Levin, Joseph (1894–1979) Abstraction I

LEVINJoseph (1894–1979)
Abstraction I
Indianink, watercolor, and white gouache
31.3x 41.2 cm
Signed lower left

Joseph Levin was born in Saint Petersburg in 1894. After completing high school, he attended the Imperial Institute ofPainting, directed by Roerich.
His teachers were Resberg,Moscovici, Navozov, and Fimon.
He then went to New York, wherehis eldest brother had been living since 1905 and where Josephattended the National Academy of Design.
In February 1917, helearned that the revolution had begun in Russia; he returned toPetrograd and worked in the studio of Resberg, his formerteacher. Then, in October, Levin left Petrograd and went toMoscow. In 1919, he met the poet Sergei Yesenin, a friend of hisbrother Vaniamin. In Moscow, he spent time with the painter Larionov and the entireRussian avant-garde group; he was won over and endorsed theImaginist Manifesto published by Esenin.
In 1920, he traveled toCita, in the Far East, where he explored the technique of fresco paintingand won a competition to decorate the walls of the recreation hallat Penza University.
In 1922, he took a tripto China. He exhibited his paintings in Tianjin. His study ofChinese calligraphy enhanced the graphic quality of hisart.
Levin returned to Moscow in 1923 and reconnected with S.Esenin, who had arrived from Paris with Isidore Duncan. Upon Esenin’s death,Levin kept vigil over his remains during their transport to Moscow andpainted portraits of him, the original of which is housed at the Museum of Literaturein Moscow.
In 1926, he obtained a visa to travel to Paris,where he remained until 1935.
During his years in Paris, hehad a studio on Rue Baillou in Montparnasse where, in addition topaintings, he designed costumes and sets for Russian singersand ballerinas.
In 1935, he left for New York and openeda studio in Greenwich Village. There, he produced a series oflithographs.
His painting evolved toward an abstract style. Hedeveloped his concept of representing centrifugal force,a symbol of the Universal Movement, which he called“Sur-consciencilism.”
From 1950 through 1967, he exhibited hispaintings in Paris, London, Amsterdam, and severalAmerican cities between New York and Washington.
In 1969, he returned toMoscow for an exhibition at the Museum of Literature.
In 1970,he settled permanently in Paris with his wife Bettina, whohad shared his life for 43 years.
In January 1979,he held a retrospective exhibition titled “SixtyYears of Painting.”
He spent his final years in Mazan(Avignon) and died in 1979.
Joseph Levin was also a writerand poet.