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In BOB’S WORLD a gifted, overlooked artist has been working diligently for 50 years in a tiny studio loft in Manhattan’s Flower District. His hermitic life style and idiosyncratic persona makes him an outlier in the art world. Waist deep in an accumulation of paintings and sculptures, Bob says, “I’ve retired from art.” Two artists use film to perform an “intervention” reinvigorating Bob’s career.
Bob's life-long art production, the Bob Witz Archive, remains intact in his tiny 740 sq.ft loft in Chelsea Manhattan-as he left it February 2021. As we are trying to keep the massive groupings of his sculpture, paintings, bronzes, numerous notebooks and works on paper together in his studio, we aggressively seek a gallery or museum to acquire the whole of his total oeuvre. Please view the 2 minute trailer for the film BOB’S WORLD and contact: EIDIA House
eidiahouse (at) earthlink.net for inquires and the link with password for your private viewing of the entire 40 minute
BOB’S WORLD.
eidiahouse (at) earthlink.net for inquires and the link with password for your private viewing of the entire 40 minute
BOB’S WORLD.
Bob Witz artist, poet, and publisher, born Tomah, WI, resided in New York City since mid-1970's (August 9, 1934 – February 23, 2021). Photo ©1992 Tom Warren
Bob Witz next to "Sculpture" paper bags, cardboard, milk carton and acrylic paint, 1980's- 2o2o. Photo ©2020 Paul Lamarre
Robert Allen Witz (R. Witz) Bob
eidiahouse@earthlink.net
Education
BS University of Wisconsin-Madison 1959
GRANTS and AWARDS
2023
"BOB'S WORLD" received Honorable Mention from Experimental Forum international film and video art festival. “BOB’S WORLD” is in the semi-finals of the Spring edition of the Santa Fe Independent Film Festival, “BOB’S WORLD” Semi-Finalist film for "The Sydney Indie Short Festival' Spring issue, Santa Cruz Independent Film Festival Semi-Finalist project award for “BOB’S WORLD” , San Jose Independent Film Festival Semi-Finalist project award for “BOB’S WORLD”, Semi-Finalist Film award for “BOB’S WORLD” Nashville Independent Filmmakers Festival, Niagara Falls International Short Festival, awarded “BOB’S WORLD” Semi Finalist, in consideration for screening, Portland New Alternative Voices awarded “BOB’S WORLD” Semi Finalist, Winter edition, February. Kiez Berlin Film Festival, awarded “BOB’S WORLD” Honorable Mention, in consideration for screening, May 5. New Filmmakers New Orleans awarded “BOB’S WORLD”, Semi-Finalist, January. Berlin Shorts Festival, BOB'S WORLD awarded Semi-Finalist, January.
2022 “BOB’S WORLD” selected Semi-Finalist for consideration in Melbourne Independent Film Festival, Australia, Semi-Finalist in The Arthouse Film Festival, Austin TX, and Semi-Finalist for FILMArte Film Festival, Berlin. The painting “Edgar Allan Poe” was exhibited at MCM CREATIVE, for the screening of “BOB’S WORLD” in the NMIIFF Film Festival. NY, October, 22. "BOB’S WORLD" documentary "nominated" "BEST IN FEST", NAKED MOUNTAIN INTERNATIONAL INDEPENDENT FILM FESTIVAL (shorts) NYC.
2021 Pollock-Krasner Foundation Grant
2020 Tree of Life Grant
2015 American Academy of Arts & Letters, NYC; Hassam, Spiecher, Betts & Symons Purchase Funds
2001 Mnemosine Prize, Rome, Italy
1980 New York State Council on the Arts Art Grant
1978 Ludwig Vogelstein Foundation
Solo Exhibitions
2020 "Milk Made", OSMOS ADDRESS, curated by Cay Sophie Rabinowitz, NYC, January 21 - February 28.
2018 “Bob Witz: An Orbit All By Himself” Plato’s Cave / EIDIA House, Brooklyn, NY, curated by EIDIA, December 12 - February 28, 2019.
