Otto Franz Krone’s Life Work: The Emerging Man
“The Emerging Man” is a testament to the life and work of self-taught artist Otto Franz Krone, who has inspired people of all classes and backgrounds, and artists working in many media. This collection of Krone’s work, curated by gallery director Veronica Aberham, examines Krone’s obsession with faces and all manifestations of originality.
Born in 1924 in Ohio as Eugene W. Hahn to an alcoholic boxer and artist housewife, Krone spent most of his childhood in orphanages. In his art, he experimented with a variety of materials and discovered personal escape and salvation in the faces he drew. His early painful isolation was eclipsed by the brutality of World War II, where he served in the 82nd and 101st Airborne and earned a Purple Heart.
Krone claimed that the war changed his art from portraits to visages of agony. Described by loved ones as a deeply passionate and compassionate man who carried a deep sadness within him, Krone spoke of the cluster of faces which would become “The Emerging Man†as “…nightmare, all these faces would be talking, moving, crying, laughing and shouting.â€
He painted the people that inhabited and haunted his mind to purge himself, literally painting them out of his consciousness. He is known for his empathy and genuine love for people, which gave him the capacity to express their sorrow as he articulated his own.
El Taller Latino Americano is a non-profit arts and education organization that seeks to bridge the distance between Latin Americans and North Americans through the language of art and the art of language. El Taller also offers conversation-focused Spanish classes. For more information on the organization and its program, visit the El Taller Web site.
Opening reception: Friday, April 20, 6:30 to 9:00 p.m.
El Taller Latino Americano/The Latin American Workshop
2710 Broadway, Third Floor at (W. 104th Street)
New York, NY 10025
Telephone: (212) 665-9460
Web site: www.tallerlatino.org www.ottofranzkrone.com
