Norman Zammitt

About

Norman Zammitt was an American artist from Canadian origin living and working in Los Angeles.

Norman Zammitt was a lead figure in the Light & Space movement considered as the most important one in Los Angeles. His works, especially his « three dimensional » sculptures, were pioneers in the United States. This innovative concept, which explored color and transparency, inspired a whole generation of artists including Dewain Valentine or Peter Alexander, and earned him the Guggenheim Prize in 1968. Artworks from his Band Painting series were, in turn, aligned with those of the American minimalist artists, Ellsworth Kelly and Frank Stella, or the German abstract painter Josef Albers, due to their repetition and exploration into color itself, its nature and its spirituality. Norman Zammitt has been collected by impressive institutions such as the Lacma and the Moma to name but a few.

Artworks

  • Norman Zammitt

    Hard White Edge, 1976

    Acrylic on canvasboard
    20 x 26 cm
    Unique

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  • Norman Zammitt

    News 03, 1984

    Acrylic on canvasboard
    35 x 28 cm
    Unique

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  • Norman Zammitt

    Spectrum 03, 1986

    Acrylic on canvasboard
    30 x 23 cm
    Unique

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  • Norman Zammitt

    Grey 28, 1986

    Acrylic on canvasboard
    35 x 28 cm
    Unique

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Series

The Band Paintings Series

Band Painting (1974-1988) is the emblematic series of Norman Zammitt composed of 60 small paintings. The precision and preference of this unclassifiable artist for smooth supports create a parallel with minimalist artists.

Even though these works may suggest landscapes, they especially reflect his ability to capture light. His affinity with scientists allows him to transform his abstract work into mathematical language. He creates logarithms and curves in order to accurately trace the bandwidth and progression of color, not only for aesthetic precision, but also for emotional effect, spiritual and singular. He also discovered that the parabolic graphs created to calculate the exact progression of color gradation follow the same curve as the growth rate of living organisms.

Resume

PUBLIC COLLECTIONS :

AMON CARTER MUSEUM, FORTH WORTH

HIRSHHORN MUSEUM, WASHINGTON

LIBRARY OF CONGRESS, WASHINGTON

LONG BEACH MUSEUM, LONG BEACH

LOS ANGELES COUNTY MUSEUM, LOS ANGELES

MUSEUM OF CONTEMPORARY ART, SAN DIEGO

MOMA, NEW YORK

MOMA, SAN FRANCISCO

NATIONAL GALLERY, WASHINGTON

NORA ECCLES HARRISON MUSEUM, LOGAN

NORTON SIMON MUSEUM, PASADENA

PALM SPRINGS MUSEUM, PALM SPRINGS

ROWLAND INSTITUTE FOR SCIENCE, CAMBRIDGE

SANTA BARBARA MUSEUM, SANTA BARBARA

SEATTLE ART MUSEUM, SEATTLE

STANFORD UNIVERSITY, STANFORD

VICTORIA AND ALBERT MUSEUM, LONDON

PRIVATE COLLECTIONS :

EDWIN LAND, SCIENTIST

ELIZABETH FORSYTHE HAILEY, JOURNALIST

HELEN & PETER BING, NURSE & DOCTOR

JOHN KLUGE, BUSINESSMAN

MARILYN & WILLIAM LASAROW, ARTIST & JUDGE

MAURICE TUCHMAN, CURATOR

NORMAN LEAR, PRODUCER

RICHARD FEYNMAN, PHYSICIST

RUTH & RICHARD ROGERS, CHEF & ARCHITECT

TRUMAN CAPOTE, WRITER

THE COMPLETE RESUME IS AVAILABLE ONLY ON COMPUTER !

COMPLETE RESUME :

EDUCATION :

1957 ARTS DEGREE, PASADENA CITY COLLEGE, PASADENA

1961 MASTER DEGREE, OTIS ART INSTITUTE, LOS ANGELES

ART AWARDS :

2000 LOS ANGELES CITY COUNCIL DECLARATION, NORMAN ZAMMITT DAY, 16 SEPTEMBER

2000 LOS ANGELES CITY COUNCIL COMMENDATION, 15 SEPTEMBER

1991 POLLOCK KRASNER FOUNDATION, GRANT

1968 GUGGENHEIM MEMORIAL FOUNDATION, FELLOWSHIP

1967 TAMARIND LITHOGRAPHY WORKSHOP, FELLOWSHIP

SOLO SHOWS :

2019 NORMAN ZAMMITT, ANDREW RAFACZ, CHICAGO

2014 NORMAN ZAMMITT, ANDREW RAFACZ, CHICAGO

2012 NORMAN ZAMMITT, CARTER AND CITIZEN, LOS ANGELES

2011 NORMAN ZAMMITT, NEWSPACE, LOS ANGELES

2011 NORMAN ZAMMITT, MICHEL LORD GALLERY, PALM SPRINGS

2000 NORMAN ZAMMITT, ELYSIUM STUDIO 13, LOS ANGELES

1998 NORMAN ZAMMITT, ELYSIUM STUDIO 13, LOS ANGELES

1995 NORMAN ZAMMITT, ELYSIUM STUDIO 13, LOS ANGELES

1988 NORMAN ZAMMITT, LOMA LINDA UNIVERSITY, RIVERSIDE

1988 NORMAN ZAMMITT, PASADENA CITY COLLEGE, PASADENA

1984 NORMAN ZAMMITT, ACE GALLERY, LOS ANGELES

1978 NORMAN ZAMMITT, CORCORAN GALLERY, WASHINGTON

1977 NORMAN ZAMMITT, LOS ANGELES COUNTY MUSEUM, LOS ANGELES

1969 NORMAN ZAMMITT, ALAN LANDAU GALLERY, NEW YORK

1969 NORMAN ZAMMITT, FELIX LANDAU GALLERY, LOS ANGELES

1968 NORMAN ZAMMITT, SANTA BARBARA MUSEUM, SANTA BARBARA

1966 NORMAN ZAMMITT, FELIX LANDAU GALLERY, LOS ANGELES

1962 NORMAN ZAMMITT, FELIX LANDAU GALLERY, LOS ANGELES

GROUP SHOWS :