2014 m+ e Gallery, (Museum Editions, NYC "Robert Witz Painting and Sculpture" December 4- January 30, 2015.
2012 “Bob Witz: Two Paintings” Steven Harvey Fine Art Projects NYC, February 23 - April,18
“I Know Where I Am Goin’” curated Phong Bui, The New York Studio School, March 16 - April 19.
1990 Neo Persona Gallery, November 29 - December 20.
1989 Speed Limit 55, NYC, April 17 - May 27.
1985 J.N. Herlin, Inc., NYC, March 20 - April 27.
Group Exhibitions
2022 NMIIFF, Naked Mountain Independent International Film Festival, “Edgar Allan Poe” a painting 1990-2018, is exhibited during film festival, October, 22, NYC. "BOB'S WORLD" film is awarded Semi-Finalist from the FILMArte Film Festival, Berlin."Singing in Unison". Group shows Curated by Phong Bui and Cal McKeever, at, Ricco Marasca Gallery NYC, June 23 to September 10, Totah Gallery NYC, June 28 to August 12, Miguel Abreu Gallery NYC, September 7 to October 15, and Industry City, Brooklyn, NY opening September 23 to December 17.
2020 “DYKWTCA” (Do You Know Where The Children Are) a group project / exhibition by Mary Ellen Carroll & Lucas Michael, The Corner at WhitmanWalker, Washington D.C., curator - Ruth Noack, January 25 - March 28.
2019 Andrew Edlin Gallery "Summer Survey: Recent Works”, NYC, June 19 to August 9.
2018 Fortnight Institute, "Antifurniture Store," assembled by Nelson Harst, August 2 to September 5.
2015 American Academy of Arts and Letters, NYC, “2015 Ceremonial Exhibition: Work by New Members and Recipients of Awards" May to June.
2013 “Come Together: Surviving Sandy, Year One”, Industry City, Brooklyn, NY, curated by Phong Bui, Brooklyn, NY, October - December.
2005 “Webb & Witz @Warren,” two person show Studio 18 Gallery, NYC, February 12 - March 12, Denise Bibro Fine Art NYC Summer Invitational July 10 - August 28.
2006 Studio 18 Gallery, NYC, "Origins - A Group Exhibit", February 11 -March 23.
2004 Studio 18 Gallery, NYC.
2002 Studio 18 Gallery, NYC. Galerie Marianne Grob, Berlin, Germany.
2001 "New York 2001: Suoni, Colori, Immagini," two person show Il Tempo Ritrovato, Rome, Italy 5-28, April.
2000 Holland Tunnel Gallery Brooklyn, NY "Making Faces" October 28- November 26 : “Bob Witz and Judith Simonian" two person show Sculpture, Sideshow Gallery, Williamsburg, NY, November 18 - December 18.
1999 76 Varick Street Gallery NYC., " The Summer Show, Morir Sonando" July 9-30.
1998 76 Varick Street Gallery NYC., "Bob Witz and Margrit Lewczuk,", October 16- November 6.
1997 "Verge" Chi Meat Gallery, Group show, Williamsburg, NY, January 26 - February 23.
1993 ”Abstraction Per Se" (with catalogue essay by Dore Ashton show organized by Jack Sonenberg and Eleanor Maretta, Pratt Institute The Ruballe & Norman Schafler Gallery, Brooklyn, NY, January 22- February 24.
1992 "Slow Art: Painting in New York Now" Group show MoMA PS1, Queens, NY, April 26-June 21. "Abstraction Per Se” catalogue essay Dore Ashton organized by Jack Sonenberg and Eleanor Maretta, Pratt Manhattan Gallery, November 21, 1992- January 16 1993.
1989 76 Varick Street Gallery, NYC, Bob Witz and Margrit Lewczuk two person show October 16 - November 6, 128 Rivington Street Gallery NYC.
1988 128 Rivington Street Gallery NYC.
1986 "Portraits and Self-Portraits" Sorkin Gallery.
