From the Black Forest to the California Desert: The Life and Work of Fritz Faiss

Featuring over 40 works of art from German-American artist Fritz Faiss, this retrospective is the first of its kind on the East Coast. Faiss’ work in the field of encaustics (wax painting), his study at the Bauhaus under some of German Expressionism’s greats, Klee and Kandinksy, and his suffering under the Nazi regime as well as his subsequent emigration to the United States in 1951, make for a unique story whose traces can be seen throughout his art. His described his own style as Faissism due to its inability to be categorized by only one movement. This exhibit showcases pieces from the 1920s through the 1970s that explore a variety of mediums and themes and puts Faissism on display. Our guest speaker for the evening is Kristen Gonzalez from the National Gallery of Art’s Department of Northern Baroque Paintings; with her expertise Kristen will provide context for Faiss’ work throughout different eras of art history.