Simon Dinnerstein (born February 16, 1943) is an American artist, best known for the painted work, ''The Fulbright Triptych'' (1971).

Early life

Dinnerstein was born in Brownsville, Brooklyn, New York, in 1943 to pharmacist Louis and homemaker Sarah Dinnerstein. One of two children, his older brother

Harvey Dinnerstein Harvey Dinnerstein (April 3, 1928 – June 21, 2022) was an American figurative artist and educator. A draftsman and painter in the realistic tradition, his work included genre paintings, contemporary narratives, complex figurative compositions, ...

was also an artist.

Education and career

Dinnerstein holds a Bachelor of Arts in History from the

City College of New York The City College of the City University of New York (also known as the City College of New York, or simply City College or CCNY) is a public university within the City University of New York (CUNY) system in New York City. Founded in 1847, Cit ...

. He studied painting and drawing at the Brooklyn Museum Art School with Louis Grebenak, David Levine, and

Richard Mayhew Richard Mayhew (born April 3, 1924) is an Afro-Native American landscape painter, illustrator, and arts educator. His abstract, brightly colored landscapes are informed by his experiences as an African American/Native American and his interest i ...

. He was a member of the faculty at the

New School for Social Research The New School for Social Research (NSSR) is a graduate-level educational institution that is one of the divisions of The New School in New York City, United States. The university was founded in 1919 as a home for progressive era thinkers. NSSR ...

Parsons School of Design Parsons School of Design, known colloquially as Parsons, is a private art and design college located in the Greenwich Village neighborhood of New York City. Founded in 1896 after a group of progressive artists broke away from established Manhatt ...

, and New York City Technical College. He lectures widely and has lectured at

Pennsylvania State University The Pennsylvania State University (Penn State or PSU) is a Public university, public Commonwealth System of Higher Education, state-related Land-grant university, land-grant research university with campuses and facilities throughout Pennsylvan ...

Style and influences

Dinnerstein's art is mostly in the figurative style, with folk,

expressionistic Expressionism is a modernist movement, initially in poetry and painting, originating in Northern Europe around the beginning of the 20th century. Its typical trait is to present the world solely from a subjective perspective, distorting it rad ...

, and surrealistic influences, possessing a " narrative" and "

psychological Psychology is the scientific study of mind and behavior. Psychology includes the study of conscious and unconscious phenomena, including feelings and thoughts. It is an academic discipline of immense scope, crossing the boundaries between t ...

edge". He uses a variety of media, pencils,

charcoal Charcoal is a lightweight black carbon residue produced by strongly heating wood (or other animal and plant materials) in minimal oxygen to remove all water and volatile constituents. In the traditional version of this pyrolysis process, cal ...

, and oil paints. Dinnerstein renders

still-life A still life (plural: still lifes) is a work of art depicting mostly inanimate subject matter, typically commonplace objects which are either natural (food, flowers, dead animals, plants, rocks, shells, etc.) or man-made (drinking glasses, boo ...

s, but most of his work involves portraiture or

human figure The nude, as a form of visual art that focuses on the unclothed human figure, is an enduring tradition in Western art. It was a preoccupation of Ancient Greek art, and after a semi-dormant period in the Middle Ages returned to a central position ...

s. He often "paints the figure in unexpected juxtaposition with

landscape A landscape is the visible features of an area of land, its landforms, and how they integrate with natural or man-made features, often considered in terms of their aesthetic appeal.''New Oxford American Dictionary''. A landscape includes the ...

or interior elements", of which Dinnerstein says,

What interests me is the ability of Degas,
Balthus Balthasar Klossowski de Rola (February 29, 1908 – February 18, 2001), known as Balthus, was a Polish-French modern artist. He is known for his erotically charged images of pubescent girls, but also for the refined, dreamlike quality of his image ...
, Lucian Freud and
Antonio López García Antonio López García (born 6 January 1936) is a Spanish Painting, painter and Sculpture, sculptor, known for his Realism (arts), realistic style. He is criticized by some modern artists for what they consider neo-academism, but has been prais ...
... to deal with the figure ... to create art ... rich in scale, yet abstract adventurous, experimental ... deeply human ... a combination of modernism and tradition of skill medium and ... a fresh, personal response to the human form in art ... Hopefully my work speaks to these issues.

Often the human figures are portrayed against a background of hyperreality, or in dreamy surreal landscapes. Light plays an important role in Dinnerstein's work achieving "an inwardness ... in the play of light that radiates from the object and renders it mysterious" or makes "Brooklyn sunlight on an ordinary floor seem supernatural." The use of light contributes to Dinnerstein's paintings being described as " magical realism". In early Dinnerstein works, strong left-right symmetry prevails, although later works are noted for their asymmetry. Dinnerstein draws on diverse sources for inspiration: Northern European art (

Albrecht Dürer Albrecht Dürer (; ; hu, Ajtósi Adalbert; 21 May 1471 – 6 April 1528),Müller, Peter O. (1993) ''Substantiv-Derivation in Den Schriften Albrecht Dürers'', Walter de Gruyter. . sometimes spelled in English as Durer (without an umlaut) or Due ...

