July / august 2006:

Hot artist: michael kalish



For all the collectors who’ve been asking over the years, the time has finally come,” says renowned artist Michael Kalish, chuckling into the receiver while simultaneously navigating Los Angeles’ traffic-choked streets. “I’m pleased to announce that I’m officially breaking ground on my first piece of Judaica.”

Granted, it hardly sounds like a magnanimous gesture at first brush, especially coming from a former Sandy Springs and Decatur resident who grew up in what he calls a “Conservadox” household. But clients with a fondness for the acclaimed painter, sculptor, and erstwhile visionary’s works — currently retailing between $6,000 and $25,000 apiece — would do well to remember just how long his waiting list is. And, for that matter, that it includes a spate of names which reads like a Who’s Who in Hollywood: Courtney Cox, David Arquette, Sharon Stone. Even Gov. Schwarzenegger himself.

The project, a dozen-piece tribute to Israel’s 12 tribes, featuring special acrylics and materials imported from the holy land, isn’t just a surefire crowd-pleaser in the making. It’s also an extension of the master metalworker’s previous catalogue, in that carved license plates will be used to form the lettering which adorns each composition. Scoff if you must, but remember: One man’s trash is another’s treasure. After all, Kalish’s beaming mug hasn’t just been gleefully splashed across the pages of Reader’s Digest, Us Weekly, and People. He’s also been hailed as this generation’s Andy Warhol, and shared gallery space with the likes of Lichtenstein and Picasso.

Unlike with pieces such as the murals he composed for the Atlanta Braves or recent portraits of 50 Cent, Linkin Park and Kid Rock, Kalish credits another source besides pop culture for his present motivation. “I always support what I’m most passionate about. And when it comes to Judaism, you have to give back.”


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