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Irving Fierstein (January 11, 1915 - May 25, 2009) Brooklyn-born artist whose work spanned over half a century was the son of Romanian and Polish Jewish immigrant parents and raised on New York City’s lower east side. In his lifetime Fierstein created a prolific body of fine artworks including oils, acrylics, lithographs, etchings and mixed medium reflecting impressionist, cubist, and expressionist schools, many dedicated to themes about social justice. Fierstein began his studies of art and architecture at the Hebrew Technical Institute (New York City) from which he graduated in 1932. He also studied at the National Academy of Design where he was awarded the top medal in 1937, and later at Cooper Union where he also learned commercial art and lettering.〔Records & Briefs New York State Appellate Division, 36 AD 2nd, Vol. 286, ,1969, pp. A-186-187〕 One of his earliest projects was working with painter Rockwell Kent in 1938 on a Times Square (New York City) billboard in support of the Spanish Civil War freedom fighters against fascism.〔''Workers World,'' January 10, 2002, “65 years as a people’s artist – Celebrating Irving Fierstein” by Sue Davis (http://www.workers.org/2009/us/irving_fierstein_0618/); Leaflet “Celebrate Irving Fierstein’s 65 Years as a People’s Artist” for retrospective one-artist show, December 18, 2001, International Action Center, New York, New York〕 His 1969 oil on canvas depicting the 1963 beating of African-American civil rights activist Fanny Lou Hamer in a Winona, Mississippi jail was presented to the Martin Luther King, Jr. Center for Social Change in Atlanta in 1977.〔''Amsterdam News'' (New York), August 20, 1977, p. D-13〕〔Letter to Irving Fierstein from the Martin Luther King, Jr. Center for Social Change in Atlanta, July 19, 1977 on behalf of Coretta Scott King by Administrative Secretary Delores A. Harmon〕〔''Chelsea Clinton News'' (New York), July 14, 1977, p. 8〕 Fierstein had been deeply moved by the treatment of Hamer by the segregationist authorities and was inspired to undertake the painting while studying at the Art Students League with impressionist portrait painter Sidney Dickinson (1890 - 1980). This painting was featured in his first one-artist show at the Lynn Kottler Galleries in New York City in December 1970.〔''Daily News'' (New York), Night Owl Reporter column, “The Aspect of Pain”, December 19, 1970〕〔''The Brooklyn Record'', November 6, 1970〕〔''The Daily News'', Tarrytown, NY, December 23, 1970〕〔''The Citizen Register'', Ossining, NY, December 22, 1970〕〔''Croton-Cortlandt News'', Croton-on-Hudson, NY, December 17, 1970〕〔''The United Teacher'', New York, New York, December 20, 1970〕 ==Background== From early on in his life, Fierstein veered toward art and a non-conforming social consciousness and activism.〔Speech by Irving Fierstein, December 18, 2001, Art Exhibition retrospective, International Action Center, New York, New York〕 As early as 1937 while working as an advertising artist for Hearn’s Department Store in New York City, he helped to organize the Commercial Artists and Designers Union. After his marriage to Hannah Tompkins (artist) in 1940, the two worked to organize a Greenwich Village (NYC) branch of the American Labor Party. During World War II Fierstein was a sergeant in the Army Air Corps during which he worked maintenance and instruction on the mechanical and electrical systems of the Boeing B-29 heavy bombardment airplanes. He was awarded the American Campaign Medal, World War II Victory Medal (United States).〔Army of the United States, Separation papers, Vol. 181, p. 493, December 11, 1945: Honorable Discharge, Irving Fierstein, Sergeant 244th Army Air Force Base Unit, Mitchell Field, New York〕 In the years after the war by 1948 Irving and Hannah Fierstein joined with the families of 9 other artists and architects to establish the community of Harmon Park in Croton-on-Hudson, New York in Westchester County just north of Manhattan. Here they built a home and raised a family of four children.〔''New York Star,'' October 24, 1948, p. 24 “Artists Build Homes at Savings by Cooperating on Land, Architect”〕 In the early 1950s Fierstein established Irv Fierstein Art, a commercial and advertising art studio on Fifth Avenue in New York City, later called Art Dimensions. He continued to make his living as graphic designer and art director until he retired in 1980. He and his wife divorced in 1964. He would re-marry and divorce once more. In July 1965 He participated in a call by Artists and Writers of Dissent directed to U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Adlai Stevenson demanding an end to U.S. involvement in Vietnam and the Dominican Republic.〔Report from the Bureau of Special Services, July 1, 1965 “Artists and Writers dissent picket demonstration at the United States Mission to the United Nations” (Freedom of Information Act)〕 He continued his activism in the progressive and socialist movements until his death at age 94 at his home in New York City’s uptown Washington Heights neighborhood.〔Death Transcript, Irving Fierstein, New York City Department of Health, May 2009, No. 156-09-021406〕 In 1990 Fierstein participated as a race-walker and successfully completed the 26 mile New York City Marathon at age 75.〔''New York Post,'' November 6, 1990, p. A-69, 1990 New York City Marathon results〕〔''New York Running News,'' December–January 1991, p. 130〕 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「Irving Fierstein」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
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