Marc Richard Rubin, World Artist 1950 - ?
Curated by C.C.Long PhD 1977-1998 :: J.D.Rose 2005-present
white paper synopsis - followed by a year to year chronology



Ladies Of The Canyon




Hill Country 1975
Impressionism



Lofty Heights &
Desert Floor
1981 pointillism



San Diego Sunset
1983 pointillism



The Glory
1996 pointillism

SYNOPSIS


Marc Rubin finished his college education in 1972. In 1973 he entered his thesis painting, "Ladies Of The Canyon", pointillism, surreal subject, acrylic on canvas 48x58 inches, in the prestigious Art Institute of Chicago - Chicago Competition. His unanimous inclusion into the exhibition by 3 visiting museum curators and James Spiers curator of the Art Institute created profound recognition for a very young Marc Rubin. Within one year his works were shown and sold in Europe, Chicago and New York City.



The museum event was seen by the artist as the culmination of a life changing decision to leave his first professional major subject, architecture, behind to pursue a career in Fine Art. For one man who will always remain special beyond words to Rubin there was no doubt that he would become a world artist of great influence. That man was Salvador Dali who visited Marc's college in 1969 and while touring the painting studios discovered Marc working on the very pointillist piece which would hang in prestige four years later. Dali loved pointillism and had always been infatuated by the style. He took to Marc and they became friends as Dali influenced Marc to change the painting from a plain canyon to a surreal canyon of Marc's choice. The artist decided to use the imagery from a current song by Joni Mitchell called "Ladies Of The Canyon".

What is most remarkable about the work is not the three years it took to make it but how Rubin strictly followed pointillism creator Georges Seurat's definition of pointillism and use of Seurat's chromatic color principle. Late in the completion of the painting Rubin discovered that Seurat had cheated on his own definition and had used browns. In pointillism brown is a color which is made from other color points (dots) which the eye combines to appear as brown. Rubin did not use brown and the culmination of his painting was the purest form of pointillism ever attempted. The colors are radiant and the surreal subject matter defines this work as a great 20th century masterpiece. As Marc was commissioned to make more pointillist and impressionist works he expanded pure pointillism into a new vibrant style which included balancing the amount and/or intensity of yellow, red and blue he used to create what Henri Matisse called "balance to white" as white light breaks down into those three colors when passed through a triangular prism. It is a principal which made Post Impressionism vibrant and greatly influenced all of modern art.


Rubin continues to slowly add to the largest body of pure pointillist works ever created. The Lakeshore Suite consists of seven works depicting a spring sunrise over Lake Michigan at Elder Lane Park in Winnetka, Illinois. One of the series works, Sunrise On The Shore, 60x78 inches, was on loan to the Clinton Whitehouse from 1993 to 1997.


In 1996 Marc invented minimalist pointillism in a work depicting the sun bursting out of clouds after a rain storm, "The Glory" is 66x84 inches.






Enoc
1969 Cubism



Sea Shells
Surreal Cubism



Chicago 1972
Curvilinear Cubism



Where Two Rivers Meet
1997 Pop Cubism



Birth Of Seth
1998 Synchronism



LaJolla Sunbather
1981 Flat Cubism



Escondido 1983
Abstract Expressionism



The Earth Gate
2005 Digital Surrealism






Even before Marc Rubin began his thesis work in pointillism he was absorbed in classic modern art. Marc had been exposed to the Art Institute of Chicago from his early childhood through his parents' love of art. While Dali saw incredible magic in pointillism Rubin found that magic in George Braque's Cubism and Jean DuBuffet's Abstract Expressionism. He would meet and become friends with DuBuffet via Salvador Dali in the mid 1970's.

In 1969 Dali, Matisse, Picasso, Mondrian, Calder and other great modern artists were the exhalted masters who were influencing artists. Marc created works in classic cubism, flat cubism and a style later renamed Surreal Cubism by Dali for Rubin which was known as Organic Cubism.

Marc blossomed through the 1970's creating works he calls Curvilinear Cubism which are an extrapolation of part of Piet Modrian's body of works. They resemble stained glass. He also created the style Pop Cubism in 1976 which he uses to depict the highrise architecture of Chicago and other cities. Some of his best know Chicago city-scapes are sold in giclee' at the City Of Chicago Cultural Center Stores and the famous Posters Plus on Michigan Avenue across from the Art Institute of Chicago. His now famous 1997 city-scape portrait of New York City, "Where Two Rivers Meet", 48x66 inches is also available in giclee' which are well collected by nostalgic New Yorkers as the painting includes the World Trade Center.

During 1977 Marc was stimulated by both Jean DuBuffet and Salvador Dali to create a genre, a new classic style he could call his own. Marc created "Synchronism" by combining Impressionism, Cubism and Expressionism with a flat texture and "balance to white" color structure in his 50x132 inch diptych titled "At The Lily Pond". Later works in this style include "The Birth Of Seth" 60x60 inches.

