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Jacques
Maloubier
1920 - 2001
A Web Restrospective
Few
ever go beyond the level of art appreciation that says, "I like
this or I don't like that because...", and yet to fully know the
art of Jacques Maloubier one must go back in time to Paris just
after World War II. After all , "art comes from somewhere", and
an understanding of the context in which his art was born is necessary
for anything other than a surface understanding of his aesthetic,
the way he painted.
Jacques began his studies after the war at the E'cole des Beaux
Artes with Orthon Frieze, a Fauve master historically presented
in art texts with names such as Matisse, Derain, and Vlaminck.
His education was traditional with an emphasis on drawing, composition,
and color. However, there were other styles that Jacques would
have to master if he was to reconcile his art with the art being
produced at that time. There were cubism, fauvism, post-impressionism,
and expressionism to name but a few.
It seems a fundamental of French thinking that the artist must
incorporate and go beyond the masters of the day to be successful.
Craft and mastery of existing styles ultimately become subordinated
to a search for an individual mode of expression. Culturally this
way of thinking is pervasive even now. I recall that Jacques once
said to me, "you know you cannot stay here" referring to my style
of painting and encouraging me to go further with the process.
The point is, that for Jacques, becoming and being an artist is
a journey that must incorporate the present and go beyond it.
In Jacques' paintings the influences of many styles can be seen.
His career began in the post war period and continued to the begining
of the new millennium. He lived and worked in Paris, Cuba, forty
six years in New York City, and even Southern Pines, North Carolina.
Of note he received the Sam Ragan award for excellence in fine
art in North Carolina. He spoke three languages fluently, French,
English, and Spanish. He once said to me that he was never "a
money man." I think this means that the dollar or franc was never
a strong determinant of what he painted on his time.
Jacques was dedicated to his artistic heritage, seeking, searching,
living, and taking artistic chances, risking failure by his own
standard. He was a true artist. His journey took him to many cultures
and his work has been purchased for collections worldwide. He
has also lectured and taught, sharing his notions of art and culture
with others along the way.
Though it is impossible to distill all that I know of this man
into a succinct foreword, in the three years or so that I had
the pleasure of knowing him I can certainly say that I don't think
I've ever known a more genuine artist. So I hope that you will
enjoy this presentation and applaud, as I do, the journey of this
superlative artist and his accomplishments.
Stephen Moore
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