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LEO KRIKORIAN
434 ED, 1995
acrylic on canvas 43 3/8 X 44 1/8 inches
(USC FISHER GALLERY) label on verso
$9,000
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Leo Krikorian (1922-2005)
Leo Krikorian was a notable American artist recognized for his contributions to abstraction painting. Active in the post-World War II art scene in San Francisco, Krikorian played a significant role in the Bay Area art community. His work is distinguished by its exploration of color, form, and geometric abstraction.
Early Life and Education
Born in Fresno, California, Krikorian served in the U.S. Navy during World War II. After the war, he attended the famed Black Mountain College in North Carolina where he studied under renowned artists Josef Albers and Ilya Bolotowsky, and later he attended the California School of Fine Arts (now the San Francisco Art Institute), where he was influenced by artists such as Clyfford Still, Richard Diebenkorn, and David Park. This education deeply influenced his artistic style and direction.
Black Mountain College
Legendary even in its own time, including Leo Krikorian, Black Mountain College attracted and created maverick spirits, some of whom went on to become well-known and extremely influential individuals in the latter half of the 20th century.
A partial list includes Willem and Elaine de Kooning, Robert Rauschenberg, Josef and Anni Albers, Jacob Lawrence, Merce Cunningham, John Cage, Cy Twombly, Kenneth Noland, Susan Weil, Vera B. Williams, Ben Shahn, Ruth Asawa, Franz Kline, Arthur Penn, Buckminster Fuller, M.C. Richards, Francine du Plessix Gray, Charles Olson, Robert Creeley, Dorothea Rockburne and many others who have made an impact on the world in a significant way.
Even now, decades after its closing in 1957, the powerful influence of Black Mountain College continues to reverberate.
Artistic Style and Influence
Krikorian’s work is marked by its use of bold colors, clean lines, and geometric shapes. While influenced by the Abstract Expressionist movement, he developed a unique approach emphasizing precision and balance.
His paintings often feature dynamic compositions that explore the relationships between color and form, creating a sense of movement and depth.
Contributions to the Art Community
In addition to his work as a painter, Krikorian was an active member of the Bay Area art community. He was associated with/ co-founded the Six Gallery in San Francisco, a cooperative gallery that became a significant venue for avant-garde artists.
The Six Gallery is particularly famous for hosting the first public reading of Allen Ginsberg’s poem “Howl” in 1955, a seminal event for the Beat Generation literary movement.
Influence of Black Mountain College
At Black Mountain College, Krikorian had the opportunity to study under several prominent artists who were part of the faculty. Some of his most influential teachers included:
· – Josef Albers, a former Bauhaus master, Albers was a pivotal figure at Black Mountain College. His teachings on color theory, form, and design profoundly influenced Krikorian. Albers’ emphasis on the interaction of color and his rigorous approach to composition resonated with Krikorian’s artistic sensibilities and can be seen in his later works.
· – Ilya Bolotowsky, was a pioneering abstract painter whose work was characterized by its use of geometric forms, primary colors, and a disciplined, orderly composition. He was deeply influenced by the De Stijl movement, particularly the work of Piet Mondrian, and sought to create a universal visual language through abstraction. Bolotowsky’s emphasis on harmony, balance, and purity of form resonated with many artists, including Krikorian.
Impact on Krikorian’s Art
The education and experiences Krikorian gained at Black Mountain College significantly shaped his artistic trajectory.
The interdisciplinary approach of the college, combined with the mentorship of renowned artists, provided him with a solid foundation in both theoretical and practical aspects of art.
This environment nurtured his development as an abstract artist and reinforced his commitment to exploring the relationships between color, form, and space.
Legacy of Black Mountain College
Black Mountain College’s influence on Krikorian extended beyond his time there.
The college’s emphasis on innovation, collaboration, and pushing the boundaries of traditional art forms became a cornerstone of his artistic philosophy.
The lessons learned from his teachers and peers at Black Mountain College continued to inform his work throughout his career, contributing to his unique voice in the world of abstract art.
Bolotowsky’s Influence on Leo Krikorian
Bolotowsky’s teachings had a profound impact on Krikorian, who was drawn to the clarity and precision of geometric abstraction. Several aspects of Bolotowsky’s influence can be identified in Krikorian’s work:
- Geometric Precision: Bolotowsky’s meticulous approach to composition and his use of geometric shapes and lines greatly influenced Krikorian. This can be seen in Krikorian’s careful structuring of forms and his precise use of color and space.
