IN MEMORIAM - MARVIN GRAYSON (JUNE 1917- DECEMBER 9, 2002)
by Pano Douvos
Marvin Felix Grayson, noted Venice
artist and political activist, died December 9th at this home on Amoroso Place
from the complications of lymphoma. He was 85.
He was a master draftsman and painter as
well as a powerful sculptor. He worked in all mediums and was exhibited widely,
including work at the Hermitage in Leningrad and in 1959 at the Pushkin Museum
in Moscow.
Throughout his life he was
always at the forefront of the social justice struggle and movements for peace.
He was an avid reader and a tireless truth seeker, always with humor and a
mischievous spirit. He reenergized himself in his last ten years studying and
playing the piano.
Politically inspired
in the 1980’s he began sculpting a larger-than-life-sized standing nude
monument to Karl Marx. This, his master work, emerged after 6 years carving from
a giant red-brown block of Honduran mahogany (see page 12). Marx is depicted as
a human being not an idealized Greek God, rather a common man. Grayson felt that
“not only mythical figures do great things, but ordinary people do great
things” as well.
Marv was born in
New York in 1917. He trained and taught at the Art Students League before moving
to L.A. in 1948. In the early 1950’s Grayson’s work began receiving
recognition. The L.A. County Art Museum accepted a painting depicting black and
white longshoremen tugging ropes together. This work was exhibited subsequently
at labor rallies for many years. His art showed a “social realist”
focus at that time. Humanistic figurative work
predominated.
He moved on to his
closely examined portrait work, producing a large body of impressive pieces in
oils, acrylics, water-colors and pen and ink. Some of his portraits were
reminiscent of the approach of Egon
Shiele.
In 1942 at age 25, Grayson
joined the Communist Party, becoming an open member some years later.
“I’m basically a political artist, recording the struggles of this
country in my time,” he was quoted. However, this was during the witch
hunts of the McCarthy era and he became unacceptable to the mainstream art
world. His career was blunted as he found his name on the black-list of the 500
people branded in the L.A.
Times.
Coincidentally, he was able to
express his politics explicitly thereafter including his efforts for the Peace
and Freedom Party. “I don’t have to worry anymore about being able
to make a living as an artist because I’m publicly identified as a
Marxist.” His active political commitment to progressive causes defined
Grayson. This energy and spirit is a lasting legacy that he has bequeathed to us
all.
For the last three decades
Grayson’s talents served the popular political struggle; the Ban-The-Bomb
movement of the 1950’s, the trade union strikes and the movement against
the U.S. intervention in Viet Nam. During this period he brought home the
groceries by designing lighting fixtures at his studio at the present location
of the Sidewalk Cafe. He dabbled also in movie poster work and did record album
covers for Fats Waller amongst others. He had several art instructor gigs
including the Chouinard Art Institute and later the Kahn Institute of
Art.
Having moved into his Venice
sidewalk studio in 1963, he became a true Venetian. He swam the year around and
first jogged five miles daily then shifted to walking. His daughter Debbie
remembers Marv’s appreciation of Venice including the winos and
street-people with whom he shared his invariable offer of tuna-fish
sandwiches.
Some remarked on the
excitement and glee radiating from Grayson as he banged away at his Marx
carving. Friend and colleague Emily Winters commented on his creativity that
grew stronger even into his eighties. He kept his hand in at Meredith
Gordon’s painting and drawing workshop until a couple months before his
death. He was my and the group’s beloved
guru.
Marv’s dynamic personality
was displayed in his concern for social justice which he expressed politically
and artistically. His humanity and optimism and his ability to embrace love and
commitment was demonstrated by his last marriage to Karen Grayson in his 79th
year. Their loving bond began shortly after their meeting in an art setting
which was soon followed by their marriage in
1997.
Reminiscing at one point Marv
seemed most proud of a drawing he did for a postcard campaign waged by black
churches in the South, following the murder of 14 year old Emmet Till in 1955.
Over 250,000 post cards with his sketch of Till’s mother bending over her
son’s coffin were sent to President Eisenhower urging action against
racist lynchings.
Glancing back through
the years, Grayson said, “I’m pleased with what I’ve done,
though the anti-communist restraints were difficult, I have no
regrets.”
Marvin Felix Grayson is
survived by his wife Karen Grayson, daughter Deborah Grayson, sister Miriam
Tucker, step-daughter Amy Perez and Son-in-law Jonathon Russo. M
Posted: Sat
- February 1, 2003 at 07:59 PM