Arthur Elias

Arthur Elias (November 24, 1925 - April 12, 2018) was born in McKeesport, PA. Elias served in both Europe and the Philippines during World War II. Following the war, he completed his BFA degree at Carnegie Tech (now Carnegie Mellon University) in 1949 and his MA degree at the University of Pittsburgh in 1950, where he wrote a thesis entitled: The Positive Aspects of the Dada Movement in Art. Following his graduation, he and his wife, Lois, moved to Paris where he painted from 1950-1953. His abstract expressionist paintings were exhibited in many major French salons, including the Salon de Mai, Salon des Realités Nouvelles, Salon d’Art Libre, the Salon d’Automne, and Galerie 8. Despite his success, he was among the American artists who felt that the French art establishment was ignoring their contributions. An exhibit of American artists was to have taken place at the Galerie Des Beaux-Arts in the winter of 1953, but it was abruptly cancelled. In protest, some American artists formed the Committee for American Artists in France to organize a juried exhibit of the work of American painters living in Paris. On April 2, 1953, a five member jury selected 35 works from 340 works submitted, including two canvases by Elias. The exhibit took place at the Galerie Craven from April 24 - May 7, 1953. This show was a turning point that demonstrated that Paris was no longer the center of the art world, and that the creative focus had shifted to New York. The Eliases returned to New York in 1953 where they lived for the rest of their lives.

In 1954, Elias had his first solo exhibition at the Peridot Gallery. By 1956, a still-life imagery began to appear in his work along with deep space. By 1967, in his show at the Ceeje Gallery, the still-life imagery had become totally realistic and somewhat allegorical. In 1972, his work was featured at the Whitney Museum's show 22 Realists. Elias was quoted in the catalogue saying, “the sixties exposed everything to the surface. No secrets, no mysteries, romance or inner struggle. The artist became impersonal, tongue in cheek, machine-like.” Elias viewed his still-lifes, with their life and death (Vanitas) themes, as working in opposition to the remoteness of abstract and pop art.

Elias continued to exhibit, and eventually found a home at the Prince Street Gallery, which he served for many years as Treasurer. He was part of a group show in 2000 and had solo shows in 2003, 2006 and 2010. Most recently, he has been included in the Prince Street Gallery’s 50th Anniversary Show.

While the work Elias exhibited was almost exclusively his still-lifes, thoughout his life he also painted live models, usually sharing the models with other artists. For much of his life, he shared models with Phillip Pearlstein and later with Nancy Grillakes, among others.

In 1991, he and Lois inherited the literary work of their longtime friend, Bella Spewack, including Kiss Me, Kate. Arthur and Lois helped bring the play back to Broadway in 1999, and found a publisher for Bella’s autobiography, Streets.

Arthur and Lois Elias had one daughter, Minna Elias.

Elias passed away at the age of 92 in 2018.