Isaac Kahn

Isaac Kahn works with the combination of modern subject matter, minimalism, dynamism and the underlying conceptual-symbolic quality. His primary focus is the female form, looking at shape and line and how the composition of the work interacts with the materials he uses. The strength depicted within the work reflected within the bronze and its patina. His contrasting use of sharp lines and edges with the sumptuous curves of the figures he is creating delivers the eyes of the audience throughout his work. He acts as the director, instructing the eyes over every curve of his figure.

His works are characterized by geometrical division and rich colors

Isaac Kahn is a coherent artist who is engaged in sculpturing alongside with painting and searches for new realms of expression keeping his own personal stamp. According to him: “It is necessary to learn all your life in order to develop, but it is important to keep your own integrity”.

One of his characteristics is his self discipline and order. His works are characterized by geometrical division and rich colors inherited from his teacher Montanez, the South American art and his own preference. At the beginning of his career he made his colors himself from pigments so the colors were more concentrated and intense. His compositions are harmonious and characterized by centralization and equilibrium. The illusion of space, movement and volume in his two dimensional works is achieved by gradations of light and shadows, different size and contours, the direction of the lines, the hues gradations and the multiple viewpoints.

The special technique he uses in order to achieve rich hues in the patina of his sculptures, gives each sculpture a unique look reminiscent of painting. The themes appearing in his works are mostly the female body reminiscent o fan apple or a musical instrument, elements from the musical world, family, jugglers, riding, dancing and recently a series of stereometrical monochromatic works. Some of his works contain simboli and conceptual elements.

He consequently continues his artisti cline characterized with order, geometrical division, harmonious compositions and symbolism and connects both to the Conceptual Art and to the Spatial Art.

The tendency to emerge from the canvas into the real space which can be found in some artists works as for example in the “ Sculpture-Painting” of Archipenko, gets new and enhanced quality in Isaac Kahn’s works with the combination of modern subject matter, minimalism, dynamism and the underlying conceptual-symbolic quality.

Isaac Kahn

Isaac Kahn was born in 1950 in Kaunas, Lithuania. When he was 14 he moved to Israel where he enrolled in Art College before moving to Uruguay in 1973 where he continued his studies at the University of Plastic Arts in Montevideo. In 1975 at the age of 25 he presented his first one man exhibition in the exhibition hall of Montevideo where one of his works was purchased by the widow of the President of Uruguay. . In 1984 he began working in Italy before settling there in 1991. He opened a gallery in Verona showing his work. He has exhibited widely and his work can now be found in public and private collections in the USA, South America, Israel, Europe, Japan and Korea.

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Kahn’s pieces all seem to inherit a conflict with their bases; the reclining figures, the acrobats, Lady Godiva and Eurythmics all share the same sense of longing not to be too attached to their base. Giving life to his sculpture he has expressed a sense of character that instils a certain distain for being fixed in time as an object. Whereas, pieces like ‘The Family’ have the opposite air which sees them fixed in position, well rooted into their base and solid in appearance. Their cubist attitude gives them a very linear appearance that accentuates 1the curves of the figures without giving them any sense of softness. The bronze making the piece feel heavy to observe whilst the patina creates a warming tone that creates a conflict for the viewer.

Kahn’s works are very expressive, much like the cubist movement he seems drawn to. His two dimensional works partnering the sculptures and illustrating his thoughts and development through his working methodology. The audience can gather knowledge of how Kahn has become informed on personal methods to explore all the many attributes of the human form through line and tone. His use of line within in two dimensional works obviously drawing inspiration from the likes of Picasso see the mannerisms of the sculptures he has produced delivery more of an impact.