Under the strong influence of Jean DuBuffet, Rubin made his first major work in abstract expressionism, "The Mountain Of Sinai". That work opened a new window of artistic understanding for Marc and led to such works as his new granite Series called "Shapes in Motion" in which the artist paints by throwing his strokes in the air as well as stroking the canvas. For Marc they are the answer to Jean's and Salvador's complaint to see something of a subject or merit in Jackson Pollock's non-image technique paintings.

In 2000 Marc took Synchronism to a new level by combining his own Pop Cubism with the Expressionism of DuBuffet, Curvilinear Cubism based in Mondrian and the flat plane Cubism of Georges Braque in the painting, "In The Midst Of The Waters" a triptych 66x144 inches a depiction of the Biblical parting of the Red Sea.

Marc Rubin's most important completed major work was unveilled in December of 2007. "Atrocity 911", 84x168 inches is an historic Abstract Expressionism work depicting September 11, 2001 in New York City. The work was created with the same proportions as Picasso's Guernica.

In 1999 the artist expanded his talents to digital science and began to create his ever expanding World Wide Web presence. Marc has used flash animation to create moving Cubism and made his website using Seurat's chromatic color principal. In 2003 Marc purchased his wide format giclee' printer which not only led to printing reproductions on canvas and archival paper but also a series of digital art Surreal works he calls, "The 21 Gates of Delirium in the Neverending Wonder Wall"

* There is a wealth of Marc Rubin history which this synopsis does not include.

1. Years of commissioned works and over 64 one man exhibitions with musical unveillings Marc calls art in performance.

2. Marc's personal relationships with Gala and Salvador Dali.

3. Marc's friendship with the master of Abstract Expressionism, Jean DuBuffet.

4. The artist's travels and sabbatical years in San Diego, California.

5. Rubin's public gallery in all of it's locations and incarnations. Marc Rubin Gallery is well known for exhibiting Fine and Performing Arts.



Atrocity 911
2007 Abstract Expressionism
MARC RUBIN Chronology

1973 First Museum showing "LADIES OF THE CANYON" THE ART INSTITUTE OF CHICAGO

1976 Rubin creates and names a new style "POP-CUBISM" for a bank exhibition in Chicago. This new genre is employed to depict Chicago's famous skyline. Later Marc will use this style to depict many other cities including New York City.

1978 The artist defines his body of works as SYNCHRONISM (read the essay in The Hall of Knowledge on this site) and creates the first intentional painting in this genre, "AT THE LILY POND" 50"X132"

1981, 1982, 1983 major works are exhibited in The SAN DIEGO ART INSTITUTE including Cubism, Expressionism, Pointillism and Synchronism.

1982 "A CANTILLEVERED WINDOW" Surreal Cubism, wins honors in The Southern California Art Exposition at Del Mar. The style name "Surreal Cubism was coined by Marc's mentor and friend, Salvador Dali, during the late 1970's.

1983 "SUNSET: THE NEW LAND" receives award in the SAN DIEGO ART INSTITUTE Competition, "EXCELLENCE IN ART"

1993(December) through 1997 "SUNRISE ON THE SHORE" Pointillism 66"X84" hangs in the WHITEHOUSE PRIVATE QUARTERS on loan to the Clinton's

1995 Daffodils depicted in Rubin's "THE DAY" Pointillism 64"X64" become a grass-roots symbol of Hope for a cure for HIV-AIDS and Breast Cancer.

1997 "THE DAY" in lithograph, is included in the permanent Art Archive of The Chicago Historical Society

1999 At the age of 49 Marc Rubin gives his 60th one man show in Miami Beach, Florida(South Beach). The artist features a full array of his artistic styles including Pointillism, expressionism and multiple forms of Cubism.

2000 As the artist enters Cyber Space with this Virtual Gallery and Museum website, his works are already owned on 6 continents and in all of the 50 U.S. states.

2001 Focusing on one man exhibitions in various American cities Marc Rubin relocates his public studio and gallery from downtown Chicago to a near west suburb, La Grange, Illinois. Quieter less interupted surroundings are now essential. The medium of animated cyber art known as "Flash" has been added to the artist's body of works.

2002 Rubin, with the assistance of a 105 year old Jewish organization, stages an exhibition entitled "B'emet Or", The Truth The Light" a 22 major works seiries depicting the Biblical history of the Jewish people.

2002 By request; Rubin will create a memorial painting for a private patron comemorating the September 11, 2001 terrorist attack in New York City. The artist's ties to New York are long standing.

2003 The artist retreats into solitude after
the untimely passing of his mate.

2004 Marc comes out of seclusion and announces that he has undergone a metamorphosis and Marc-Art Giclee' is born. Rubin's new addition to his body of works entails his own printing studio with works encompassing his entire career in paint and now digital creations as well.

