Henry Cohen
Born in Brooklyn, Henry remained a lifelong New Yorker. A graduate of Cooper Union (architecture) and New York University (civil engineering), he used his expertise as he evolved as a painter. His initial influences were Benton, then Orozco and Rivera, whose works he saw during a six-month visit to Mexico in 1946. Over time, his paintings shifted from figurative to sculptural, and ultimately to the mature, highly engineered works of the 1970s and 1980s, which captured the dynamics and complexities of the urban environment. His mastery of the medium is illustrated by his painting everything freehand—nothing was taped but was created using simple sign painter’s tools. He had patience, discipline, and a very steady hand. A founding member of the Granite Gallery and Spectrum Gallery, Mr. Cohen participated in numerous solo and group shows, including at the John Weber Gallery, Alexander Milliken Gallery, Medici-Berenson Gallery, Newark Museum, 92nd Street Y, New York University Loeb Gallery, and many others. His works are held by Prudential Insurance Company, the Cleveland Museum, the New York City Board of Education, and numerous private collections.
