MIGDOLLswimmer300

Herbert Migdoll
phone: 312.386.8932
cell: 312.636.9935
email: himigdoll@migdoll.com

SWIMMER300

SWIMMER300
BRIDGE VIEW, DEVOS PLACE, GRAND
RAPIDS, MICHIGAN
PAINTING BY HERBERT MIGDOLL
ACRYLIC AND OIL ENAMEL ON VINYL

RIGHT:
DEVOS PLACE HOSTING SWIMMER300 FOR ARTPRIZE 2010
IN GRAND RAPIDS, MICHIGAN
BELOW:
PAINTING BY HERBERT MIGDOLL
ACRYLIC AND OIL ENAMEL ON VINYL MESH
15’ X 300’

left:
panels of painting
10’ x 15’
right:
panels being carried to installation,
Bridgeport, Illinois

SWIMMER300, Park view across from Devos Place

panel one
panel two

panel three
panel four

panel five
panel six

panel seven
panel eight

panel nine
panel ten

panel eleven
panel twelve

panel thirteen
panel fourteen

panel fifteen
panel sixteen

panel seventeen
panel eighteen

panel nineteen
panel twenty

panel twenty one
panel twenty two

panel twenty three
panel twenty four

panel twenty five
panel twenty six

panel twenty seven
panel twenty eight

panel twenty nine
panel thirty

The following pages are additional commissioned works available through the artist.

THE CHOSEN ONE 90” X 786” (63feet) dye sublimation, acrylic, and sumi ink on linen fabric canvas

SWIMMERS
painting by Herbert Migdoll
mixed media: oil enamel and acrylic on vinyl mesh
8’ x 275’

SWIMMERS
chicago river view
in front of the merchandise mart

SWIMMERS detail
oil enamel on archival pigment painting
2’ x 34’ entire piece seen below

TURNING IN CLOSED COURSE
Painting by Herbert Migdoll
Acrylic, metallic oil enamel and epoxy on
baked enamel on aluminum
6’ x 37’
(commissioned permanent installation at McCormick Center, Chicago)

Ping Tom Park GRASSES
Painting by Herbert Migdoll.
Flatfile Gallery 2004 Installation
29 panels, mixed media, acrylic and oil enamel on canvas
Size Optional

DOGES
painting
acrylic,oil enamel and gold leaf on linen canvas
1’ x 20’

Black Gondola
Oil, enamel, Acrylic on aluminum
48” x 336’

GONDOLA
painting
acrylic and oil enamel on aluminum
36” x 324”

Black Gondola
Oil, enamel, Acrylic on aluminum
48” x 336’

DANCING DEITIES painting composite (24 vertical panels) 108” x 576”

details from dancing deities

painting installation in Hawaii

RED, WHITE & TATTOO

SWIMMING PICASSO (Joffrey Ballet dancer in costumed designed by Picasso in 1917 for the ballet: “Parade”)

