The son of portrait artist Abraham Ginsburg, Max was exposed to art as an infant and began painting at an early age. He attended Syracuse University on an art scholarship and graduated with a Bachelor of Fine Arts in 1953. His interest in the human condition led Ginsburg to painting realistically, even in at a time when the “art establishment” was hostile to traditional approaches in painting.
In 1960, Ginsburg began teaching at the High School of Art and Design and earned a Master’s Degree from City College of New York in 1963. From 1980 to 2000, he gained success as an illustrator, painting book covers and editorial illustrations for leading publications including The New York Times, New York Magazine, Harper Collins, and others. During this time, he also taught illustration at the prestigious New York School of Visual Arts.
In 2004, Ginsburg decided to leave illustration and devote himself to fine art. He currently teaches a “Painting From Life” class and workshops at the Art Students League of New York, and occasionally in schools throughout the United States and Canada.
Of his work, Ginsburg says: “I have lived and worked in New York all my life. As a New Yorker, I feel a personal and deep connection to this rich, energetic and beautiful city with its amazingly diverse population. My objective is to paint about the people of New York, realistically and with compassion.
“I have expressed my strongly held feelings about peace and justice; deep outrage to war, injustice and torture are conveyed in some of my paintings. With regard to these themes, I have been inspired by Old Masters such as Caravaggio, Goya, Kollwitz and Picasso.”
“I choose to paint realistically because I believe realism is truth and truth is beauty. I derive an aesthetic pleasure in skillfully done realistic drawings and paintings. I believe that realism can communicate ideas strongly and it is this communication that is extremely important to me.”
Ginsburg’s recent book “Retrospective” presents for the first time, a collection of his paintings from 1956 to 2010. This beautifully presented book gives us a closer look at Ginsburg’s “detailed observation, eye-catching compositions, richness of color, and enormous sensitivity to nuance and situation.”
Ginsburg currently lives in Manhattan with his wife Miryam and has a studio in Long Island. To learn more, visit MaxGinsburg.com. Enter below to win a copy of Retrospective.
Win A Copy of Retrospective!
We here at DAF appreciated “Retrospective” so much that we thought you might like to have a copy as well. DAF, (through the generosity of Max Ginsburg) is giving the book to two lucky readers. Here’s how to enter:
On the entry form below, please include your first and last name, email address, and location only. Winners will be contacted for shipping information. One entry per person only. Contest closes on February 7, 2012. Winners will be drawn randomly and announced on February 8, 2012. Good luck everyone!
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Didn’t win the contest? Order you copy of “Retrospective” today!
(Note: Daily Art Fixx received a copy of Retrospective for review but does not receive commissions or payment of any kind for promoting this book. We only write about artists we really like!)
© All images are under strict copyright of Max Ginsburg and may not be reproduced in any form.
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