, Hieronymus Bosch), Mexican art (

Frida Kahlo Magdalena Carmen Frida Kahlo y Calderón (; 6 July 1907 – 13 July 1954) was a Mexican painter known for her many portraits, self-portraits, and works inspired by the nature and artifacts of Mexico. Inspired by the country's popular culture, ...

, Diego Rivera), as well as literature (

D. H. Lawrence David Herbert Lawrence (11 September 1885 – 2 March 1930) was an English writer, novelist, poet and essayist. His works reflect on modernity, industrialization, sexuality, emotional health, vitality, spontaneity and instinct. His best-k ...

, August Strindberg) and film (

Ingmar Bergman Ernst Ingmar Bergman (14 July 1918 – 30 July 2007) was a Swedish film director, screenwriter, Film producer, producer and playwright. Widely considered one of the greatest and most influential filmmakers of all time, his films are known ...

Alfred Hitchcock Sir Alfred Joseph Hitchcock (13 August 1899 – 29 April 1980) was an English filmmaker. He is widely regarded as one of the most influential figures in the history of cinema. In a career spanning six decades, he directed over 50 featur ...

''The Fulbright Triptych''

Dinnerstein's most notable painting, ''The Fulbright Triptych'', was started in Germany in 1971 while he served as a

Fulbright Scholar The Fulbright Program, including the Fulbright–Hays Program, is one of several United States Cultural Exchange Programs with the goal of improving intercultural relations, cultural diplomacy, and intercultural competence between the people of ...

in Graphics. It was completed in 1974. A largely autobiographical work, it combines stark realism with American figurative tradition to produce a secular rendering of the usually religious form, the triptych. Writer

Jonathan Lethem Jonathan Allen Lethem (; born February 19, 1964) is an American novelist, essayist, and short story writer. His first novel, ''Gun, with Occasional Music'', a genre work that mixed elements of science fiction and detective fiction, was publishe ...

commented: "Simon Dinnerstein's ''The Fulbright Triptych'' is one of those singular and astonishing works of art which seem to imply a description of the whole world merely by insisting on a scrupulous gaze at one perfect instant." The oil-on-wood painting consists of three panels approximately 14 feet wide, depicting a graphic artist's studio. Three figures, representing the Dinnerstein family, occupy the outer panels. The central panel consists of the artist's desk, engraving tools, a copper disk of the commissioned Fulbright engraving project, and an outward view in perspective of Hessisch Lichtenau (near to

Kassel Kassel (; in Germany, spelled Cassel until 1926) is a city on the Fulda River in northern Hesse, Germany. It is the administrative seat of the Regierungsbezirk Kassel and the district of the same name and had 201,048 inhabitants in December 2020 ...

). Plants, photographs, old master's paintings, children's grade school writing, and an exit visa from Russia, appear tacked to the wall of the studio. The ''Triptych'' is noted for its symmetry, meticulous detail, mixture of textures, and sense of space. Widely praised, with each viewer bringing a different sensibility and interpretation of the work, the painting is the subject of numerous essays, articles, and books, including ''The Suspension of Time: Reflections of Simon Dinnerstein's 'The Fulbright Triptych'' edited by Daniel Slager, published 2011. Among the many who have commented on the painting are art critic John Russell, Guggenheim Foundation director

Thomas M. Messer Thomas Maria Messer (February 9, 1920 – May 15, 2013) was the director of the Solomon R. Guggenheim Foundation, including the Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum in New York City and the Peggy Guggenheim Collection in Venice, Italy, for 27 years, a lon ...

, art historian Albert Boime, artist

George Tooker George Clair Tooker, Jr. (August 5, 1920 – March 27, 2011) was an American figurative painter. His works are associated with Magic realism, Social realism, Photorealism, and Surrealism. His subjects are depicted naturally as in a photograp ...

, writer Anthony Doerr, composer

George Crumb George Henry Crumb Jr. (24 October 1929 – 6 February 2022) was an American composer of avant-garde contemporary classical music. Early in his life he rejected the widespread modernist usage of serialism, developing a highly personal musical ...

, poet

Dan Beachy-Quick Dan Beachy-Quick is an American poet, writer, and critic. He is the author of eight collections of poems, most recently, ''Variations on Dawn and Dusk'' ( Omnidawn Publishing), longlisted for the 2019 National Book Award for Poetry. His oth ...

