Aleksander Balos
Encyclopedia
Aleksander Balos is a Polish artist and figurative painter, who lives in the United States and is a naturalised American.
, Poland
. His parents, Jan and Janina, were artists, who encouraged him to study art in Gliwice Art Center, while he was still in elementary school. He did his first painting lessons with his father’s oil paints. In 1989 he went to the United States
to attend St Joseph High School in Kenosha, Wisconsin
. There he met with an artist, Mrs Gaggliardi, who encouraged him to attend an art school. Balos studied oil painting under painter and philosopher, Garry Rosin, whose influence of surreal representation left a lasting influence.
After completing BFA
in painting with honors from Cardinal Stritch University
, and having his first museum show at The Charles Allis Art Museum in 1995, Balos traveled to Chicago
, where he attended the School of Representational Art for 2 years. In Chicago, Balos became an American citizen. He moved away from surrealism to representational realism. In 1998, he exhibited his triptych Last Supper at Ann Nathan Gallery in Chicago. He continues to be represented by this gallery in Chicago, Atlanta, New York
and Palm Beach
. In 2004 Arts Nord Sud made contact with him and exhibited him in Paris
, France
, and the following year Mr. Balos started exhibiting in Netherlands in Utrecht Gallery.In 2005 Balos moved to Northern California where he is exhibiting at the Red Door Gallery in Mount Shasta, CA. Mr. Balos is also teaching drawing and painting privately at his atelier named ArtRoster in California.
Life and art
Aleksander Balos was born in 1970 in the town of GliwiceGliwice
Gliwice is a city in Upper Silesia in southern Poland, near Katowice. Gliwice is the west district of the Upper Silesian Metropolitan Union – a metropolis with a population of 2 million...
, Poland
Poland
Poland , officially the Republic of Poland , is a country in Central Europe bordered by Germany to the west; the Czech Republic and Slovakia to the south; Ukraine, Belarus and Lithuania to the east; and the Baltic Sea and Kaliningrad Oblast, a Russian exclave, to the north...
. His parents, Jan and Janina, were artists, who encouraged him to study art in Gliwice Art Center, while he was still in elementary school. He did his first painting lessons with his father’s oil paints. In 1989 he went to the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
to attend St Joseph High School in Kenosha, Wisconsin
Kenosha, Wisconsin
Kenosha is a city and the county seat of Kenosha County in the State of Wisconsin in United States. With a population of 99,218 as of May 2011, Kenosha is the fourth-largest city in Wisconsin. Kenosha is also the fourth-largest city on the western shore of Lake Michigan, following Chicago,...
. There he met with an artist, Mrs Gaggliardi, who encouraged him to attend an art school. Balos studied oil painting under painter and philosopher, Garry Rosin, whose influence of surreal representation left a lasting influence.
After completing BFA
Bachelor of Fine Arts
In the United States and Canada, the Bachelor of Fine Arts degree, usually abbreviated BFA, is the standard undergraduate degree for students seeking a professional education in the visual or performing arts. In some countries such a degree is called a Bachelor of Creative Arts or BCA...
in painting with honors from Cardinal Stritch University
Cardinal Stritch University
Cardinal Stritch University is a private Roman Catholic university located in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.The university also has sites located in Kenosha, Wisconsin, Madison, Wisconsin, Eden Prairie, Minnesota, and Rochester, Minnesota, as well as multiple Outreach programs throughout Wisconsin.Cardinal...
, and having his first museum show at The Charles Allis Art Museum in 1995, Balos traveled to Chicago
Chicago
Chicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...
, where he attended the School of Representational Art for 2 years. In Chicago, Balos became an American citizen. He moved away from surrealism to representational realism. In 1998, he exhibited his triptych Last Supper at Ann Nathan Gallery in Chicago. He continues to be represented by this gallery in Chicago, Atlanta, New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
and Palm Beach
Palm Beach, Florida
The Town of Palm Beach is an incorporated town in Palm Beach County, Florida, United States. The Intracoastal Waterway separates it from the neighboring cities of West Palm Beach and Lake Worth...
. In 2004 Arts Nord Sud made contact with him and exhibited him in Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
, France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
, and the following year Mr. Balos started exhibiting in Netherlands in Utrecht Gallery.In 2005 Balos moved to Northern California where he is exhibiting at the Red Door Gallery in Mount Shasta, CA. Mr. Balos is also teaching drawing and painting privately at his atelier named ArtRoster in California.
Solo exhibitions
- 2011 - New Paintings, Red Door Gallery, Mt.Shasta, CA
- 2011 - Paintings, Ann Nathan Gallery, Chicago, IL
- 2006 - Figurative Realism, Utrecht Gallery, UtrechtUtrecht (city)Utrecht city and municipality is the capital and most populous city of the Dutch province of Utrecht. It is located in the eastern corner of the Randstad conurbation, and is the fourth largest city of the Netherlands with a population of 312,634 on 1 Jan 2011.Utrecht's ancient city centre features...
