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The Life and Art of Georges Malkine

Georges Malkine was a French painter and actor who lived a life characterized by a deep commitment to individualism. Born in the 5th arrondissement of Paris, he was the only visual artist named in André Breton's 1924 Surrealist Manifesto as having performed acts of absolute surrealism. Malkine chose to keep his private life guarded, avoiding social gatherings and the categorization of artists, believing that a man's true wealth resided in his inner landscapes. His work was known primarily to his collectors, and he eschewed attachments to fame or money.

His artistic output was remarkably consistent, spanning from the early 1920s until his death in 1970. He produced approximately 500 pieces, with periods of intense productivity in the 1920s, early 1930s, and the 1960s. In 1966, he began a series titled Demeures, or Dwellings, which consisted of metaphorical portraits of great artists from various disciplines, depicted as buildings that reflected their character or work.

A Multi-Faceted Career

Beyond the canvas, Malkine was an actor who appeared in 20 films between 1933 and 1939, working alongside figures such as Jean Gabin and Billy Wilder. He also engaged in writing, producing a farcical novel titled A bord du violin de mer, which featured his own illustrations. His interests were deeply connected to music and poetry; he possessed a musical soul with a particular love for the piano, an instrument that frequently appears in his paintings, and he maintained close friendships with poets Robert Desnos and Louis Aragon.

After the Second World War, Malkine married Sonia Malkine and emigrated to the United States in 1948. The couple lived in Brooklyn before settling in Woodstock, New York, where he resumed his painting. His legacy is marked by several exhibitions, including a retrospective at the Pavillon des Arts in Paris and a show at the Woodstock Artists Association & Museum.