, actor John Turturro, and

Pulitzer Prize The Pulitzer Prize () is an award for achievements in newspaper, magazine, online journalism, literature, and musical composition within the United States. It was established in 1917 by provisions in the will of Joseph Pulitzer, who had made h ...

winner Jhumpa Lahiri.

Personal life

In 1965, Dinnerstein married Renée Sudler, a noted educational consultant. Renée Dinnerstein is the author of the book ''Choice Time: How to Deepen Learning Through Inquiry and Play, PreK-2'' published in August 2016. She runs the popular blog, Investigating Choice Time: Inquiry, Exploration and Play. They have a daughter,

Simone Dinnerstein Simone Andrea Dinnerstein (born September 18, 1972) is an American classical pianist. Education Dinnerstein was born in New York City, New York, United States to a Jewish family. She is the daughter of Renee and Simon Dinnerstein. She studied in ...

, a concert pianist. Both wife and daughter (as an infant) figure prominently in ''The Fulbright Triptych'' as well as other works. Dinnerstein resides in Brooklyn, where, in addition to practicing his art, he teaches classes on art history and appreciation.

Videos and podcasts

*Simone Dinnerstein and Simon Dinnerstein In Conversation: An Interview with

Robin Quivers Robin Ophelia Quivers (born August 8, 1952) is an American radio personality, author, and actress, best known for being the long-running co-host of ''The Howard Stern Show''. Early life Quivers was born on August 8, 1952, in Baltimore, Maryla ...

at Consulate General of Germany, 2011 *Triptych: An Evening of Painting and Music (Simon Dinnerstein, ''The Fulbright Triptych'' and Robert Sirota, "Triptych", performed by the Chiara String Quartet) *Simon Dinnerstein Exhibit at the Tenri Gallery: A Walk Through with Francis Cunningham, 2011 *Simon Dinnerstein and ''The Fulbright Triptych'', audiocast interview with James McElhinney, ''

Huffington Post ''HuffPost'' (formerly ''The Huffington Post'' until 2017 and sometimes abbreviated ''HuffPo'') is an American progressive news website, with localized and international editions. The site offers news, satire, blogs, and original content, and ...

'', April 1, 2013 *“Simone Dinnerstein and Simon Dinnerstein: A Conversation on the Mysteries of Art and Family, 2018

List of awards

Exhibitions

Articles and reviews

* Michael Andre, Simon Dinnerstein (Staempfli), Art News, March, 1975 * John Gruen, "On Art: Freilicher, Fish, Dinnerstein, Peterson, Baber", '' SoHo Weekly News'', February 6, 1975 *George Staempfli, catalog essay, one-man exhibit, Staempfli Gallery, January 14 – February 8, 1975 *Bennett Schiff, On a Roman Hill Scholars Dwell in an Estate Of Mind, Smithsonian, March, 1978 *Doug Turetsky, Simon Dinnerstein: Artist in the Round, Brooklyn Affairs, April, 1985 *Simon Dinnerstein, Looking At One's Own Artwork, American Artist, April, 1986 *Theodore Wolff, The Kind Word for Such Art is 'Conservative'. The Christian Science Monitor, April 25, 1988 * Albert Boime, Introduction: Simon Dinnerstein's Family Romance, The Art of Simon Dinnerstein, The University of Arkansas Press, 1990 *

, Foreword, The Art of Simon Dinnerstein, The University of Arkansas Press, 1990, *Richard Mertens, Essential Realities: Simon Dinnerstein Draws the Essence of Art from the Commonplace, The Concord Monitor, October 25, 1991 *

Rudolph Arnheim Rudolf Arnheim (July 15, 1904 – June 9, 2007) was a German-born writer, art and film theorist, and perceptual psychologist. He learned Gestalt psychology from studying under Max Wertheimer and Wolfgang Köhler at the University of Berlin and ap ...

, Pictures of the Lasting World, Simon Dinnerstein: Paintings and Drawings, Hudson Hills Press, (October 12, 1999) *Deborah McLeod, From Visceral Portraits to Romanticized Nymphs, Bodies of Work, Richmond Times, September 1, 2000 *Edward Sullivan, The Urban View in the Art of Simon Dinnerstein, Simon Dinnerstein: Paintings and Drawings, Hudson Hills Press, 2000 *Roy Proctor, Exploring the Edge: No Slave to fashion, artist draws us into other states of mind, Richmond Times-Dispatch, August 20, 2000 *Joe Maniscalco, An Artist at Work: Park Slope Painter Lets You in on the Creative Process, Park Slope Courier, January 31, 2000 *Ilana Abramovitch, From Brownsville to Park Slope: An Interview with Simon Dinnerstein, Jews of Brooklyn, Brandeis University Press; 1st edition (November 1, 2001) * Gabriela Lena Frank, Ghosts in the Dream Machine for Piano Quintet, (Composer's Statement), March 14, 2005
Composer's Statement
*Cynthia Maris Dantzic 100 New York Painters Publisher: Schiffer Publishing Ltd., (November 2006) , page 85 *Elana Hagler, Pursuing Humanity: An Interview with Simon Dinnerstein, April 21, 201
Pursuing Humanity:An Interview with Simon Dinnerstein
*Featuring: Simon Dinnerstein, ''Colored Pencil'' magazine, December 2014simondinnerstein.com/email/cpm1412_02.pdf "Simon Dinnerstain"
''Colored pencil'', December 2014

