Untitled, 1986, oil on linen, 42 x 60 inches. Collection of Alan Feinsilver
January 13 – May 13, 2017 {56 Broadway}
Curated by Alice Sebrell and Connie Bostic
Zola Marcus (1915 – 1998), long-time resident of New York and abstract painter attended the 1953 Summer Institute at Black Mountain College where he studied painting with Joe Fiore and Esteban Vicente. His early work (pre-Black Mountain) consisted of representational scenes, primarily landscapes. These early paintings displayed a remarkable feeling not just for natural beauty but also for color and, particularly, for formal clarity. It is the strength of formal composition that carried over into his abstract work, which he developed over a number of decades. Early in this development he had a one-man show at the famed Galerie Mai in Paris, and one can see the influence of his teachers, including Fernand Leger and, later, the dean of New York abstraction, Hans Hoffman. Marcus integrated a large number of the central developments of abstract painting into his work over the years, including large-scale calligraphic gestures and the employment of chance-elements, particularly drip-motifs. Many of Marcus’ later canvases display the unusual combination of fine technical precision with the appearance of improvisatory gestural spontaneity, and it is in these canvases that his distinctive aesthetic voice is perhaps most pronounced.
This project would not be possible without the dedication and support of Julie Feinsilver and Alan Feinsilver, niece and nephew of Zola Marcus. Special thanks to Garry L. Hagberg, Susan Rhew Design, and to Brian E. Butler and UNC Asheville.
Related Events
- Jan 13, 5:30pm – Opening Reception – FREE {Gallery talk with Julie Feinsilver at 6:45pm}
- Jan 14, 2pm – Conversation: Zola Marcus
- Feb 4, 8pm – Performance: Nick Millevoi’s Desertion Trio
- Mar 9, 7pm – Listening Session: Williams Mix by John Cage
- Apr 20, 7pm – AnthroPolis: Black Mountain College and the Teaching of Culture, Citizenship, and Community
- May 4, 7pm – Conversation: A Living Museum with George Scheer
From the Blog
Zola Marcus: Making Connections and Continuing the Conversation
Art historian and UNC Asheville Art lecturer Dr. Eva Bares reflects on the work + legacy of Zola Marcus.