Josephine Siskinds paintings lead you into another world.
Archetype images combined with organic forms awaken a feeling that we humans have deep down in our subconscious.
Yes, one can say she has developed a universal language in her art.
She was born in Chicago USA, but moved with her mother to Europe to Berlin at the age of six were she grew up after the second world war; she used to ask her mother why the trees were crying ? Confused by all the different languages and costumes she would hide under a table with her crayons and paint a world of beautiful fantasies. Her mother being a correspondent was moved to Havana, Cuba, when Josephine was in her late teens. Again a new language and a new culture; here she made the first contact with the Mexican Muralist Movement by working as an apprentice to a Chilean artist Carmen Cereserras and by learning etchings under Jose Venturelli at the Taller Grafica .
At the age of 21 she traveled to her family in New York there she took lessons at the Art Students League for one year to prepare herself for the Art Academy in Mexico City where she studied for 5 years. After obtaining her diploma she specialized for two more years in muralism. She had a strict academic education with teachers like Pablo O´Higgins, Benito Messeger and Arnold Belkin.
In Mexico she developed a strong and colourful style, and an interest for structures. 1979 she had an exhibition in Stockholm. After receiving a scholarship from the Swedish Institute she decided to move to Sweden.(Her father being of Scandinavian –American origin)
Fascinated by the intensity of the four seasons, her palette can suddenly switch from delicate greys to temperamental and almost violent reds.
"The brush is only an extension of my soul."
I actually cease to exist when I paint." The organized and structured aspect of Josephine comes to realization in her public assignments. (Mural paintings and enameled copper works)