Joe Rose  (1915 – 1998)

Artist of the Month by Hilary Stitt, volunteer Gallery Guide

View across Randwick – an oil painting by Joe Rose is a semi-abstract, linear impressionist cityscape which wone the Carillon City Festival Art Prize in 1964, the judge that year was well known artist Sali Herman.  The vibrant primary colours and secondary textures give a sense of light and strong lines and darker areas.

The work of Joe Rose has been described by critics as powerful, disturbing, bizarre and mesmeric with an unmistakable technique.  One critic describes him as one of the greatest surrealists of our time and another found his work ‘full of excitement and delight, intensely religious’.  In fact he painted in a variety of styles and avoided the label of surrealism preferring to be known as a mystic exploring the unexplorable.

Born Hans-Joachim Rosenberg in Woldenburg Germany (now Poland) he was sent to Sonnenberg concentration camp in 1933 for anti-Nazi activities.  His artistic abilities enabled him to be released, however in 1938, shortly after marrying he was again arrested and taken to Buchenwold camp.  His wife persuaded the Gestapo to release him on condition they left Germany permanently.  Having escaped to England he was interned as an alien.  He later joined the British Army.

In 1945, Rose gained a Diploma in Art in London and worked as a display artist before emigrating to Australia in 1957 where he initially studied with Maximillian Feuerring.

Successful exhibitions of his work followed in art competitions and during the period 1961-1969 his paintings received twenty six awards including eleven first prizes.  He was hung in the Archibald, Wynne, Blake and Sulman Prizes.  In 1971 Rose was awarded the British Empire Medal for his services to art on the recommendation of the NSW government.

During the 1970s and 80s Rose lived and worked both in Sydney and London, exhibiting in London, Paris, New York, Jerusalem, Los Angeles and Canberra, Sydney and Hobart

He died in Hobart in 1998.