Oscar CahénLife & Work

“Oscar Cahén initially caught my interest because his illustrations were so varied and exciting, and because he moved so easily between illustration and abstract painting.”

– Jaleen Grove

Cahén’s self-directed artworks are a colourful and aggressive characterization both of his bold personality and of his ongoing emotional struggles. Oscar Cahén: Life & Work traces this remarkable artist’s career and, with his friends and colleagues, his founding of the acclaimed artists’ collective Painters Eleven. This avant-garde group played an instrumental role in broadening the scope of modern art in Canada through the legitimization of abstraction. Jaleen Grove reveals why Oscar Cahén is considered one of Canada’s most influential modern artists, yet his name is little known. For almost fifty years following his death, much of his oeuvre lay in storage and was kept hidden from the world. This book shines the spotlight on this Canadian icon.

Copyright Information

Banner Image: Oscar Cahén, Austin Healey 100 Engine, 1954. Private collection, © The Cahén Archives.