Arshile Gorky (1904-1948)
1904 Arshile Gorky (Vosdanik Adoian) is born April 15 in Khorkom, Turkish Armenia.
1915 Fleeing the Turkish invasion, Gorky leaves Armenia.
1916-18 Studies at the Polytechnic Institute in Tiflis.
1920 Arrives in the United States following the death of his mother. He stays with relatives in Watertown, MA and attempts to reconcile with his father in Provincetown, RI.
1920s Is influenced by Braque, Cézanne and Picasso.
1921-22 Studies at the Rhode Island School of Design, Provincetown.
1922 While living in Watertown, Gorky teaches at the New School of Design, Boston.
1925 Moves to New York and changes his name to Arshile Gorky.
1926-31 Teaches drawing at the Grand Central School of Art, New York.
1930 The Museum of Modern Art, New York includes his work in a group exhibition. He becomes a naturalized US citizen.
1930s Begins spending time with Stuart Davis, Willem de Kooning and John Graham.
1931 His first solo exhibition is held at the Mellon Galleries in Philadelphia.
1935-37 While working for the Works Progress Administration, Gorky paints murals for Newark Airport. These are among the first abstract murals in the United States.
1938 His first solo exhibition in New York is held at Boyer Galleries.
1941 An exhibition of his work is held at the San Francisco Museum of Art.
1942-48 Spends part of the year in the countryside in either Connecticut or Virginia.
1943 Begins to develop his mature style.
1944 Meets André Breton.
1945 An exhibition of his work is held at the Julien Levy Gallery.
mid-1940s Two daughters are born to Gorky and his second wife.
1946 A fire in his studio destroys drawings and dozens of paintings.
1948 A car accident paralyzes his painting arm. On July 21 he commits suicide in Sherman, CT.