BRANKO PARADIS

When Branko Paradis was born on the kitchen table on July 7 1942, in Zagreb, Croatia, there were merciless bombardments in his neighborhood. It went on for days and somehow, all survived. Naturally, the baby artist was totally unware of the trials and hardships his life’s unfoldment would reveal to him. As a young child, there was extreme hunger and poverty that destroyed any possible happiness. As years went by, Branko Paradis started to learn how to save his own life. Quite accidentally and without any help from school or teachers, Branko Paradis “found art. It was amazing for him, that everyday he “was making his pictures” as he called it, with whatever materials he could possibly find in streets, and from neighbors who could give him a mix of materials paper, crayons, for making his art. He was soon to claim ownership of “self-taught artist, and began to feel a connection with all the other artists in Croatia. He would exchange the food his mother cooked t for him that day, for whatever materials the neighborhood might have had to give him on that specific day.

In the 1960s, Paradis was part of the ”2nd Generation of Yugoslav Primitives” exhibitions in Switzerland, Germany and Croatia. These were very successful showings, and although Paradis appreciated this, it was very hard for him to be content with his life in Croatia, which was still under fascist rule. He could not stop his longing for living a life in the USA. This pushed him to attempt an escape from Croatia into Italy. It was a painful experience on foot and he was captured at the border, and sent to political prison for six months. After his time spent, he was released and ordered back to Croatia. This was a major defeat and setback for him. But, unbeknownst to him, good fortune would soon make it's appearance.

MEMORIAM FOR BRANKO PARADIS

Branko Paradis, Self-taught Naïve artist, was born in Zagreb, Croatia, July 7, 1942. It is with great sadness to inform that Branko past away on October 17, 2023. It was a loss for many who found his work so loving, enchanting and honest. Paradis never searched for the intellectual. He also shared his love within the images on his canvases. They too were loving and poetic. Branko had the soul of a true artist. He was generous, kind and loving. He is survived by family, friends and his devoted, loving wife of 34 years, Carole. “My Dearest Beloved, I am missing you Forever, C.”

The late 1990s, brought a major subject change to Branko Paradis’ work for new upcoming work. He had been thinking of using the naïve interpretation for the beautiful and wild African animals in the world. He was tired of the usual ferocious predators, even though that’s what they were. He had enough love within to reach these beautiful and enchanting animals, and he decided to use his own Naïve acknowledgement of them. He began to express these understandings with his heart, and with his trained vision that was active for many years. He began work immediately on this collection—”The Naïve African Animals.” Many beautiful paintings are the result of this endeavor.

Meanwhile, back in New York City, Dr. Otto Kallir, the owner and director of the Galerie St. Etienne, on West 57th Street in NYC, as well as the discoverer of the esteemed and well-known folk artist, Grandma Moses. was planning a first-time exhibition with the self-taught Naïve artists that that were doing new work in the Balkans. It was to be a very exciting exhibition. Dr. Kallir got word about Branko Paradis’ work, and personally invited him to participate in this show. Paradis’ good fortune sprung open for him when he was personally invited by Dr. Kallir. Perhaps for the first time, Paradis felt deep happiness, and peace with thoughts of “making his pictures, while breathing freely in the USA, land of his dreams. Finally, in 1972, Paradis landed in New York.
This very successful showing at Galerie St. Etienne, made Branko Paradis more recognizable to the New York art scene. It also brought forth an invitation from the distinguished and known, Dr. Armand Hammer, Owner and Director of the Hammer Galleries, on West 57th Street, to invite Paradis to mount his first solo exhibition in New York from 1977-78, directed and sponsored by Dr. Hammer. For the poor boy child artist, this was an immense overcoming of all suffering he endured.