BIBLIOGRAPHY


Publications


Muchnic, Suzanne. “Fill Up the Space and Don’t Mess Around.” (catalogue essay) Karl Benjamin and the Evolution of Abstraction, 1950-1980. West Hollywood, California, 2011: Louis Stern Fine Arts.

Kienholz, Lyn, Elizabeta Betinski, and Corinne Nelson. L.A. Rising: SoCal Artists before 1980. Los Angeles, California, 2010: California/International Arts Foundation.

Anderson, Susan M. Collecting California: Selections from Laguna Art Museum. Laguna Beach, California, 2009: Laguna Art Museum.

Wiehager, Renate. Minimalism and After: Tradition and Tendencies of Minimalism from 1950 to the Present. Germany, 2008: Hatje Cantz.

Hickey, Dave. “Karl Benjamin: A New Past is Now Available.” (catalogue essay) Dance the Line: Paintings by Karl Benjamin. West Hollywood, California. 2007: Louis Stern Fine Arts.

Nelson, Harold B. “Karl Benjamin: The Early Years.” (catalogue essay) Karl Benjamin: Paintings from 1950-1965. West Hollywood, California. 2004: Louis Stern Fine Arts.

Wiehager, Renate.  “Daimler Chrysler Collection: Minimalism and After III.” (catalogue), Daimler Chrylser AG, Berlin, 2003, pages 18-19.

“Four Abstract Classicists: West Coast Hard-Edge,” (catalogue). San Francisco, California, 1993: Modernism Gallery.

Frank, Peter. “Karl Benjamin: In Microspect.” (catalogue essay), Karl Benjamin: Paintings 1955-1990. Ruth Bachofner Gallery, Santa Monica, California and Snyder Fine Art, New York, 1991.

Atkins, Robert. Artspeak: a Guide to Contemporary Ideas, Movements, and Buzzwords. New York: Abbeville. 1990.

Ehrlich, Susan and Paul J. Karlstrom. Turning the Tide: Early Los Angeles Modernists 1920-1956. (catalogue) Santa Barbara Museum of Art and Laguna Art Museum, California, pages 43-44. 1990.

Schipper, Merle. “Karl Benjamin: A Retrospective 1955-1987.” (catalogue) Redding Museum and Art Center, University of the Pacific, Redding, California and California State University, Northridge, California. 1989.

Schipper, Merle. “Karl Benjamin: Selected Works 1979 -1986.” (catalogue). Los Angeles, California, 1986: Los Angeles Municipal Art Gallery, Barnsdall Art Park.

Schipper, Merle. “Paintings from the Fifties.” (catalogue). Malibu, California, 1981: Art Gallery, Pepperdine University.

Fox, Louis. “Karl Benjamin: 1970-1980.” (catalogue). Redlands, California, 1980: University of Redlands.

Wortz, Melinda. “Los Angeles Abstract Painting.” (catalogue) University of New Mexico, Albuquerque and University of California, Riverside. 1979.

App, Timothy. “Karl Benjamin: Recent Paintings.” (catalogue). Santa Monica, California, 1978: Tortue Gallery.

Schipper, Merle. “California: 5 Footnotes to Modern Art History.” (catalogue), Los Angeles County Museum of Art, page 53. 1977.

Mount San Antonio College Art Gallery, (catalogue), Walnut, California, 1969.

“Colorists: 1950-1965.” (catalogue), San Francisco Museum of Modern Art, California. 1965.

Langsner, Jules. “California Hard Edge Painting.” (catalogue). Balboa, California, 1964: Pavilion Gallery.

Langsner, Jules. “Four Abstract Classicists.” (catalogue) Los Angeles County Museum of Art, California. 1959.

 

Obituaries


Vitello, Paul. “Karl Benjamin, Rebel of Midcentury Art Scene, Dies at 86.” New York Times. August 3, 2012.

Adams, Lisa. “Karl Benjamin 1925-2012: A True Inspiration .” Huffington Post. July 31, 2012.

Muchnic, Suzanne. “Karl Benjamin dies at 86; painter created colorful geometric works.” Los Angeles Times. July 26, 2012.

 

Articles and Reviews


2010s

 

Leitch, Luke. “Comme des Garçons Shirt.” Vogue. June 22, 2019.

