GEORGE HERMS b.1935 Biography: George Herms is a leading figure of the Los Angeles Assemblage Movement and the youngest of the "Beat" generation of artists who were part of the Ferus "gang" in the late 1950s, including John Altoon, Billy Al Bengston, Wallace Berman, Craig Kaufman, Ed Kienholz and Ken Price. George Herms' life has been one of constant exploration. His work is created with `LOVE' - love for the discards of society, things that people carelessly "trash". George assembles beauty and form from this detritus.
He embarked upon a career as an artist after seeing Wallace Berman's work at the legendary Ferus Gallery. George assisted in the hanging of Berman's famous Semina show (in which Berman was arrested for displaying "lewd" works), and was moved by the way Berman was able to turn an art gallery into a temple. Berman became a mentor to Herms; George's first exhibition in 1957 was a "secret exhibition" attended only by Berman and Walter Hopps (co-founder, with Ed Kienholz, of the Ferus Gallery.
A combination of playful good humor, insightful wit and all-encompassing warmth infuses Herms' work. He aptly signs all his work with a `LOVE' stamp and there is a great love that shines through - love for the people, the places, the things that have touched his life. For George, art-making is his way to show his love to the world.
Chronology: [Click For Chrono PDF]
Exhibitions at Tobey C. Moss Gallery:
2005 From GEORGE HERMS with LOVE
2004 George Herms, William Dole, Basil Langton: Collage
Prints
Assemblage
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Medium |
Date |
| | 92 Ore | Torched wood, bumper sticker, metal, pigment | 1992 |
| | Clue To (Dodo Marmarosa Series) | Metal, wood, plastic, fabric, newsprint, photo, coffee filters | 2003 |
| | Coming Attractions | Fabric, metal, plastic, caulking, photo, board | 1999 |
| | Gamba | Assemblage: metal, plastic, collage | 1983 |
| | JAKE: For Boehme and Einstein | Leather, rubber, wood, pigment, papers | 1968 |
| | Klutz, Putz and Schmutz | Wood, coffee filters, rusted metal, tyography | 2005 |
| | Light Rose B (GRI Series) | Assemblage: plastic, metal, mylar, newsprint | 2005 |
| | Light Rose F (GRI Series) | Assemblage: plastic, metal, mylar, newsprint | 2005 |
| | Security is in the Offering | Wood, fabric, leather, papers on masonite | 1998 |
| | Walter Bentley | Metal, wood, cloth, gut | 1973 |
Collage
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Medium |
Date |
| | Academic Collage : '1299' | Collage | 1982 |
| | Academic Collage : antifasciste | Papers | 1982 |
| | Academic Collage : Armorial | Poster fragments | 1982 |
| | Academic Collage : Arrow | Poster fragments | 1982 |
| | Academic Collage : Black and White | Collage | 1982 |
| | Academic Collage : Calligrafia | Collage | 1983 |
| | Academic Collage : Cerveteri Bianco | Collage | 1982 |
| | Academic Collage : Fragment | Collage | 1983 |
| | Academic Collage : It's a Date! | Papers, poster fragments | 1982 |
| | Academic Collage : Layered Letters | Papers, poster fragments | 1982 |
| | Academic Collage : Open C | Collage | 1982 |
| | Academic Collage : Profile | Collage | 1982 |
| | Academic Collage : Rescued | Collage | 1983 |
| | Academic Collage : Soccer Child | Poster fragment | 1982 |
| | Academic Collage : Sofa | Collage | 1982 |
| | Academic Collage : Verso Layers | Poster fragments | 1982 |
| | Brown Signs (Watercolor/Collage Series) | Coffee filters, newsprint, stamps | 2001-2 |
| | Call Lured (Watercolor/Collage Series) | Coffee filters, papers, newsprint | 2001-2 |
| | Crumbling (Watercolor/Collage Series) | Coffee filters, newsprint, stamps | 2001-2 |
| | Eviction Over (Watercolor/Collage Series) | Coffee filter | 2001-2 |
| | Extra or Overtime (Watercolor/Collage Series) | Collage: papers | 2001-2 |
| | Hike (Watercolor/Collage Series) | Coffee filters, newsprint | 2001-2 |
| | Kethor Meets Duchamp | Screenprint and papercollage | 1981 |
| | New Crackdown (Watercolor/Collage Series) | Coffee filter, newsprint, papers | 2001-2 |
| | Party Jolted (Watercolor/Collage Series) | Coffee filters, papers, newsprint | 2001-2 |
| | Radicati | Collage | 1983 |
| | Reassures (Watercolor/Collage Series) | Coffee filters, newsprint, stamps | 2001-2 |
| | Search (Watercolor/Collage Series) | Papers, newsprint, stamps | 2001-2 |
| | Train in U.S. (Watercolor/Collage Series) | Coffee filters, papers, newsprint, stamps | 2001-2 |
| | Upheld (Watercolor/Collage Series) | Coffee filters, newsprint, stamps | 2001-2 |