1985 City without Walls Newark NJ.
1984 Kamikaze Gallery, NYC.
1979 "Appearances Show #1" Fashion Moda, Bronx NYC.
1977 "Space Window" RISD Gallery, Providence RI, Willard Gallery NYC.
1976 Edward Thorp Gallery, NYC, Three person show, Sculptures and Drawings, Fine Arts Building.
1965 Lynn Kottler Galleries NYC, December19 - January 8, 1966.
Selected Publications
(publisher, writer, and artist)
For further listings see "Bob Witz Papers"at Fales Library and Special Collections, early 1960s-2010. Abstract: "Bob Witz is the editor of Appearances Magazine, a small arts magazine first published in the East Village during the 1980s. Witz is also an artist, writer and sculptor who lives in New York. The collection consists of material related to Appearances Magazine, correspondence, gallery catalogues and ephemera, sketchbooks, writings, chap books, drawings, and photographs." http://dlib.nyu.edu/findingaids/html/fales/witz/
2014 "Come Together: Surviving Sandy, Year 1" Jack D. Flam; Skira Editore S.p.A., pp. 286.
http:// cometogethersandy.com/bob-witz/ "Bob Witz Fluidity of Thought" by Rabia Ashfaque.
2006 Group publication The Fales Library, NYU, NYC, "Up Is Up, But So Is Down New York's Downtown Literary Scene, 1974-1992."
2001 “New York 2001”: Suoni, Colori, Immagini," Il Tempo Ritrovato, Roma, Italy catalog, Suoni Colori Imagini, Edizione Meridiana, Firenze, Italia.
1997 "Verge" a small catalogue, Chi Meat Gallery 152 Broadway 3rd floor Brooklyn 11211, Group Show, Williamsburg, NY, January 26 - Fedruary 23
1976-2001 Founded and edited Appearances, an annual magazine which focused on alternative currents of art and literature.
1985 -1995 (50) Drawings, Poems, Essays in (self published) Underground Magazines. Selected Publications (other).
1992 Bob Witz quote, art work and mention in essay of group exhibition catalogue "Abstraction Per Se" pp.2,3, 26. Essay by Dore Ashton show organized by Jack Sonenberg and Eleanor Maretta, Pratt Institute, Brooklyn NY.
1991 Cover Magazine, February 1991 Vol. 5 # 2 "Let Me Take You Down" By Robert Mahoney review of Bob Witz's one person show Neo Persona Gallery pg.8. "FOOD SEX ART the Starving Artists Cookbook & Video" Series NYC, by EIDIA Books; Bob Witz's performance, drawing and recipe.
1988 -1990 Drawing, word collage, Word Drawing National Poetry Magazine of Lower East Side NYC
1984 Drawing, in Book Design Principles and Problems by Zelanski and Fisher published by Holt Rinehart and Winson, NYC.
1977 "Space Window" Catalogue, RISD Gallery, Providence RI.
1973 "Robert Witz: Selections from the Tomah Letters" Artforum; a selection of letters and drawing (edited by magazine's Associate Editor Robert Pincus-Witten) that Robert Witz wrote and sent to Pincus-Witten. Artforum; Vol. XII. No. 1. September 1973, p.30,31,32.
