson Gallery, Cadiz, Spain
2011
Contemporary and Modern Masters, Jean Francois Cazeau, Paris, France
2010
Contemporary Painting, A Survey, Spanierman Modern, New York, New York
2009
Hillsboro Fine Arts, Dublin, Ireland
2007
Katonah Museum, Katonah, New York
2006
The Hungry Eye, Chelsea Art Museum, New York, New York
Works on Paper, Spanierman Modern, New York, New York
Long Island Abstraction, Spanierman Modern, New York, New York
Discardingly Yours, Dean Jensen Gallery, Milwaukee, Wisconsin
2005
The Fine Art Society, London, England
Kunstart Amsterdam with Nico DeLaive Gallery
Goss Gallery Inaugural Show, Dallas, Texas
London Art Fair with Broadbent Gallery, London, England
San Francisco Art Fair with Elins Eagles-Smith Gallery, San Francisco, California
Transversal, curated group show, Robischon Gallery, Denver, Colorado
2004
Ronald Feldman Gallery, Philips de Pury & Co.,New York, New York
Slow Art, Broadbent Gallery, London, England
32 x 32, Gerald Peters Gallery, Dallas, Texas
London Art Fair Broadbent Gallery, London, England
Works on Paper with Burton Marinkovich, The Armory, New York, New York
Bologna Art Fair with Broadbent Gallery, London, Engand
2003
The Americans, Warhol, Francis, Lichtenstein, Christo, Komarin at Galerie Proarta, Zurich, Switzerland
Basel Art Fair with Hamiltons Gallery, London, England
Milan Art Fair with Galerie Arte, Milan,Italy
Art of this Century with Mira Godard Gallery, The Armory, New York, New York
Broadbent Gallery, London, England
Richmond House Project with Hamiltons Gallery, London, England
New Abstraction, Lizan Tops Gallery, East Hampton, New York
Kratt / Lieberman Gallery Inaugural Exhibition, Chicago, Ilinois
Luke Honey, London, England
2002
13th Anniversary Show, The Lowe Gallery, Atlanta, Georgia
Kunstart Fair with Galerie ProArta, Zurich, Switzerland
Robischon Gallery, Denver, Colorado
Galerie ProArta, Zurich, Switzerland
100 NJ Artists Make Prints, New Jersey State Museum, Trenton, New Jersey
The Morris Museum, Morristown, New Jersey
The Noyes Museum of Art, Oceanville, NewJersey
The Maker’s Mark, The University of New Orleans, New Orleans, Louisiana
Works on Paper with Burton Marinkovich Fine Art, The Armory, New York, New York
Selected Museum Collections:
Galeria Nazionale D’Arte Moderna, Rome, Italy
Denver Art Museum, Denver, CO
Musee D’Art Classique, Mougins, France
Art Museum of South Texas, Corpus Christi, TX
Boston University Art Museum, Boston, MA
Museum of Contemporary Art San Diego, San Diego, CA
Boise Art Museum, Boise, ID
Arkansas Museum of Contemporary Art, Little Rock, AK
Museum of Fine Arts Houston, Houston, TX
Montclair Art Museum, Montclair, NJ
The Morris Museum, Morristown, NJ
Newark Museum, Newark, NJ
Zimmerli Art Museum, New Hyde Park, NY
Musee Kiyoharu, Shirabata, Japan
Selected Corporate and Private Collections:
Arkansas Art Center, Little Rock, AK
AT&T Corporation, New York, NY
Alan Berger, NY
Barry Blitt, CT
Bashaar Al Shroogi, Dubai
Blount Corporation, Atlanta, GA
Continental Airlines, Houston, TX
Candace Bushnell, NY
Christian Levett, Mougins, France
Craig Van der Brule Design, NY
David Alan Greer, Los Angeles, CA
Dick Cavett, NY
Doug and Judy Hamilton, NY
Faegre & Benson, Des Moines, IA
Foundation Yoshii, Tokyo Japan
Garner Tullis, New York, NY and Tuscany, Italy
Gisep Biert, President of Morgan Stanley, Zurich, Switzerland
Herbert Palmer, Los Angeles, CA
Houston Memorial Hospital & Medical Center, Houston, TX
Hyatt Corporation, Houston, TX
James Maher, New York, NY
Jeffrey Hoffeld & Co., New York, NY
Jennifer Luce, La Jolla, CA
Jersey City Museum, Jersey City, NJ
John McEnroe, New York, NY
John Rubenstein & Associates, Bernardsville, NJ
Josh Silverman, CEO of Etsy, NY
Julie Rhodes Design, Houston, TX
Katherine Newman Design, Toronto, Canada
Kimball Museum, Chairperson, Private Collection, Fort Worth, TX
Lars Malmberg / Galerie Proarta, Zug, Switzerland
Maison Klein, Curator, Jewish Museum, New York, NY
Marian Boesky, New York, NY
Margarate Naeve, Houston TX
Maxwell Davidson, New York, NY
McDonald’s Corporation, Los Angeles, CA
Michael Hoban, London, England
Michael Liener, Aurobora Press, San Francisco CA
Microsoft Corporation, Redmond, WA
Norioshi Horiuchi Collection, Tokyo, Japan
Noyes Museum, Oceanville, NJ
Prudential Insurance Company of America, Boston, MA
Robert Lamm, Los Angeles, CA
Rutgers University, New Brunswick, NJ
Ruth O’Hara, New York, NY
Articles & Reviews
2024
“Vessel Book”, Payton Heller Publishers
2011
“Still” Clifford Still Documentary, Interview with Gary Komarin, Amie Knox and Chad Herschberger
2015
Dining Rooms by the AD 100, Architectural Digest
2014
Cover Story: The Art Issue, CT Cottages & Gardens
2008
Art in America
2003
King, Sarah S., Art in America
2002
Brandenberg, Andreas, Zuger Presse, ‘Complex Paintings from Overseas’, Galerie ProArta,
Taylor, Art, ‘Komarin at Lizan Tops’, East Hampton Arts, New York
2000
Schwabsky, Barry,‘Paintings do the Talking Without Too Many Specifics’, The New York Times
1995
Grayson, Clive, ‘Gary Komarin at Susan Conway’, TheWashington Post
1996
Waddington, Chris, ‘Subjects Simple but Art Deceptively Sophisticated’, The New Orleans Lagniappe
1998
Langdon, Davis, ‘French Wig in East Hampton,’ Hamptons Ga-zette
1997
Foxworth, Janet, ‘Gary Komarin’s The Naming of John Dreamer’, The Atlanta Journal
1993
Reed, Vincent, ‘Komarin Explores the Painterly’ at Klarfeld Perry, Arts Magazine
1994
Lloyd, Amy,‘Gary Komarin Shows New Expressive Work at Sandler/Hudson, Art in America
1992
Loughery, John, ‘Komarin, The Master of the Elemental Image’ at Maxwell Davidson, Arts Magazine
1989
Watson, Edward, ‘Surrealist Loads Canvas’, The New Jersey Star Ledger
1987
Russell, John, ‘The Dog Days of August’, The New YorkTimes
1985
Zimmer, William, ‘Something-But What?, The New York Times
Zimmer, William,‘A Rich Array…From Newburgh to Newark.’The New York Times
Press:
2024
“Vessel Book”, Payton Heller Publishers
2023
Interview with L’Officiel
Connecticut Cottages and Gardens
2022
Interview with Seoul Exhibitions
2014
Cover of Connecticut Cottages and Gardens
2000
New York Times