George Deem (1932-2008)
Painter George Deem (1932-2008) made art about art. Quoting iconic images of old and new masters such as Vermeer and Matisse, Deem re-imagined images from art history, creating vivid alterations of classic works. Gifted at reproduction, Deem concentrated on making explicit references to other painters and paintings, recreating the style, the light, the brushstrokes as well as the details of artists he admired with clever, often subtle nods to modern day.
Deem worked as a cantaloupe farmer in Vincennes, Indiana until he was 20 years old. He spent a year at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago before he was drafted into the Army in 1953; he spent his years in the service in the military police in Heidelberg, Germany, and completed his art degree when he returned. His books include How to Paint a Vermeer: A Painter’s History of Art (2004) and Art School (1993). At the time of his death, he was preparing a show of his work to be presented at the Pavel Zoubok Gallery in Manhattan.
