Oscar Cahén

Oscar Cahén
Life & Work by Jaleen Grove
LaPalme, Robert (Canadian, 1908–1997)
A prolific and influential illustrator and political cartoonist published in almost every
French language newspaper in Quebec and an outspoken critic of Premier Maurice
Duplessis. LaPalme was also a painter and acted as the artistic director of Expo ’67 in
Montreal, and of Montreal’s metro, where he instituted a program of public art. Three of
his own murals are featured in Montreal’s metro system.
Lebrun, Rico (Italian/American, 1900–1964)
A commercial artist, painter, sculptor, and muralist. The human form inspired his work.
He took as a central theme the human predicament. A popular and influential instructor
of art and illustration, his Crucifixion series of abstracted figures is perhaps his bestknown
work.
Lionni, Leo (Dutch/Italian, 1910–1999)
Influenced by Futurism and the Bauhaus, Lionni was a painter and sculptor who also
worked as a commercial artist in advertising and magazine publishing (notably for
Fortune, Time-Life, and Sports Illustrated). He began writing and illustrating children’s
books in 1959.
Luke, Alexandra (Canadian, 1901–1967)
An Abstract Expressionist painter and a member of Painters Eleven, Luke trained at the
Banff School of Fine Arts and the Hans Hofmann School of Fine Arts in Massachusetts.
A significant figure in early Canadian abstract art, she was included in the exhibition
Canadian Women Artists in New York in 1947.
Macdonald, Jock (British/Canadian, 1897–1960)
A painter, printmaker, illustrator, teacher, and a pioneer in the development of abstract
art in Canada. Macdonald began as a landscape painter but became interested in
abstraction in the 1940s, influenced by Hans Hofmann and Jean Dubuffet. Macdonald
was one of the founders of Painters Eleven in 1953.
Martin, David Stone (American, 1913–1992)
A prolific and influential graphic designer and illustrator with a kinetic, calligraphic style,
Martin was an artist correspondent for Time-Life during the Second World War. He is
most renowned for having created hundreds of album portraits, especially for jazz
musicians such as John Coltrane, Ella Fitzgerald, and Billie Holiday.
McLaren, Norman (Scottish/Canadian, 1914–1987)
McLaren began his career at General Post Office (GPO) in Scotland before following
film producer John Grierson to the National Film Board in Canada. An innovative
filmmaker, McLaren created abstract and animated films and experimented with
techniques such as drawing directly on celluloid, cutout animation, and
superimpositions. He created 72 films over the course of his career.
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