Discover Benn in video:
An artist not to be confused
Benn, real name Benzion Rabinovitch, born in 1905 in Bialystok, died in 1989 in Paris. From the age of 12, he took drawing lessons, then taught in turn, and exhibited in Warsaw before obtaining a scholarship to Paris. There he met his future wife, obtained French nationality in 1938, and developed a passion for sculpture.
Hidden in Montparnasse during the war
In 1939, Benn was mobilized. But quickly, he was interned in the Bonne-la-Rolande camp. Thanks to friends, he was released and went underground. In the video, you will discover how he survived hidden in a studio, protected by figures such as Paul Éluard, Frédéric Joliot-Curie, and the photographer Marc Vaux.
Post-war: solidarity and creation
After the Liberation, Benn co-founded with Marc Chagall an artists' society to help painters and sculptors in Montparnasse. His work - painting, engraving, lithography - remains little known to the general public, but his style is recognizable among thousands.
At Nahum Gallery, we keep several of his works, all soon available online.
Watch the video to discover his complete journey, and tell us in the comments if you knew this artist.
See you soon at Nahum Gallery.