Ivars Hirss

Ivars Hirss (1931 - 1989), artist, Latvia, United States.

Hirss was born in Riga, into an extremely wealthy Latvian family. Contrary to his father's wishes that he become a businessman, Hirss pursued a career in art. He eventually moved to San Francisco, where, by the early 1960s he had made a name for himself in graphics, as well as within the greater San Francisco art community. [ Jaunā Gaita No. 197, August 1994] He had several successful exhibits, including one at the Triangle Gallery (San Francisco) in 1962 and another in 1964 at the San Francisco Museum of Art. [ Artforum, Vol. II, No. 7, 1964] His work often included a bright primary color upon which other colors were then superimposed. It also often included Latvian decoration or ornament. [ Jaunā Gaita No. 99, 1974 (http://zagarins.net/JG/jg99/JG99_In_This_Issue.htm) ] Hirss died in 1989 from complications related to alcoholism. With the revival of modernist aesthetics, Hirss' art has received renewed interest from scholars.

References

S.F. Art Clippings v.4: 122 - exhibit