, NetherlandsNetherlandsThe Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders... - 2005 - Travaux Récents, by Arts nord sud at Crédit Municipal de Paris, Espace Griffon, Paris, France
- 2005 - New York, Ann Nathan Gallery, Chicago, IL
- 2003–2004 - New Paintings, Ann Nathan Gallery, Chicago, IL
- 2001 - Parables, Ann Nathan Gallery, Chicago, IL
- 1999 - Martyrs & Sinners, Ann Nathan Gallery, Chicago, IL
- 1996 - Clara Voce Cogito, Chastain Zollinger Gallery, Chicago, IL
Group exhibitions
- 2009 - Genesis, Chalk Gallery, Santa Fe, NM
- 2009 - Alumni Exhibition, Northwestern Mutual Gallery, Milwaukee, WI
- 2009 - Self Portrait Project, Liberty Art Gallery, Yreka, CA
- 2008 - Dreamscape, Loods 6, Amsterdam, Netherlands
- 2008 - WWK Biennale, Pasinger Fabrik, Munich, Germany
- 2008 - Art Chicago, Merchandise Mart, Chicago, IL
- 2008 - Palm Beach3, Palm Beach, FL
- 2007 - The Painters, Lowe Gallery, GA
- 2007 - Into the Heart of The Southwest, Forbes Galleries New York, NY
- 2007 - All Media, Gallery 180 of The Illinois Institute of Art-Chicago
- 2007 - Palm Beach 3, Palm Beach, California Palm Beach, CA
- 2006 - Realism, Utrecht Gallery, UtrechtUtrecht (city)Utrecht city and municipality is the capital and most populous city of the Dutch province of Utrecht. It is located in the eastern corner of the Randstad conurbation, and is the fourth largest city of the Netherlands with a population of 312,634 on 1 Jan 2011.Utrecht's ancient city centre features...
, NetherlandsNetherlandsThe Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders... - 2006 - Acquisition Exhibition, Gallery 180 of The Illinois Institute of Art-Chicago
- 2006 - Palm Beach 3, Palm Beach, California Palm Beach, CA
- 2006 - Figure, Figure, Utrecht Gallery, UtrechtUtrecht (city)Utrecht city and municipality is the capital and most populous city of the Dutch province of Utrecht. It is located in the eastern corner of the Randstad conurbation, and is the fourth largest city of the Netherlands with a population of 312,634 on 1 Jan 2011.Utrecht's ancient city centre features...
, NetherlandsNetherlandsThe Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders... - 2005 - The Summer Show, Royal Academy of Arts, London, England
- 2005 - Crucifixion, Mito Gallery, Barcelona, Spain
- 2005 - Palm Beach 3, Palm Beach, California Palm Beach, CA
- 2005 - Form and Substance, Agora Gallery, New York, NY
- 2004 - Art Chicago, Navy Pier, Chicago, IL
- 2003 - Art Chicago, Navy Pier, Chicago, IL
- 2003 - Armory, New York, N.Y
- 2002 - Art Chicago, Navy Pier, Chicago, IL
- 2002 - Young Painters, Miami UniversityMiami UniversityMiami University is a coeducational public research university located in Oxford, Ohio, United States. Founded in 1809, it is the 10th oldest public university in the United States and the second oldest university in Ohio, founded four years after Ohio University. In its 2012 edition, U.S...
, Oxford, OH - 1999 - The Figure Studied : An Examination of the Historical and Contemporary Perspective on the Human Form, Crossman Gallery, University of Wisconsin, WI
- 1999 - The Chicago Art Scene, Belloc Lowndes Gallery, Chicago, IL
- 1998 - Paintings, Ann Nathan Gallery, Chicago, IL
- 1995 - Paintings of Figures, August House Studio, Chicago, IL
- 1995 - Elevations, Layton Gallery, Milwaukee, WI
- 1995 - Paintings, David Barnett Gallery/Rice Building, Milwaukee, WI
- 1995 - Annual Spring Show, League of Milwaukee Artists, The Charles Allis Art Museum, Milwaukee, WI
- 1991 - Annual Juried Show, 234 Gallery, Kenosha, WI
Distinctions
- Florence BiennaleFlorence BiennaleThe Florence Biennale is an international contemporary art fair held every two years in the Historical Fortezza da Basso in Florence, Italy. The Biennale is run by Arte Studio, whose first contemporary art exhibition occurred in 1986. Subsequent exhibits grew, and they eventually formed the first...
Invited to Florence Biennale 2007 - ForbesForbesForbes is an American publishing and media company. Its flagship publication, the Forbes magazine, is published biweekly. Its primary competitors in the national business magazine category are Fortune, which is also published biweekly, and Business Week...
Trinchera Residency co-sponsored by American Artist magazine
Publications
- Metamorphosis 2, 2008
- Direct Art Magazine, #13, NY, article Fall 2006
- The Departed, Martin ScorseseMartin ScorseseMartin Charles Scorsese is an American film director, screenwriter, producer, actor, and film historian. In 1990 he founded The Film Foundation, a nonprofit organization dedicated to film preservation, and in 2007 he founded the World Cinema Foundation...
, 2005 - Who's Who in International Professionals, 2004
- Miroir de l’Art, Number 4, Paris, 2004
- NY Arts Magazine, his philosophy on art 2002
- G. Jurek Polanski, Parables, Artscopes.net, April 2001
- ArtNet, dealers selling his art his dealers 2000
- New American Paintings, Juried Exhibition in Print, Number 29, Open Studio Press, 2000
- G. Jurek Polanski, Mystical Realism of Eastern and Western Spirituality, Arscope.net, November 1999
- The Chicago Art Scene: Sixty-eight Contemporary Artists, Crow Woods Publishing, 1998
External links
- official web site of Aleksander Balos
- G. Jurek Polanski april 2001 text
- Aleksander Balos virtual gallery on the Artabus web site
- figurative art of Aleksander Balos on Absolute Arts
- Chicago : Aleksander Balos on Art World
- Aleksander Balos : figurative paintings in Saatchi Gallery
- Aleksander Balos - Surreal Art Collective