GATOR AND GRASSES

HERBERT MIGDOLL - CURRICULA VITAE
COLLECTIONS
MUSEUM OF MODERN ART New York Permanent Collection (opposite page, at right)
IKONA Gallery - Venice, Italy
MOORE VAN ALLEN - Charlotte, North Carolina
PHILLIP MORRIS - New York
HEATH Gallery - Atlanta, Georgia
Private Collectors
Pachtuhn Shah - Sacramento, California
Lorna and Miles Marsh - Chicago, Illinois
Mr. and Mrs. David Kipper - Chicago, Illinois
Mr. and Mrs. Robert Helman - Chicago, Illinois
AWARDS
2005 ADOLPH GOTTLIEB PAINTING AWARD
1989 VOGELSTIEN PAINTING AWARD
1980 NEA career change grant from Graphic Design to Mixed Media Painting
1970 FULBRIGHT Grant to Denmark
EXHIBITIONS
2010 SWIMMERS 300 ARTPRIZE, Grand Rapids, MI - Devos Convention Center
2008 DANCING DEITIES HONOLULU ACADEMY OF ART - solo installation 22 paintings
configured in one room, a large BHUTAN prayer wall as part of a very large historical show.
Steven Little, the Museum Director wanted a contemporary piece inspired
by Bhutanese art which he commissioned and purchased.
2004 GRASSES and DRAGON BOATS FLATFILE GALLERY Chicago, a one person show
2003 DEATH WISH THRILL OF IT ALL 3, JAYMORE Gallery
2002 MAN AND SUPERMAN THRILL OF IT ALL 2, JAYMORE Gallery
2001 THE CHOSEN ONE, Columbia College Chicago Gallery circle installation of 21 panels
2001 TRANSFORMATIONS, Chicago Cultural Center, one person show
2000 FAUN 15th EVANSTON Biennial Group Show painting
1997 MAYA POLSKY Group Show painting
1996 FASSBENDER Chicago, one person show painting, photographs and silkscreens
1995 SWIMMING DANCER VENICE BIENNALE’S ARTELAGUNA. 40 ft. long floating
1994 SWIMMING DANCER LONGHOUSE, E. Hampton oil and acrylic on canvas, on water
1993 PARADE MOMA New York and Japan
1980 ONE PERSON SHOW, IKONA Gallery Venice Italy
1972 ONE PERSON SHOW, AMSTERDAM Gallery New York
1971 MOMA Group Show New York, Graphics from MOMA design
collection
by Mildred Constantine, designed for James Thrall Soby
1970 PHOTOGRAPHY IN PRINT by Jacob Deschin
1968 A SENSE OF ABSTRACTION MOMA Group Show New York
COMMISSIONS
2008 DANCING DEITIES mixed media painting installation as prayer wall,10 ft. x 20 ft. x 2 ft.
purchase by Honolulu Academy of Arts
2007 TURNING IN CLOSED COURSE Commission, 6 ft. x 37 ft. mixed media permanent
installation, McCormick Center, Chicago
2002 SWIMMERS Chicago Public Art Commission, 8 ft. x 275 ft. mixed media on vinyl mesh
1994 BILLBOARDS created stage set of 5 billboards for Gerald Arpino’s production for The
Joffrey Ballet
1990 ST. LOUIS BLUE Commerce Bank 10 ft. by 20 ft., acrylic and oil on canvas
1981 POSTCARDS stage backdrop commissioned by Robert Joffrey for The Joffrey Ballet
incorporating abstracted elements of The Grand Palais and the Eiffel Tower
1964 TWENTIETH CENTURY ENGINEERING for Arthur Drexler - book design MOMA
1962 MOMA Published three greeting card designs for MOMA (one was the best seller) and
two New Year cards commissioned for two consecutive years by James Thrall Soby
PUBLICATIONS AND INSTALLATIONS
DANCERS DANCING Harry Abrams 19 Color Plates
TWENTIETH CENTURY ENGINEERING MOMA designed book for and with Arthur Drexler
ANTONIO GAUDI designed cover for MOMA, monograph and title signature for MOMA
exhibition by Arthur Drexler.
WILD FLOWERS exhibition and installation commissioned for Park Avenue exhibition sponsored
by Lady Bird Johnson
EARNST HAASE for MOMA designed entire installation for exhibition while working in
graphics department.
JACK LARSEN designed catalog for his installation at the Louvre, Paris
MAGAZINE COVERS
TIME, LIFE, HORIZON, SATURDAY REVIEW, FORTUNE, DANCEMAGAZINE, SUNDAY NY
TIMES ARTS MAGAZINE
EDUCATION
Graduate Art Degree from Cooper Union, New York City
Undergraduate studies at Berkeley, MIT, Pratt, and NYU
CURRENT EMPLOYMENT
part time at The Joffrey Ballet, Chicago...(sets, graphics, photography)
PREVIOUS EMPLOYMENT
MOMA Graphics Design Staff for Galleries & Exhibitions, 63-67
Dance Magazine Art Director 25 years 68-93
The Joffrey Ballet, Director of Graphics and official photographer 79-06