- Color Theory: Bolotowsky’s use of primary colors and his exploration of color relationships were key elements that Krikorian incorporated into his own work. The interplay of colors in Krikorian’s paintings often reflects Bolotowsky’s influence on his understanding of color harmony and contrast.
- Abstraction and Purity of Form: Bolotowsky’s commitment to non-representational art and his pursuit of purity in form and composition inspired Krikorian to delve deeper into abstraction. This led Krikorian to develop his unique voice within the realm of geometric abstraction, focusing on creating a sense of balance and order.
Notable Classmates at Black Mountain College
During his studies at Black Mountain College, Krikorian interacted with a number of influential artists who were his classmates or part of the broader college community. Notable among them were:
- Robert Rauschenberg: A pioneering figure in the development of postwar American art, Rauschenberg’s experimental approach to art, combining painting, sculpture, and found objects, left a lasting impression on his peers. His innovative techniques and disregard for traditional boundaries influenced Krikorian’s own willingness to explore and experiment within abstract art.
- Kenneth Noland: Known for his work in Color Field painting, Noland’s exploration of pure color and geometric forms resonated with Krikorian. Noland’s focus on the emotional impact of color and the simplicity of his compositions influenced Krikorian’s own use of color and geometric abstraction.
- Franz Kline: An Abstract Expressionist known for his bold, gestural brushstrokes and dramatic compositions, Kline’s dynamic approach to painting provided a stark contrast to the more structured styles of Bolotowsky and Albers. Kline’s emphasis on movement and spontaneity inspired Krikorian to explore different aspects of abstraction.
Bay Area Art Scene
After his time at Black Mountain College, Krikorian became an integral part of the San Francisco Bay Area art scene, where he interacted with several influential artists:
- Richard Diebenkorn: A fellow student from the California School of Fine Arts, Diebenkorn’s transition from Abstract Expressionism to the more structured and geometric Ocean Park series mirrored Krikorian’s own artistic journey. Diebenkorn’s balance of abstraction and representation influenced Krikorian’s exploration of form and space.
- Clyfford Still: As one of his teachers at the California School of Fine Arts, Still’s powerful and emotive use of color and form had a profound impact on Krikorian. Still’s belief in the spiritual and expressive potential of abstract art helped shape Krikorian’s understanding of the deeper possibilities within abstraction.
- David Park: Another influential figure in the Bay Area Figurative Movement, Park’s shift from abstract to figurative painting highlighted the fluid boundaries between different styles of art. Park’s emphasis on the human form and emotional content added another dimension to Krikorian’s artistic perspective.
Leo Krikorian’s artistic development was significantly shaped by his interactions with these influential artists, both as classmates and as part of the broader artistic community.
The blend of influences from Abstract Expressionism, Color Field painting, and geometric abstraction provided Krikorian with a rich tapestry of ideas and techniques to draw upon, ultimately helping him to forge his own unique path in the world of abstract art.
The Beat Movement
Leo Krikorian was not only an influential abstract artist but also a key figure in the Beat Generation, particularly within the San Francisco Bay Area.
Among his many accomplishments, Krikorian became known as the “Grandfather of the Beats” because of a legendary bar he opened in 1953 called The Place in North Beach, California.
The Place was a watering hole and cultural mecca for Beat era poets, artists, musicians and filmmakers. Jack Kerouac (The Subterraneans was largely set at The Place), Ken Kesey, Lawrence Ferlinghetti, Robert Creeley, William S. Burroughs, Richard Brautigan, Jonathan Williams, Paul Desmond, and Allen Ginsberg were all regulars at the bar Krikorian started with fellow BMC student Knute Stiles.
The Place became the West Coast equivalent of the famous Cedar Bar in New York City – where artists met to talk, drink and socialize.
The Beat movement emerged in the late 1940s and 1950s, which later evolved into the Hippie movement, primarily centered around the group of writers and poets in New York City and San Francisco. Key figures included Jack Kerouac, Allen Ginsberg, William S. Burroughs, and Neal Cassady.
