Edward Biberman

Edward Biberman’s extraordinary paintings may not have brought him great fame and fortune, but there are far better ways to judge art and life. Biberman followed a singular path that led to a visionary body of work—and to encounters with some of the most creative figures of the 20th century.

Biberman’s artistic journey took him from Philadelphia to Paris in the 1920s; to Berlin, New York, and New Mexico; and then Los Angeles from 1935 until his death in 1986. Along the way, his life intersected with those of numerous famous figures, including Paul Robeson, Lena Horne, Joan Crawford, Frida Kahlo, Isamu Noguchi, Alexander Calder, Salvador Dali, Georgia O'Keefe, Dashiell Hammett, Martha Graham, Diego Rivera, Gale Sondergaard, and Edward Weston.

Movie-star handsome with more than his share of youthful exploits, Biberman’s head turned, as did his life, when he met the beautiful, brilliant, and politically charged Sonja Dahl. Their 50-year romance brings a heat to Brush With Life that's challenges the brightest movie-star couplings. The remarkably vibrant 95-year-old Sonja Dahl Biberman provides a refreshingly honest guide to her husband's life and work, and serves as an inspiration in her own right.

Biberman’s art evolved from stylized portraits to grand historical murals; from his paintbrush emerged both passionate pleas for social justice and the starkly beautiful urban landscapes that first captured the haunting character of Southern California—decades before artists like David Hockney and Ed Ruscha explored similar themes. Each phase grew out of a quiet but determined quest for artistic exploration—and a deep desire to help create a better world. Biberman’s career deserves greater recognition both for his remarkable art and for the remarkable way he lived his life.