2005 Marc Rubin and his Curator, J.D. Rose launch Marc-Art Giclee'.

2006 Marc re-opens Marc Rubin Gallery in North Lakeview, Chicago with partners Arthur Billman and curator Jeffrey Rose. The Gallery includes guest exhibitors and venues of performing artists and writers. The atmosphere is further enhanced with an espresso and tea bar.

2007 Late summer, head Curator Dr. Jiang of the mainland Chinese Museum of Modern Art visits Marc at his gallery. Dr. Jiang reveals that his visit was long planned and entails making Rubin a most important influence on Chinese Modern Art. In December, a long time promised work depicting the terrorist disaster of September 11th 2001 is completed and unveiled. The painting "Atrocity 911" is 7 feet tall and 14 feet wide. It rivals Picasso's Guernica and continues to amaze myriad visitors.

2008 In July the now famous "Rubin's Chicago Room Gallery" reverts back to "Marc Rubin Gallery" and relocates to partner with Chicago's Murphy Hill Gallery in 35,000 square feet of space in the original and historic Sears Roebuck Building on Chicago's near west side. The gallery spanned 10,000 square feet with canvas covered walls and museum-like expanses of viewing space.

2009 Rubin closes his gallery and leaves the public arena to work in his private studio. He created a myriad of "continuous wire construction sculptures". The artist, once again, invents a genre' by sculpting in concrete throughout the hardening process.

2010 Marc answers a public request and exhibits "Atrocity 911" outdoors in New York City in two lower Manhattan locations. June 8th 2010 and September 11th 2010 at Ground Zero and New York City Hall Park.

2011 The artist relocates to Boca Raton Florida in October. His need for a year round outdoor sculpture studio is now a reality steps from the Florida intra-coastal canal at the Lake Rogers Isle enclave

2012 Rubin begins with a 200 foot long outdoor exhibition in Delray Beach Florida during a special event, "New York City on the Ave." Accolades are published in Atlantic Avenue Magazine. In March the much awaited launch of Vigore' Chicago Magazine features Rubin's work on the cover and 6 pages of images and narrative. The year continues with smaller venue exhibitions and his private studio shows.

2012 closes with a Lincoln Road Miami Beach December exhibition hosted by 3 retail corporations in 3 locations.

2013 April marks the beginning of Marc Rubin's 40 year jubilee as a Fine Artist. Marc invents again with his work "Boca Canal Sunbather" which is a culmination of merging some of his styles to create Pop Cubist Synchronism. He defines this work as true South Florida Art. It embraces the colors, natural beauty and lifestyle of the southeast coast of Florida. This work and 3 of his most masterful works in Pointillism are included in a multi-style extended length one man exhibition at the 5 star Atlantic Hotel and Spa in Fort Lauderdale Florida that opened on December 19th 2013. Rubin and Fine Art connoisseur Christopher Gould, general manager of the hotel, start the exhibition with the entire first floor lobby space. Vigore' Chicago Magazine will cover and document this exhibition as a defining moment in American Art. The artist's curator, Jeffrey Rose, records the exhibition as a major reintroduction of where and how the public is exposed to the Fine Art of a living master artist in the new millennium. He states this in reference to the Post Impressionists who created new venues outside of the Parisian gallery system for their numerous 1890's exhibitions in a forward effort to bring their art to the public at large.

2014 Vigore' Magazine grows into an important publication as it completes its first year in print. Rubin has and will continue to write articles and remain the primary cover artist for the magazine. The jubilee exhibition at The Atlantic Hotel, Fort Lauderdale, FL ends in May. Many large scale giclee' prints are sold. This marks the first time Marc sells original paintings and prints during a one man exhibition. During the exhibition the artist expands his body of works with a new sculpture series. The one of a kind sculptures are produced in man made stone, various types of concrete, which allows him to use 2 sculpting techniques simultaneously. Concrete allows Marc to work the wet stone like clay and the almost cured stone is worked with traditional stone carving tools. Some are painted and some are raw stone in appearance. The first works are cubist and expressionist. They are suitable for indoor or outdoor display. The year ends with the sale of "Boca Canal Sunbather" to a Boca Raton art collector and Rubin's commitment to establish a new Fine Art style he will call "The Florida School". This style embodies a rebirth of the 1950's - 1960's Florida color palette of vibrant pastels and near primary color pastels in Post Impressionism and Cubism/Expressionism. He is embracing the Florida experience as he has known it since the early 1970's and watched it evolve to the present day.



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Above: "Boca Canal Sunbather" Pop-Cubism and "Dancer on Point" Expressionism


2015 begins with the 20th anniversary of the use of his painting, "The Day" as a symbol of hope for the cure to HIV/AIDS and Breast Cancer. In late spring he will host a sculpture exhibition at his Boca Raton, FL art studio.