1970 Four Drawings in University of Wisconsin annual magazine Arts in Society.
1965 One Drawing in University of Wisconsin annual magazine Arts in Society.
1963 Elegy Poem on Van Gogh University of Wisconsin annual magazine Arts in Society.
1960 Two Sonnets on Van Gogh University of Wisconsin annual magazine Arts in Society.
Private Collections
Gwen Allen
Lawrence B. Benenson
Rachel Berg
Harry Bogdos
Phong Bui
Laura Callahan
Karen Castellano
Beth Rudin DeWoody
EIDIA House, Paul Lamarre, Melissa Wolf
Franz A. Friedrich
John Farris estate
Ron Gorchov
Steve Harvey
Jean Noel Herlin
Sean Higgins
Shelley Himmelstein
Kiwi De Vo
Bill Jensen
Gary Keenan
John Koegel
Ron Kolm
Margrit Lewczuk
Lesley McBride
Bill Mutter
Jud Nelson
Shalom Newman
Ken Peth
Marvin Taylor
Richard Timperio
Betty Tompkins
Paige Tooker
Lois Wagner
Larry Webb
Public and Museum Collections
art, books, magazines, ephemera
New York Public Library Research Library, New York City
New York University, Fales Library
Ohio State University
University of Buffalo, the State University of New York, SUNY
University of Rochester
University of Texas, Austin, the Harry Ransom Center
University of Wisconsin Collection of Chazen Museum of Art Gift of the American Academy of Arts and Letter
eidiahouse@earthlink.net
Education
BS University of Wisconsin-Madison 1959
GRANTS and AWARDS
2023
"BOB'S WORLD" received Honorable Mention from Experimental Forum international film and video art festival. “BOB’S WORLD” is in the semi-finals of the Spring edition of the Santa Fe Independent Film Festival, “BOB’S WORLD” Semi-Finalist film for "The Sydney Indie Short Festival' Spring issue, Santa Cruz Independent Film Festival Semi-Finalist project award for “BOB’S WORLD” , San Jose Independent Film Festival Semi-Finalist project award for “BOB’S WORLD”, Semi-Finalist Film award for “BOB’S WORLD” Nashville Independent Filmmakers Festival, Niagara Falls International Short Festival, awarded “BOB’S WORLD” Semi Finalist, in consideration for screening, Portland New Alternative Voices awarded “BOB’S WORLD” Semi Finalist, Winter edition, February. Kiez Berlin Film Festival, awarded “BOB’S WORLD” Honorable Mention, in consideration for screening, May 5. New Filmmakers New Orleans awarded “BOB’S WORLD”, Semi-Finalist, January. Berlin Shorts Festival, BOB'S WORLD awarded Semi-Finalist, January.
2022 “BOB’S WORLD” selected Semi-Finalist for consideration in Melbourne Independent Film Festival, Australia, Semi-Finalist in The Arthouse Film Festival, Austin TX, and Semi-Finalist for FILMArte Film Festival, Berlin. The painting “Edgar Allan Poe” was exhibited at MCM CREATIVE, for the screening of “BOB’S WORLD” in the NMIIFF Film Festival. NY, October, 22. "BOB’S WORLD" documentary "nominated" "BEST IN FEST", NAKED MOUNTAIN INTERNATIONAL INDEPENDENT FILM FESTIVAL (shorts) NYC.
2021 Pollock-Krasner Foundation Grant
2020 Tree of Life Grant
2015 American Academy of Arts & Letters, NYC; Hassam, Spiecher, Betts & Symons Purchase Funds
2001 Mnemosine Prize, Rome, Italy
1980 New York State Council on the Arts Art Grant
1978 Ludwig Vogelstein Foundation
Solo Exhibitions
2020 "Milk Made", OSMOS ADDRESS, curated by Cay Sophie Rabinowitz, NYC, January 21 - February 28.
2018 “Bob Witz: An Orbit All By Himself” Plato’s Cave / EIDIA House, Brooklyn, NY, curated by EIDIA, December 12 - February 28, 2019.
2014 m+ e Gallery, (Museum Editions, NYC "Robert Witz Painting and Sculpture" December 4- January 30, 2015.
2012 “Bob Witz: Two Paintings” Steven Harvey Fine Art Projects NYC, February 23 - April,18
“I Know Where I Am Goin’” curated Phong Bui, The New York Studio School, March 16 - April 19.
1990 Neo Persona Gallery, November 29 - December 20.
1989 Speed Limit 55, NYC, April 17 - May 27.
1985 J.N. Herlin, Inc., NYC, March 20 - April 27.
Group Exhibitions
2022 NMIIFF, Naked Mountain Independent International Film Festival, “Edgar Allan Poe” a painting 1990-2018, is exhibited during film festival, October, 22, NYC. "BOB'S WORLD" film is awarded Semi-Finalist from the FILMArte Film Festival, Berlin."Singing in Unison". Group shows Curated by Phong Bui and Cal McKeever, at, Ricco Marasca Gallery NYC, June 23 to September 10, Totah Gallery NYC, June 28 to August 12, Miguel Abreu Gallery NYC, September 7 to October 15, and Industry City, Brooklyn, NY opening September 23 to December 17.