Books

*''The Art of Simon Dinnerstein'', The University of Arkansas Press, Fayetteville, London, 1990. Essays by Albert Boime, Thomas M. Messer, George Tooker. *''Simon Dinnerstein: Paintings and Drawings'', Hudson Hills Press, New York, 1999. Essays by Rudolf Arnheim, Guy Davenport, Robert L. McGrath, John Russell, Edward J. Sullivan, Miller Willams. *''The Suspension of Time: Reflections on Simon Dinnerstein and 'The Fulbright Triptych'', Daniel Slager (Editor), Publisher: Milkweed Editions; First Edition (June 14, 2011). Forty-five essays on The Fulbright Triptych.

References

External links

''The Fulbright Triptych'' articles and reviews

* Roberta Smith, senior art critic, ''The New York Times''
Re-discovered at the Altar of Art"
August 11, 2011 * Roberta Smith, ''The New York Times''
Simon Dinnerstein: ''The Fulbright Triptych'', Museum & Gallery Listings
(listed for 81 consecutive weeks) *Roberta Smith, ''The New York Times''

April 25, 2014 * John Russell, senior art critic, ''The New York Times'', "In Dinnerstein's Painting, an Echo Chamber", February 5, 1975 *

"No One Could Accuse"
from ''The Suspension of Time'' by Dennis Slager, editor * Donald Kuspit, contributing editor
Simon Dinnerstein
German Consulate General, Art Forum, November 2011 * James Panero, senior art critic, ''The New Criterion''
Exhibition note
September, 2011 *Peter Trippi, editor-in-chief
Savoring Simon Dinnerstein's ''Fulbright Triptych''
''Fine Art Connoisseur'', January/February 2014 * David Cohen
"The Art of Simon Dinnerstein"
''Art Critical'', October 7, 2011 *

Daniel Maidman Daniel Maidman (born 1975) is a painter and art writer who lives in Brooklyn, New York. His art and writing reflect eclectic tastes, with an emphasis on realism. Early life and education Daniel Maidman was born in Toronto, Canada. He attended h ...

Simon Dinnerstein's Irregular Grid
''

'', February 13, 2014 *Tim Nicholas
"Simon Dinnerstein: Analog of a World"
''Painter's Table'', March 2014 *Kaitlin Pomerantz
"Luck of the Paint"
BOMBlog (''Bomb Magazine'' – Artists in Conversation), August 30, 2012 *Eric Herschthal
"The Jewish Echoes in ''The Fulbright Triptych''"
''The Jewish Week'', August 9, 2011 *Rebecca Park
"''The Fulbright Triptych'': Portrait of the Young Man as an Artist"
''Diplomatic Courier'' *Brian P. Kelly
"Critic's Notebook"
'' The New Criterion'', March 24, 2014 * Guy Davenport, "An Exchange of Letters", ''The Suspension of Time'' by Daniel Slager, editor * Jhumpa Lahiri
"The Space Between the Pictures"
''The Suspension of Time'' by Daniel Slager, editor *Edward Sullivan

''The Suspension of Time'' by Daniel Slager, editor *George Tooker, Jonathan Lethem, J.M. Coetzee, ''The Suspension of Time'' *Elizabeth Broun, Virginia Mecklenburg, Grady Harp
(untitled, undated, unattributed)
laimed: ''Vanity Fair'', July 2011*Jonathan Liu
"Simon Dinnerstein Says"
''New York Observer'', May 31, 2011
Press release
''The Suspension of Time'', Milkweed Editions, 2011
Press release
''The Suspension of Time'', Milkweed Editions, Victoria Meyer {{DEFAULTSORT:Dinnerstein, Simon 20th-century American painters American male painters 21st-century American painters 21st-century male artists American contemporary painters American printmakers American art educators Painters from New York City City College of New York alumni Hyperreality Jewish American artists Jewish painters Magic realist artists Modern painters People from Brownsville, Brooklyn 1943 births Living people Brooklyn Museum Art School alumni