“Karl Benjamin Mosaic Unveiling.” Mount San Antonio College. May 3, 2019.

Chang, Richard. “UCI presents a ‘First Glimpse’ of its treasured Buck Collection of California Art.” Los Angeles Times. September 19, 2018.

Stephens, John. “1960s California Hard-Edge: Karl Benjamin, Lorser Feitelson and Helen Lundeberg.” Saturation Point. August 2018.

“Discovered: Claremont owns a $150K painting it bought for a measly $350” Inland Valley Daily Bulletin. April 9, 2018.

Knight, Christopher. “Finding New Dimensions in 'Abstract Classicists' at Louis Stern.” Los Angeles Times. June 17, 2016

Allen, David. “‘Design for Modern Living’ paints picture of Claremont art scene.” Inland Valley Daily Bulletin. March 19, 2015.

Abatemarco, Michael. “Optical Art 50 years later at David Richard.” Santa Fe New Mexican. February 27, 2015 .

Pagel, David. “‘Karl Benjamin: The Late Paintings’ at Louis Stern is colorful fun.” Los Angeles Times. September 30, 2014.

Knight, Christopher. “LACMA’s Abstract Classicism tribute: Just call it ‘hard-edge.’” Los Angeles. January 22, 2014.

Westfall, Stephan. “The Hard-Edge Sign.” Art in America. April 2013.

Des Marais, Paul. “Karl Benjamin- Hard Edge Painter.” Los Angeles Modern Auctions. April 30, 2012.

Schwendener, Martha. “West Coast Works Come to the East End.” New York Times. March 16, 2012

Miztoza, Sharon. “PST, A to Z: ‘The House that Sam Built,’ ‘In Words and Wood.’” Los Angeles Times. January 27, 2012

Knight, Christopher. “Art Review: Artistic Evolution at the Natural History Museum.” Los Angeles Times. October 27, 2011.

Harris, Gareth. “Pacific Standard Time, Los Angeles: Rewriting U.S. Art History.” The Art Newspaper. Vol. XXI, No. 228. October 2011.

Wada, Karen. “The ‘House’ where creativity bloomed.” Los Angeles Times. September 25, 2011.

Wada, Karen. “Huntington Library features the art of Sam Maloof and friends.” Los Angeles Times. September 24, 2011.

Johnson, Ken. “Color Field Revised. New York Times. July 21, 2011.

Morgan, Robert. “Hard Edgeness in American Abstract Painting.” Brooklyn Rail. March 4, 2011.

Pagel, David. “Potent Vision Remains.” Los Angeles Times. 2011.

2000s

1990s


Biller, Steven. "The Accidental Modernist." Palm Springs Life. February, 2009.

Johnson, Ken. “Store in a Cool, Fertile Place: 1950s California.” New York Times. March 21, 2008.

Emerling, Susan. “Karl Benjamin.” Artnews. March 2008, page 148.

Schwarz, Benjamin. “California Cool.” The Atlantic. March 2008

Knight, Christopher. "L.A.'s Midcentury Style Gets a Sleek Look in 'Birth of the Cool' at OCMA." Los Angeles Times. October 10, 2007.

Finkel, Jori. "Karl Benjamin's Colorful Resurgence." New York Times. October 7, 2007.

Frank, Peter. “Color Commentary.” La Weekly. June 13, 2007.

Humblet, Claudine. The New American Abstraction. Milano: Skira. 2007.

Nieto, Margarita. “Karl Benjamin.” ArtScene. Volume XXIII, No. 5, January 2004, pages 21-22.

Pagel, David. “A Newly Varnished Reputation.” Los Angeles Times. January 16, 2004, page E36.

Humblet, Claudine. La Nouvelle Abstraction Américaine. Volume I, Milan: Skira/Seuil, pages 468-511. 2003.

Bonetti, David. “Karl Benjamin at Brian Gross.” San Francisco Chronicle. August 25, 2001.


Duncan, Michael. “Karl Benjamin at Ruth Bachofner.” Art in America. February 1999.

Finch, Christopher. “Hard-Edge Painting: Bold Abstractions from California’s Midcentury Avant-Garde.” Architectural Digest. April 1997.

