“What I’m saying I’m painting, in effect . . . is the terror and beauty of life.” — Mashel Teitelbaum

Mashel Teitelbaum’s work often appears to be born out of creative tension — between substance and void, between will and world, between natural beauty and existential terror. The son of Jewish immigrants, Teitelbaum grew up during a period that saw the Great Depression, the Second World War, and the Holocaust before honing his voice under the likes of Clyfford Still, Ad Reinhardt, and Max Beckmann.

A painter, poet, screenwriter, and novelist, Teitelbaum created works of art that were always arresting, even as they ranged from landscapes to portraits, from figurative to abstract, from modernism to expressionism. Like his life, his art was characterized by an honesty of self-expression, a creative integrity, and a desire to speak truth to power, often placing him in conflict with the establishment.

Mashel Teitelbaum: Terror and Beauty is a magnificent volume, featuring more than 250 images, including more than 200 reproductions of artwork from the full scope of Teitelbaum’s career, as well as essays and reflections on his life and work from artists, curators, and friends. It’s a fitting tribute to the work of one of Canada’s most talented and influential artistic outsiders.

Andrew Kear is head of programs at Museum London. He was formerly chief curator and curator of Canadian Art at the Winnipeg Art Gallery. Kear has written and curated exhibitions on a wide range of contemporary and historical Canadian artists, including Karel Funk, L.L. FitzGerald, and William Kurelek.

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