HERBERT MIGDOLL - BIO
LOS TARASCANS, Dye Transfer, permanent collection MoMA
My paintings evolve from a digitally
acrylic under-painting completed
with hand-applied coats of metallic
oil enamels. Creating paintings
using this concept began in 1980,
just prior to my receiving an NEA
grant. This award was given to me
to pursue my transition into mixed
media painting, from my work as a
Graphic artist and a fine art photographer.
Following two years at Pratt Institute,
I entered Cooper Union and
progressed with Neil Wellever, who
taught painting and Brietenbach
who instructed photography. After
graduating from Cooper 1959, I
completed my art studies at Berkley
in California and at MIT; also,
I studied independently with the
painter Cusumano.
My first professional job was as a
graphic designer at the Museum of
Modern Art (MOMA) from l960 to
l963, which contributed to the continuation
of my education as an artist.
My three years at MOMA honed
my focus and vision of American
painting. I had the extraordinary opportunity
to design and collaborate
with Arthur Drexler on his MOMA
publication, Architecture USA, published
by MOMA. I studied under
Drexler at Pratt for one season and
then became the graphics designer
in the design department . My work
is in MOMA’s permanent collection.
From MOMA, I went to work for
The Joffrey Ballet, and evolved into
their Design Director; creating their
graphics, photography and three
stage sets to date. My stage set
for Robert Joffrey’s work entitled
POSTCARDS was on view as part
of the Joffrey program in Chicago
2008. One of my montages, created
for the mixed media ballet Astarte
1969 by Robert Joffrey, landed the
cover of Time Magazine. From l979
to the present The Joffrey Ballet
has been a simultaneous career
while pursuing my life as a
fine artist.
In l969, I received a Fulbright to
explore landscape and ballet in
Denmark. My trip to Paris in l974
was part of a commission from
Robert Joffrey to create a backdrop
for his world premiere ballet “Postcards.”
Seeing my work the size of
an opera stage made an
indelible impression on my aesthetic
aspirations.
Through Grace Mayer, Edward
Stiechen’s assistant at MOMA, I
met Ziva Kraus, Director of Ikona
gallery in Venice, Italy. Kraus gave
me my first one-person show in
l980 in Venice, Italy. Venice was a
revelation and propelled me in pursuing
modular elements as
a focal point in my work. At this
same time I received my NEA grant
and was able to seriously pursue
my new direction in working as a
painter with mixed media.
In 1989, following my development
in working with poured enamel oils,
I received a commission through
the David Heath Gallery to create
a 10 x 20 Foot multi-panel painting
for the Commerce Bank of St.
Louis. SAINT LOUIS BLUE
In 1992, I got an interview with Leo
Castelli by way of the director of
the American Artists Association
Wilder Green, who I knew because
of my association with him while we
were both working at the Museum
of Modern Art. My hope in going to
Leo was to get a recommendation
to show my work to Illeana Sonnabend.
Leo was very responsive
to my work and called Illeana while
I was present to suggest that she
look at my work, Upon going to
Sonnabend Gallery I was greeted
by the then new Gallery Director,
Mr Homen who set up a second
meeting with Illeana which never
occurred. Leo also agreed during
my interview with him to show my
Venetian Regatta piece in his then
newly opened Graphics Gallery if
Sonnabend said no. My show was
to follow an exhibition by neon
artist Dan Flavin. Castelli fell ill and
died about a year later during which
time I was unable to formalize an
exhibition due to Castelli’s illness.
Leo was so gracious and supportive
I shall never forget his positive
impact on my own spirit and sense
of value as an artist.
In 1996, I was invited back to
Venice Italy in 1995 to take part in
an exhibition within the Biennale,
entitled Art Laguna. For this exhibit
I created a 40 feet long x 40 inches
wide painting in 5 segments. The
work was of oil enamel and acrylic
on canvas and was constructed for
flotation. The piece floated directly
in the lagoon waters as part of the
l00th anniversary of the Venice
Biennale along with the works of l7
other artist’s pieces, mine being the
only painting. Philip Ryland assistant
director at the Guggenheim in
Venice was very supportive of my
piece and considered it as one of
the best in the show. Philip gave
me a small discretionary stipend to
help with my expenses in Venice
during the installation of the piece
in the lagoon.The director for the
1995 Biennale, Jean Claude, selected
the work for the show. In
this large floating painting, I poured
oil enamel directly onto the image
both concealing and revealing its
figurative substructure. This highly
interactive relationship between a
digitally acrylic painted photo being
either partially or totally obliterated
by the pouring of oil enamel, acrylic
and polyurethane over it, established
my aesthetic. The maiden
voyage for this floating painting
“Swimming Dancer” took place in
a lap pool on the estate of Jack
Larsen in East Hampton. Larsen
contributed to the production of the
work and it was included as part of
his annual Gala for Longhouse.

