Early life and later stages of artist’s career subject of VAM exhibit

Famed modernist painter Hans Hofmann was a huge influence on Oshawa artist Ron Lambert as a young man in the early stages of his career.

These days, almost seven decades later, Hofmann continues to serve as inspiration for Lambert.

Back in 1947, when he was just 19, Lambert travelled to Massachusetts and spent the summer learning under Hofmann. At the time, Hofmann was exploring a relatively new style known as abstract expressionism and, after some encouragement from a few of his artist friends, Lambert headed down to the United States to spend several months with Hofmann.

During that time, Lambert painted a series of abstract works that he’s rarely displayed over the years. However, after a chance meeting with Mississauga art enthusiast Lawrence Brissenden, the two have worked together to stage a collection of Lambert’s art at Visual Arts Mississauga the weekend of Feb. 27-28.

The two talked about an exhibition and, inspired by the thought, the 88-year-old Lambert created a series of works as an homage to his former teacher. Only works from when he first started and his most recent abstract paintings will be on display at the VAM exhibit dubbed Summer of 47 – Paintings by Ron Lambert.

“There’s works when he’s 19 and also when he’s 88 and I think people will be fascinated by the contrast,” said Brissenden.

According to Brissenden, the paintings show Lambert’s evolution from being a Group of Seven-style landscape painter to what was then a cutting-edge abstract painter.

Lambert says abstract art wasn’t instantly appreciated when it first arrived on the scene in Canada. People seemed a bit baffled by it, he said.

“With abstract, it’s almost an instinct if you like it or not,” said Lambert. “Obviously, there’s a huge difference between representational art and abstract.”

Brissenden said Lambert was at the forefront of the abstract movement in Canada and that, like many great artists, was ahead of the times with his work.

The works from 1947 have been restored by fellow artist Kristina Stanicova after being in storage for decades. Most of the pieces at the exhibition will be the older works along with the newer paintings.

Lambert had one of his paintings purchased by the Art Gallery of Toronto (now the Art Gallery of Ontario) for its permanent collection in 1943. Just three years later, he studied with the Group of Seven's A.Y. Jackson for the summer.

Resource: http://www.mississauga.com