New Rene Lichtman Paintings: Chance/Choice

The abstract form of Rene Lichtman paintings will be on fresh display commencing May 6th at the Lawrence Street Gallery, at 22620 Woodward Avenue in Ferndale, Michigan.

Dubbed Chance/Choice, this exciting new series reflects the evolution of his work into geometry from Expressionistic roots. Lichtman says he is “somewhere in the middle; geometry, structure, with a painterly touch”. 

The opening reception for this delightful display will be Friday, May 7th, from 3 to 7PM.

Interestingly, the resolute passion of the man comes forth through his geometric work. Rene Lichtman is an iconic Detroit treasure; PhD, artist, and social activist. Born in France, he is a childhood Holocaust survivor.

Today, Rene is actively supporting the recognition of the Ceinture Rouge (“Red Belt”) towns northeast of Paris that helped Jews escape from fascist forces as WWII commenced. This includes Ville Pinte, the community where Rene grew up. This is another remarkable story. 

Rene Lichtman Background

In New York at age thirteen, he worked with Robert Motherwell and Helen Frankenthaler at the Provincetown Art Workshop. He received a Fulbright Scholarship in painting. In Brussels, home of Surrealist masters, he painted and exhibited. There he also became interested in politics, given his Holocaust experience. 

His painting is geometric like that of Kandinsky and Bauhaus art (abstract style with little emotion) and Water Gropius. Mr. Lichtman came to Detroit in 1969 to help make a film on the League of Revolutionary Black Workers called “Finally Got the News”, considered one of the best documentaries on US Black labor.

He is a founding member of Hidden Children and Child Survivors of Michigan and speaks regularly at the Holocaust Memorial Museum in Farmington Hills. His advanced education was with Wayne State University in Detroit. 

Rene says he has been drawn since early childhood to painting, as “a habit, a part of life”.  As he grew up his art responded to his environment and politics. Regarding the title for this show: “There’s a chance element when I begin to paint and then the arbitrary linear elements develop which help me make color, design, balance, structure – choices to complete the work. Kandinsky was a great influence for me, so patterns, structures evolve”.

The Lawrence Street Gallery will have Rene Lichtman in a LIVE Facebook lecture on May 16 at 1:30 during his mid-month reception. Tune in to Lawrence Street Gallery on Facebook or come to the gallery. The gallery is just south on Nine Mile on the east side of Woodward.