“I only started painting when I was 82 years old... I feel so happy when I am painting. The paintings are fun to make, and intended to create a joyous feeling in the viewer as well.”
Jack Cohen was born in 1940, in Harare, Zimbabwe. Since 1965, he has enthusiastically pursued his interest in art, with the support of his wife, Desiree Joelson. The couple has accumulated a varied personal collection over the years, that includes modern, contemporary and abstract paintings, as well as sculptures and ceramics. During the COVID-19 pandemic, Cohen decided to finally take a hands-on approach to his passion and start painting himself.
Cohen draws inspiration from his interest in the works of Kandinsky, Mondrian, Frank Stella, and the Israeli artist, Calman Shemi: “I love the opportunity to express myself by having the complete freedom to use various geometric shapes and vibrant colours as the mood takes me. I decided from the start that my artwork would have to be something different and novel, and by employing large, freestanding sculptural pieces and revolving totems, the whole feeling and atmosphere of the painting can change when the piece is rotated. I can express myself not only in the shapes and colours of the painting, but also in the shape of the work itself.”
In fact, each side of Cohen’s shaped paintings, created in acrylic on wood, holds a completely different view. This provides the artist with ample opportunity to convey emotion and perspective to the viewer, quadrupling the potential impact and resonance of each work.