METAMORPHOSIS
archival pigment prints (a series of twelve images)
34” x 47”
(size is optional)

2000, much of my mixed media
work form Venice and some segmented
figure paintings, like the
Silver Faun were the basis for a
one person exhibit at the Chicago
Cultural Center, curated by Greg
Knight. Knight decided to curate
this exhibit after viewing my work
shown the previous year at the
Fassbender Gallery, in Chicago. I
was awarded a commission from
the City of Chicago’s Department of
Cultural Affairs, lead by Lois Weisberg,
in 2002. Through this commission
I created a painted mural
installed on the Chicago riverbank
site. “Swimmers” was 8 feet high
and 275 feet long, and composed
of acrylic and oil enamel on a vinyl
mesh sub strait. It was viewed from
Michigan Avenue Bridge in Chicago
and also from the architecture tour
boats, which were docked directly
across from it.
2004, the Flatfile Gallery in Chicago
featured my new gallery work
GRASSES, which is focused on a
45 feet long modular mural composed
of 29 stretched linen panels
with acrylic and metallic silver
oil enamel. This work reveals the
unique imagery created when a
subject is segmented. The resulting
modular details embody the magic
of motion and stillness conjoined.
The Dragon-boat paintings along
with GRASSES comprised my first
one person show at Flatfile Gallery.
2005, I received the Gottlieb Award
for painting.
2006, based on the recommendation
of Gallerist, Paul Klein, I received
a major commission from
the McCormick Foundation to
create a mixed media installation,
TURNING IN CLOSED COURSE 6
feet by 37 feet based on the Polar
Bear, Lee who while swimming in
his humongous tank in Chicago’s
Lincoln Park Zoo and he did indeed
turn in closed course. This commission
is permanently installed at the
McCormick Center in Chicago, and
is very well received.
2008, I was commissioned by Steven
Little , Director of the Honolulu
Academy of the Arts to create a
major painting installation DANC-
ING DEITIES, which required my
going to Bhutan to photograph a
unique festival in which the Monks ,
both farmers and priests, come together
to dance for one another, for
the people of the area and for the
Princess of his beautiful acetic Palace.
It was extraordinary. My next
work will be a result of the studies I
created while in Bhutan.
2010 I created a large scale painting
SWIMMERS 300, an installation
for the Grand Rapids ArtPrize 2010.
This is a modular work composed
of 30 panels comprising one
horizontal figure 15 feet high and
300 feet long. It is a mixed media
painting combining acrylics and oil
enamels on vinyl mesh
ARTISTS STATEMENT
There is an intrinsic uniqueness to
each medium in the arts. Oils have
an innate vitality in their physical
presence. When paint is poured onto
a surface I literally hold my breath
in anticipation of the forms and
textures which the essence of this
medium creates. If you give paint
its head it becomes a kind of collaborator
between the artist and the
mediums’ physicality. Oil has its own
life force when unleashed within the
boundaries of a work. This
involvement with oil enamels is best
seen in my most current work,
SWIMMER 300
SWIMMING DANCER at right
Painting: acrylics, oil enamels,
and epoxy on canvas.
4 feet x 40 feet.
This floating painting was selected by
Jean Claude for the exhibit arte laguna
as part of the venice
bienalle 1995, it floated in the canal as
one of17 works.
Swimming Dancer was the only painting
among a field of sculptures.
Seventeen artists were included, each
from a different country.
the image pictured here was of a trial
maiden voyage which was photographed
in jack larson’s lap pool in
east hampton, for one of his
longhouse galas.
SWIMMING DANCER at left with text by
Gamal El-Zoghby, Architect May 16, 1995
MIGDOLL EXPANSION RECONSTRUCTION
& RE-EMERGENCE
(Text from Venice Biennale catalogue 1995
for Art Laguna Exhibit)
At once, the many split moments extend
and expand the imagery of the present
time into a pure sense of motion.
At once, the active bodies in the ordinary
experience of motion are separated
and reconstructed in a spatial sequence.
At once, the literal photographic
impressions are submerged and re-emerged
in transformational painting aesthetics.
These terms of the metaphysical, the
constructional and the transcendental
are to premeditative fields in the art
of Herbert Migdoll.
Herbert Migdoll’s multi-layered
technique begins under the surface
of the canvas where the photographic
image pushes itself into the fibers’
weaving, and it’s built upwardly
the addition of thick interactive fluid
mixtures, the flow regulated according
to the artist’s controlling sense
of concealing and revealing,
to achieve his artistic signature.