Cahén was at the forefront of exploring the phenomenological effects of chroma, invoking joy, claustrophobia, sweetness, the sublime, hot, cold, or haunted feelings. In 1968 the Ringling Museum in Sarasota, Florida, mounted a major exhibition of Cahén’s oeuvre, and an American critic described the show in terms of sensual satisfaction: “a visual bash, an orgy for jaded eyes, a veritable feast.” Said fellow Painters Eleven member Tom Hodgson (1924–2006), “I can’t think of anyone in any place, any country, any time who was a better colourist; I just thought [Cahén] was the best colourist anywhere.”

This Spotlight is excerpted from Oscar Cahén: Life & Work by Jaleen Grove.