When paintings are worth the price of music: Sam Salz and Vladimir Horowitz.

When I was growing up in our home with my father the art dealer Sam Salz, there was a special small room in the back of the house for playing cards. Many of my father's customers would come and play gin rummy or bridge there. Aside from a card table, the room had a small bar while the walls were lined with photos of the actor Edward G. Robinson, the writer Erich Maria Remarque and other personalities my father knew. Two of the visitors and card players that would come there were the virtuoso pianist Vladimir Horowitz and the choreographer George Balanchine. Horowitz wanted to buy two Impressionist paintings from my father but he could not meet my father's asking price. He also had been losing at bridge so my father decided to make a deal with him: Horowitz could give a free concert for my parents at his apartment and he then could buy the paintings for his lower price. Both my father and mother later went to Horowitz's place and he played for them a concert of Ravel and Debussy. Horowitz ended up with the paintings.

"Earth Tears", 2002, by Marc Salz. oil/wood, 21"-22". From my series “Other Languages”(2001-2005). Dedicated to all immigrants and immigration. 

"Water, Water", 2001, oil/wood. 21"-22". Dedicated to Romanian Jewish poet Paul Celan who survived the Holocaust but ended his life in water. Here is an example of Celan reading a poem in German about the Holocaust: https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=gVwLqEHDCQE
And the English translation: http://mason.gmu.edu/~lsmithg/deathfugue.html

"Trilogy", 1989, oil/wood, 19"-25" by Marc Salz. Between 1987 and 1997, I painted a series of paintings based on the format of the 14th and 15th century Sienese triptychs. These pieces were shown in solo and group shows at the Dolan Maxwell Gallery(1989) and the More Gallery(1991-1995). A few were selected for shows at the Institute of Contemporary Art, Philadelphia(1991) and the Chicago International Art Exposition(1989). The final shows of the series were at the Ganser Gallery at Millersville University(1996) and at the University of the Arts in Philadelphia(1997).

“Psalm”for Arvo Part), 1989, oil/wood, 21"-25". At the time of this painting I was listening to the modern sacred music of Arvo Part. I also was looking at Russian Icon paintings as well as early Renaissance alter pieces. 

“Scarlatti”,1988, oil/wood, 20”-25”. 

"Shock Corridors”(for Sam Fuller)1995, oil/wood, 27”-33”. For film director Samuel Fuller. 

"Before the Fire", 1997, oil/wood, 28"-35".

Two of my last triptych paintings in my former studio.

“Rings Of Fire”(for Johnny Cash), 2010, oil/ragboard, 19.5"-17".