2020 “DYKWTCA” (Do You Know Where The Children Are) a group project / exhibition by Mary Ellen Carroll & Lucas Michael, The Corner at WhitmanWalker, Washington D.C., curator - Ruth Noack, January 25 - March 28.
2019 Andrew Edlin Gallery "Summer Survey: Recent Works”, NYC, June 19 to August 9.
2018 Fortnight Institute, "Antifurniture Store," assembled by Nelson Harst, August 2 to September 5.
2015 American Academy of Arts and Letters, NYC, “2015 Ceremonial Exhibition: Work by New Members and Recipients of Awards" May to June.
2013 “Come Together: Surviving Sandy, Year One”, Industry City, Brooklyn, NY, curated by Phong Bui, Brooklyn, NY, October - December.
2005 “Webb & Witz @Warren,” two person show Studio 18 Gallery, NYC, February 12 - March 12, Denise Bibro Fine Art NYC Summer Invitational July 10 - August 28.
2006 Studio 18 Gallery, NYC, "Origins - A Group Exhibit", February 11 -March 23.
2004 Studio 18 Gallery, NYC.
2002 Studio 18 Gallery, NYC. Galerie Marianne Grob, Berlin, Germany.
2001 "New York 2001: Suoni, Colori, Immagini," two person show Il Tempo Ritrovato, Rome, Italy 5-28, April.
2000 Holland Tunnel Gallery Brooklyn, NY "Making Faces" October 28- November 26 : “Bob Witz and Judith Simonian" two person show Sculpture, Sideshow Gallery, Williamsburg, NY, November 18 - December 18.
1999 76 Varick Street Gallery NYC., " The Summer Show, Morir Sonando" July 9-30.
1998 76 Varick Street Gallery NYC., "Bob Witz and Margrit Lewczuk,", October 16- November 6.
1997 "Verge" Chi Meat Gallery, Group show, Williamsburg, NY, January 26 - February 23.
1993 ”Abstraction Per Se" (with catalogue essay by Dore Ashton show organized by Jack Sonenberg and Eleanor Maretta, Pratt Institute The Ruballe & Norman Schafler Gallery, Brooklyn, NY, January 22- February 24.
1992 "Slow Art: Painting in New York Now" Group show MoMA PS1, Queens, NY, April 26-June 21. "Abstraction Per Se” catalogue essay Dore Ashton organized by Jack Sonenberg and Eleanor Maretta, Pratt Manhattan Gallery, November 21, 1992- January 16 1993.
1989 76 Varick Street Gallery, NYC, Bob Witz and Margrit Lewczuk two person show October 16 - November 6, 128 Rivington Street Gallery NYC.
1988 128 Rivington Street Gallery NYC.
1986 "Portraits and Self-Portraits" Sorkin Gallery.
1985 City without Walls Newark NJ.
1984 Kamikaze Gallery, NYC.
1979 "Appearances Show #1" Fashion Moda, Bronx NYC.
1977 "Space Window" RISD Gallery, Providence RI, Willard Gallery NYC.
1976 Edward Thorp Gallery, NYC, Three person show, Sculptures and Drawings, Fine Arts Building.
1965 Lynn Kottler Galleries NYC, December19 - January 8, 1966.
Selected Publications
(publisher, writer, and artist)
For further listings see "Bob Witz Papers"at Fales Library and Special Collections, early 1960s-2010. Abstract: "Bob Witz is the editor of Appearances Magazine, a small arts magazine first published in the East Village during the 1980s. Witz is also an artist, writer and sculptor who lives in New York. The collection consists of material related to Appearances Magazine, correspondence, gallery catalogues and ephemera, sketchbooks, writings, chap books, drawings, and photographs." http://dlib.nyu.edu/findingaids/html/fales/witz/
2014 "Come Together: Surviving Sandy, Year 1" Jack D. Flam; Skira Editore S.p.A., pp. 286.
http:// cometogethersandy.com/bob-witz/ "Bob Witz Fluidity of Thought" by Rabia Ashfaque.
