Paul Cahan

Early Works

I remember that making art was first and foremost, simply fun. It also fulfilled a desire to hold onto an image, moment, express a feeling or thought to others… this is me, this is what I feel, this is important.

I think that from an early age, making art was the activity that mattered the most to me, except for skiing and mountain climbing.

I was in an eight grade art show and one of my 1964 abstracts was stolen. It was similar to the abstracts I created from the rubber rollers used when making linoleum cut prints. (Please see the first few paintings in this gallery) Having a work stolen at a young age has always been a meaningful compliment mixed with anger. I learned early on that most of the art that is important to me is that which expresses a combination of feelings, like words and body language, color and form.

My art was technically the strongest in black and white photography. My father had a dark room with all the equipment for creative control. I printed as many photographs as I had time for. Art is a part of my personality. Over time it has reflected life’s changes, priorities, experiences. It reflects what I feel is important in the world. It also has a lot to do with the accidental, chance nature of life. This is especially true with photography… which is about seeing what is there and quickly taking action. I rarely staged a photograph.

Paul Cahan Dec. 2014

Please click on images thumbnails for larger view:

 

Snowman
Abstract with Printing Rollers
Abstract with Printing Rollers
Couple 2
Circular Couple
42nd Street
42nd Street
42nd Street
Anger
Couple
Collage
Contrasts
Nature with Nature
Filene's Basement
Class Photo
First Sculpture
Teeth Grinder
Waterfall
Figure Found Objects
Holding Home
Houses and Homes
Landscape
Metal Poem
Morning Collage
Not Too Close
One Blade of Grass
One Molecule
Owl
Pottery Fragments
Three Notes
To Coney Island I
To Coney Island II
Wild Strawberries
Maine Chipmunks
African Violets

 


 

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