2023 HADI TABATABAI AND NORMAN ZAMMITT, PLACE VAUBAN, PARIS

2017 MADE IN CALIFORNIA, NATIONAL GALLERY, WASHINGTON

2017 BETWEEN TWO WORLDS, ART OF CALIFORNIA, MOMA, SAN FRANCISCO

2016 LIGHT AND SPACE, SEATTLE MUSEUM OF ART, SEATTLE

2016 JEREMY GILBERT ROLFE AND LOS ANGELES ABSTRACTION, LOUIS STERN, WEST HOLLYWOOD

2015 IS THIS THAT, GREEN EXHIBITIONS, LOS ANGELES

2013 ABSTRACTION, SIXTIES TO TODAY, HEATHER JAMES GALLERY, PALM DESERT

2013 MADE IN THE USA, PALM SPRING ART MUSEUM, PALM SPRING

2011 PURE LIGHT AND SPACE, PAINTING AND SCULPTURE FROM THE 70S, NEWSPACE GALLERY, LOS ANGELES

2011 CROSSCURRENTS IN LOS ANGELES OF THE 50S AND 70S, GETTY MUSEUM, LOS ANGELES

2011 PROOF, THE RISE OF PRINTMAKING IN SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA, NORTON SIMON MUSEUM, PASADENA

2011 SUB POP, CARDWELL JIMMERSON, CULVER CITY

2011 DARK MIRROR, CARDWELL JIMMERSON, CULVER CITY

2011 SOL CAL, SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA PAINTING, DAVID RICHARD CONTEMPORARY, SANTA FE

2009 EXCEPTIONALLY GIFTED, RECENT DONATIONS, THE NORTON SIMON MUSEUM, PASEDANA

2007 SOL CAL, SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA ART OF THE 60S AND 70S, LACMA, LOS ANGELES

2006 TRANSLUCENCE, SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA ART OF THE 60S AND 70S, NORTON SIMON, PASADENA

2006 ALL IN THE FAMILY, GEORGE BILLIS GALLERY, LOS ANGELES

2006 OTIS, NINE DECADES OF LOS ANGELES ART, LOS ANGELES

2004 HEROES AND HEROINES, WORKING ARTISTS OVER 70, ORANGE COUNTY CENTER, SANTA ANA

2000 FROM PARIS TO PASADENA, AN OVERVIEW OF COLOR LITHOGRAPHY, NORTON SIMON, PASADENA

1999 ART FROM STONE, PRINTS FROM THE TAMARIND LITHO WORKSHOP, NORTON SIMON, PASADENA

1999 TAMARIND COLLECTION, PALM SPRINGS DESERT MUSEUM, PALM SPRINGS

1998 COLLECTIVE EXHIBITION, PALM SPRINGS DESERT MUSEUM, PALM SPRINGS

1988 CONTEMPORARY COLLECTION, LOS ANGELES COUNTY MUSEUM, LOS ANGELES

1987 ART IN LOS ANGELES, PROFOUND VISIONS, ACE GALLERY, LOS ANGELES

1987 THE SPIRITUAL IN ART, ABSTRACT PAINTING, LOS ANGELES COUNTY MUSEUM, LOS ANGELES

1986 INAUGURAL EXHIBITION, ROBERT ORVILLE ANDERSON BUILDING, GEMEENTEMUSEUM, THE HAGUE

1986 A CALIFORNIA COLLECTION, CIRRUS GALLERY, LOS ANGELES

1986 CONTRASTS, LOS ANGELES COUNTY MUSEUM, LOS ANGELES

1985 NEW ACQUISITIONS, LOS ANGELES COUNTY MUSEUM, LOS ANGELES

1984 FOCUS ON CALIFORNIA, LOS ANGELES COUNTY MUSEUM, LOS ANGELES

1981 DECADE: LOS ANGELES PAINTING IN THE 70S, ART CENTER, PASADENA

1979 FOCUS ON CALIFORNIA ARTISTS, THE CORCORAN GALLERY, WASHINGTON

1970 A PLASTIC PRESENCE, SFMOMA, SAN FRANCISCO

1970 A PLASTIC PRESENCE, MILWAUKEE ART CENTER, MILWAUKEE

1969 A PLASTIC PRESENCE, JEWISH MUSEUM, NEW YORK

1967 PLASTICS WEST COAST, HANSEN GALLERY, SAN FRANCISCO

1967 AMERICAN SCULPTURE OF THE 60S, LOS ANGELES COUNTY MUSEUM, LOS ANGELES

1967 AMERICAN SCULPTURE OF THE 60S, PHILADELPHIA MUSEUM, PHILADELPHIA

1967 NEW ACQUISITIONS, MOMA, NEW YORK

1965 YOUNG WEST COAST ARTISTS, MOMA, NEW YORK