Norman Bluhm is in Malaysia

Norman Bluhm is in Malaysia

Norman Bluhm is considered as the maestro and one of the leading figures in the second generation of American Abstract Expressionism, or Action Painting, another term used for the non-figurative developments in American painting after the Second World War. In a time when artists and critics predicted the death of painting, Norman continued to produce exceptional monumental paintings of intense emotion and beauty. He has not only kept the Abstract Expressionist approach to painting alive for nearly fifty years, but he has also carried it to new level by expanding its spiritual meaning and cultural potential.

Bluhm’s work was informed by his own exceptional biography and his rich knowledge of, and respect for, the history of art. Born in Chicago, Illinois, a city where tough immigrants from Eastern and Southern Europe and intrepid blacks from the South dominated its Northern European population and fueled its economy with sweat and ingenuity. People at that time were bold, confident, ambitious, and hurried about their business with an unmistakably jaunty air. The explosive energy of Chicago’s populace and its tough immigrant work ethic left its mark on Bluhm’s personality and work habits.

An equally important influence in Norman Bluhm’s work and his life as a whole was his education. At the age of 16, having completed high school with distinction, he became Mies van der Rohe’s youngest student at the Armour Institute of Technology. Mies van der Rohe was regarded as the leading architect of the modernist style during his time. In his free time, Bluhm learned to fly an airplane and played semi-pro basketball, both of which require speed, timing, and endurance. The exacting discipline of his studies together with his knowledge of flying and the intense physical regimen of basketball would hold him in good stead as an artist. His traits also allowed him to join the war effort immediately after the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor. He became a pilot and flew 44 missions over North Africa and Europe before he was wounded and sent home. “Don’t make a hero out of me”, he exclaimed, “the only heroes are those that didn’t come back.” In my estimation and that of many of his peers, Norman Bluhm was to become a hero as an artist.

Often people view abstract art differently from one another, each have their own views about it. Personally, I believe that besides understanding the meaning of an abstract art from the artist’s point of view, it involves a lot of emotions and feelings within ourselves. It is truly amazing as it stimulates our sense of imagination and creativity based on our true emotions and experiences through life. This is generally from what I understand through my own observations and understanding on this genre of art. Therefore it was truly an honor to be given a chance to personally speak to one of the most well-known and respected abstract painter of all time. When asked about how he define Abstract Expressionism, this is what Norman Bluhm explained: “First of all, Abstract Expressionism is not an authoritarian style like cubism. Its appeal to artists lay in the fact that it is virtually pathless. Each artist commits himself to an aesthetic, moral, and spiritual position of his own choosing. Each artist goes beyond appearances in his art in order to give form to such critical emotions as despair, fear, fury, release, exultation, and ecstasy. These are flash points on the path of self-realization and lead to mystical experiences beyond the understanding of the self. In other words, it is what links the artist’s inner feelings to the transcendent idea expressed in a finished work of art.”

When asked about why he chooses Malaysia as his home for retirement, he replied, “Well, I have been to Malaysia a couple of times, and one thing which struck me the most in how friendly the people here are. It still amazes me how the people here live harmoniously, caring for one another, and above all loving one another despite the fact that you have such a diverse culture and language. I also fell in love with the food here such as satay, nasi lemak, char kuey teow, and so much more. Not forgetting the glorious weather you have all year round. Sunny day makes my day because, you see I am a very outgoing person; I love going out, exploring places, talking to people, and Malaysia offers me all that. It is like an offer I can’t seem to resist!”



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