Courtesy of Eddy Novaro

Larry Rivers 1923-2002

Larry Rivers (born Yitzroch Loiza Grossberg) "helped change the course of American art in the 1950s and 60s," The New York Times wrote of the painter and sculptor whose career spanned more than five decades. Often referred to as the godfather of Pop art, Rivers used found objects, unusual media, and innovative materials to turn common objects of American life into high art. An artist whose talents included music, poetry, acting, teaching, and filmmaking, he blended Pop art and abstract expressionism to forge his own style, which frequently incorporated an element of humor. He created some works on historical themes, among them his three-part History of Matzoh (The Story of the Jewish People).