The Beats were known for their rejection of conventional societal norms, their exploration of spirituality (often through Eastern religions), and their experimentation with drugs and alternative lifestyles.
They sought to break away from the materialism and conformity of post-war America and expressed themselves through literature, poetry, and jazz.
Krikorian’s involvement in this movement was both artistic and social, as he played a significant role in fostering a community that nurtured creativity and counter-cultural ideas.
The Hippie Movement
The hippie movement emerged in the mid-1960s, reaching its peak during the Summer of Love in 1967.
The movement was characterized by its embrace of peace, love, and harmony, as well as its opposition to the Vietnam War and mainstream consumer culture.
Hippies were known for their distinctive fashion, communal living, psychedelic music, and widespread use of drugs like marijuana and LSD.
San Francisco’s Haight-Ashbury district became the epicenter of the movement, attracting thousands of young people seeking a new way of life.
Connections Between the Beat and Hippie Movements
- Philosophical Continuity: Both movements shared a disdain for materialism and societal norms, advocating for personal freedom, spiritual exploration, and a more authentic way of living. The Beats laid the philosophical groundwork that the hippies would expand upon, especially in their quest for spiritual enlightenment and alternative lifestyles.
- Key Figures: Many of the leading figures of the Beat movement became influential mentors and inspirations for the younger generation of hippies. Allen Ginsberg, for example, was a prominent figure in both movements, participating in key events like the Human Be-In in 1967, which helped bridge the gap between the Beats and the hippies.
- Geographical and Social Overlap: The San Francisco Bay Area served as a significant cultural hub for both movements. The Beat Generation had already established a vibrant countercultural scene in places like North Beach, and this atmosphere helped attract the burgeoning hippie movement to nearby Haight-Ashbury.
- Artistic Expression: Both movements were marked by their artistic expressions, though in different mediums. The Beats were primarily known for their literature and poetry, while the hippies expressed themselves through music, visual art, and communal living. However, the boundary-blurring, experimental nature of Beat literature influenced the free-spirited, improvisational ethos of hippie culture.
Legacy and Influence
The cultural and ideological threads that connected the Beat and hippie movements continued to influence American society long after their respective heydays.
The Beats’ focus on personal freedom and spiritual exploration evolved into the hippies’ broader social and political activism, contributing to the countercultural revolution of the 1960s and 1970s.
Together, these movements played a crucial role in shaping modern attitudes toward individuality, artistic expression, and alternative lifestyles.
Six Gallery and the Beat Movement
One of Krikorian’s most notable contributions to the Beat movement was his involvement with the Six Gallery.
The gallery, co-founded by Krikorian in 1954, became an epicenter for avant-garde art and a gathering place for the Beat community.
As mentioned earlier, it was here that Allen Ginsberg first read his groundbreaking poem “Howl” on October 7, 1955. This event is often cited as a defining moment for the Beat Generation, bringing together literature, art, and countercultural activism in a powerful public display.
Krikorian, as a part of this scene, contributed to the blending of visual arts with the literary and musical innovations of the Beats.
Influence on and from the Beats
Krikorian’s abstract art and the Beat movement’s literary output shared common themes of breaking away from tradition and exploring new forms of expression.
His geometric abstractions, with their emphasis on color, form, and spatial relationships, echoed the Beats’ quest for new ways of seeing and experiencing the world.
Conversely, the spontaneity and emotional intensity of Beat literature influenced Krikorian’s approach to his art, encouraging a more experimental and free-flowing style.
His friendships and interactions with Beat writers and poets fostered a cross-pollination of ideas that enriched his own artistic practice. The merging of visual art with poetry and performance created a dynamic cultural environment in which Krikorian thrived.
Legacy and Influence
The philosophical and cultural threads connecting the Beat and hippie movements influenced American society long after their heydays.
Krikorian’s involvement in these movements, particularly through the Six Gallery, left a lasting impact on both his art and the broader cultural landscape.
His work remains a testament to the power of collaboration and challenging conventional boundaries in pursuit of creative freedom.
Krikorian’s contributions to the Beat community and his role as a cultural facilitator highlight his importance in the vibrant and transformative period of mid-20th-century American art.
To see KRIKORIANS paintings is by appointment only – Please email me to make an appointment if you are interested in viewing it. herair@garboushian.com
Herair Garboushian
GARBOUSHIAN GALLERY |
