RC Gorman

RC Gorman (born July 26, 1931 in Chinle , Arizona , † November 3, 2005 in Albuquerque , New Mexico ; actually Rudolph Carl Gorman ) was a Navajo artist. Gorman has been referred to as "Picasso of the American art" by the New York Times .

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Gorman was born in Chinle , Arizona . His mother was Adele Katherine Brown. His father, Carl Gorman, a well-known Navajo painter and teacher, was a Navajo radio operator during World War II .

Gorman grew up in a traditional Navajo Hogan and began painting at the age of three. His grandmother, who also raised him, introduced him to the legends of the Navajo and counted on the roots of his ancestors who were already artistically active. It fueled his desire to become an artist even more. While he was tending sheep with his aunts in Canyon de Chelly , he painted on the rocks, in the sand and mud. His first clay sculptures were Mickey Mouse and Shirley Temple .

After leaving high school , he served in the U.S. Navy . He then went to Northern Arizona University , where he majored in literature and minor in art.

successes

In 1958 he received his first scholarship from the Navajo Tribal Council to study outside the United States. He enrolled in the Mexico City College arts program, where he learned and was influenced by the work of Diego Rivera . He later studied art at San Francisco State University and worked as a model.

Gorman moved from California to New Mexico, where he opened his Navajo Gallery in Taos in 1968 . It was the first gallery owned by a Native American.

In 1973 he was the only living artist who could take part in the exhibition “Masterpieces of the Indians”. The exhibition took place in the Metropolitan Museum in New York . One of his works was chosen as the cover picture of the exhibitor catalog.

Recognitions and collectors of his works

The Harvard University honored him in 1986 for his "remarkable contribution to American art and American Indian culture." The former mayor of San Francisco , Dianne Feinstein , named March 19 "Gorman Day".

Well-known friends and collectors of his works are and were Elizabeth Taylor , Danny DeVito , Arnold Schwarzenegger , Barry Goldwater , Gregory Peck , Erma Bombeck , Lee Marvin , Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis and his art friend Andy Warhol , who had a portrait of Gorman hanging in the bathroom.

Later life and death

In 1997, Gorman was investigated for child sexual abuse. The FBI had evidence to this effect, but it could no longer be used due to statute of limitations. Gorman donated art to Tom Udall's campaign for the US House of Representatives in 1998 . In 2003 he bequeathed his personal library to Diné College in Tsaile . On September 18, 2005, Gorman fell ill at his home and was admitted to Holy Cross Hospital in Taos. On 26 September, he was transferred to the University Hospital in Albuquerque laid, where he died on November 3, 2005 at the age of 74 years.

Influences

Gorman learned from the work of Diego Rivera , David Alfaro Siqueiros and Rufino Tamayos . He was inspired by their colors and shapes, which changed from abstraction to abstract realism. He used these abstract shapes and profiles to find his own unique, personal and realistic style that is unmistakable for those familiar with his works. During his stay in Mexico he learned lithography from Jose Sanchez. He made extensive use of this craftsmanship, painting directly on stones from which the lithographers were printed.

Awards

Gorman has received the following titles and awards, among others, for his services to Native American culture:

Honorary Doctorate in Arts from the College of Ganado
RC Gorman Day in San Francisco and New Mexico State
Doctor of Humanities, Eastern New Mexico University
Honorary Doctorate in Humanities from Northern Arizona University
National Association of Colleges and Universities Graduate of the Year award
Camino Real Award from the Latin American Chamber of Commerce

Individual evidence

Web links

personal data
SURNAME	Gorman, RC
ALTERNATIVE NAMES	Gorman, Rudolph Carl
BRIEF DESCRIPTION	American painter
DATE OF BIRTH	July 26, 1931
PLACE OF BIRTH	Chinle , Arizona
DATE OF DEATH	November 3, 2005
Place of death	Albuquerque , New Mexico

[1] Mexico City College history

[2] ttp://www.freenewmexican.com/news/47435.html

[3] Brief biography of RC Gorman