Sidney Gordin

Sidney Alexander Gordin (1918–1996) was a Russian-born American artist and educator, known for his abstract paintings, prints, and sculptures. He was a Professor Emeritus at University of California, Berkeley, where he taught from 1958 to 1986. Gordin was associated with abstract expressionism and constructivism.

Early life and education Gordin was born on October 24, 1918, in Chelyabinsk, Russian Republic. When he was born the Russian Empire had recently collapsed due to the Russian Revolution. His family migrated to Shanghai, and later Harbin in Heilongjiang province, China. He attended Brooklyn Museum Art School in 1935 to 1936; followed by study at Cooper Union in 1937 to 1941, where he graduated.

Art career Gordin's first group exhibition was in 1951 at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, named "American Sculpture 1951". His "Tunnel Maze" was judged as most successful for play, safety, and ease; and subsequently was manufactured by Creative Playthings.

In 1958, he moved to California. In 1960, Gordin acquired an art studio in Provincetown, Massachusetts, while still maintaining his home in California. The group was made up of Berkeley-based artists who met weekly to talk art over breakfast, the group held several group exhibitions. Gordin moved to California in 1958 to start a teaching position at University of California, Berkeley, where he remained until 1986.

Death and legacy He died on January 28, 1996, at home in Berkeley. Museum of Modern Art, the Art Institute of Chicago, Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco, Chrysler Museum of Art, Madison Museum of Contemporary Art, Brooklyn Museum, Farnsworth Art Museum, and Oakland Museum of California.