Gorky, Arshile, << GAWR kee, AHR sheel >> (1904-1948), an American artist, was a leading member of the Abstract Expressionist movement. He developed an individual style in which living things, such as blades of grass and human figures, are the basis for imaginative abstract compositions. His linear details show his skill as a draftsman. Gorky was also a master in the use of color.
Gorky applied paint thinly in his works to preserve each color’s highest radiance. Hints of the human body, such as heart and bone shapes, are combined with elements from nature in Gorky’s paintings. These shapes and elements prompted critics to describe Gorky’s style as “biomorphic.” Gorky has been called a Surrealist. However, Gorky’s artistic style eludes precise definition. See Abstract Expressionism .
Gorky was born on April 15, 1904, in what is now eastern Turkey. His real name was Vosdanig Manoog Adoian. Gorky moved to the United States in 1920 and later settled in New York City. He committed suicide on July 21, 1948.