Cutajar, Mario. “Allover and Over.” Artweek. October 22, 1994.

“Informed Teaching.” Pomona College Today Magazine. Summer 1994.

Welles, Elenore. “Hard Edges, Bright Centers.” Visions. Summer 1992.

Ehrlich, Susan. “Southern California’s Modernist Dawn.” Artspace. Volume 16, number 6, Fall 1991.

Kojima, Hisaka. “Karl Benjamin.” Geijutukouron. October 1991.

Donohue, Marlena. “The Art Galleries.” Los Angeles Times. January 26, 1990.

Frank, Peter. “Art by Peter Frank.” LA Weekly. February 16-22 , 1990.

Jones, Nancy Ann. “Color into Form.” Artweek. January 25, 1990.

Schlosberg, Suzanne. “Hard Paintings and Soft Photographs.” Los Angeles Times. January 1990.

Waldman, Tom. “LA Art: The First Generation.” USC Trojan Family. Winter 1990.

1980s

1970s


Curtis, Cathy. “Then and Now.” Los Angeles Times. December 29, 1989.

Curtis, Cathy. “Exhibit Featuring Linear Concepts.” The Irvine World News. April 7, 1988.

Donahue, Marlena. “The Galleries.” Los Angeles Times. January 29, 1988.

Muchnic, Suzanne. “Benjamin Shapes Up as Unself-Conscious Type.” Los Angeles Times. February 3, 1986, pages 1-2.

Muchnic, Suzanne. “The Art Galleries.” Los Angeles Times. July 4, 1986.

Schipper, Merle. “Karl Benjamin.” Artnews. October 1986.

Wilson, William. “Municipal Art Gallery Retrospective Exhibition.” Los Angeles Times. February 9, 1986.

Muchnic, Suzanne. “Colorforms: An Old-Fashioned Salute.” Los Angeles Times. June 3, 1985.

Schipper, Merle. “Provocative Color.” Artweek. December 7, 1985.

Figoten, Sheldon. “Karl Benjamin at Stella Polaris.” Images & Issues. Volume III, April, 1983.

Wilson, William. “The Galleries.” Los Angeles Times. October 29, 1982.

Muchnic, Suzanne. “Karl Benjamin Exhibit at Pepperdine.” Los Angeles Times. April 10, 1981.

Karl Benjamin. Personal interview conducted by William L. Weiss. September 10, 1981. Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution.

Karl Benjamin papers. Microfilm 2786. Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution. 1981.

Hemmerdinger, William. “The Essence of Color and Structure.” Artweek. November 15, 1980.


Wilson, William. “An Open and Shut Case for Seeing in Black and White.” Los Angeles Times. February 11, 1979.

Schipper, Merle. “Karl Benjamin: Color as Commitment.” Artweek. December 16, 1978.

Wilson, William. “Art Walk.” Los Angeles Times. November 24, 1978.

Muchnic, Suzanne. “Five ‘Footnotes’ to California History.” Artweek. March 26, 1977.

App, Timothy. “Chromatic Explorations.” Artweek. November 8, 1975.

Benjamin, Karl. “Setting the Record Straight.” LAICA Journal, Los Angeles, California, April/May 1975.

Plagens, Peter. “The Soft Touch of Hard Edge.” LAICA Journal, Los Angeles, California, April/May 1975.

Wilson, William. “Art Walk.” Los Angeles Times. October 31, 1975.

1960s


C.O. “Karl Benjamin at Esther Robles Gallery, Los Angeles.” Artforum. Volume III, number 4, January 1965, page 16.

J.M. “Karl Benjamin, Hollis Gallery.” Artforum. February 1965, page 12.

Frankenstein, Alfred. “Around the Galleries.” San Francisco Chronicle. December 1, 1964.

“Karl Benjamin at Esther Robles Gallery, Los Angeles.” Art International. Volume III, 3, March 25, 1963, page 77.

Martin, Fred. “San Francisco Letter.” Art International, page 129. 1963.

Alloway, Lawrence. “Classicism or Hard-Edge?” Art International Vol. IV, 2-3, page 60. 1963.

1950s


Langsner, Jules. “Art news from Los Angeles.” Artnews. May 1956.