2006 Group publication The Fales Library, NYU, NYC, "Up Is Up, But So Is Down New York's Downtown Literary Scene, 1974-1992."
2001 “New York 2001”: Suoni, Colori, Immagini," Il Tempo Ritrovato, Roma, Italy catalog, Suoni Colori Imagini, Edizione Meridiana, Firenze, Italia.
1997 "Verge" a small catalogue, Chi Meat Gallery 152 Broadway 3rd floor Brooklyn 11211, Group Show, Williamsburg, NY, January 26 - Fedruary 23
1976-2001 Founded and edited Appearances, an annual magazine which focused on alternative currents of art and literature.
1985 -1995 (50) Drawings, Poems, Essays in (self published) Underground Magazines. Selected Publications (other).
1992 Bob Witz quote, art work and mention in essay of group exhibition catalogue "Abstraction Per Se" pp.2,3, 26. Essay by Dore Ashton show organized by Jack Sonenberg and Eleanor Maretta, Pratt Institute, Brooklyn NY.
1991 Cover Magazine, February 1991 Vol. 5 # 2 "Let Me Take You Down" By Robert Mahoney review of Bob Witz's one person show Neo Persona Gallery pg.8. "FOOD SEX ART the Starving Artists Cookbook & Video" Series NYC, by EIDIA Books; Bob Witz's performance, drawing and recipe.
1988 -1990 Drawing, word collage, Word Drawing National Poetry Magazine of Lower East Side NYC
1984 Drawing, in Book Design Principles and Problems by Zelanski and Fisher published by Holt Rinehart and Winson, NYC.
1977 "Space Window" Catalogue, RISD Gallery, Providence RI.
1973 "Robert Witz: Selections from the Tomah Letters" Artforum; a selection of letters and drawing (edited by magazine's Associate Editor Robert Pincus-Witten) that Robert Witz wrote and sent to Pincus-Witten. Artforum; Vol. XII. No. 1. September 1973, p.30,31,32.
1970 Four Drawings in University of Wisconsin annual magazine Arts in Society.
1965 One Drawing in University of Wisconsin annual magazine Arts in Society.
1963 Elegy Poem on Van Gogh University of Wisconsin annual magazine Arts in Society.
1960 Two Sonnets on Van Gogh University of Wisconsin annual magazine Arts in Society.
Private Collections
Gwen Allen
Lawrence B. Benenson
Rachel Berg
Harry Bogdos
Phong Bui
Laura Callahan
Karen Castellano
Beth Rudin DeWoody
EIDIA House, Paul Lamarre, Melissa Wolf
Franz A. Friedrich
John Farris estate
Ron Gorchov
Steve Harvey
Jean Noel Herlin
Sean Higgins
Shelley Himmelstein
Kiwi De Vo
Bill Jensen
Gary Keenan
John Koegel
Ron Kolm
Margrit Lewczuk
Lesley McBride
Bill Mutter
Jud Nelson
Shalom Newman
Ken Peth
Marvin Taylor
Richard Timperio
Betty Tompkins
Paige Tooker
Lois Wagner
Larry Webb
Public and Museum Collections
art, books, magazines, ephemera
New York Public Library Research Library, New York City
New York University, Fales Library
Ohio State University
University of Buffalo, the State University of New York, SUNY
University of Rochester
University of Texas, Austin, the Harry Ransom Center
University of Wisconsin Collection of Chazen Museum of Art Gift of the American Academy of Arts and Letter
The artworks below are a sampling of Bob Witz paintings and sculpture series; Milk Cartons, Totems, and Monuments. Sizes vary from 8x10 inches to 7 x 7 feet. Titles and descriptions upon request. Contact: eidiahouse(at)earthlink.net
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