Oscar De Mejo, 80, of Manhattan, New York, died of colon cancer, Tuesday, January 28, 1992 at his Manhattan home. He was born ? 1911 to ? in Trieste, Italy, which at the time was part of the Austro-Hungarian empire.
He had degrees in both Law and Political Science. After law school, he had a brief career as a music composer for the films "L'ippocampo" in 1942(3) and "Tutta la città canta" in 1943(4) in Italy. Due to World War II, the productions were started and stopped several times. Although completed in 1943, the films were not released until 1945.
In 1982, working in Hollywood, California, he composed music for the movie "Rent Control", which was released in 1984.
A believer in the occult and in particular the I Ching, he even chose his art dealer, Ken Nahan according to the I Ching’s advice.
composer, jazz pianist and surrealist painter
also had a home in Pawling, N.Y.
"While the concepts for his images are often complex and sophisticated, the finished works are often compelling because of their vibrant mixture of naivete, wit, and whimsy. Ultimately, these warming characteristics invite viewers to relax and enjoy the often incongruous elements of his irrational images."
Since 1949, when de Mejo immigrated from Italy to the United States, he won immediate acclaim as a naive surrealist. His complete lack of academic training, coupled with an acute sense of fantasy, humor, and the supernatural, allowed him to naturally develop his unique style of naive surrealism.
De Mejo enjoyed many exhibitions at both museums and galleries in the United States and in Europe, including the landmark "Genius of the Naives" at the Grand Palais in Paris in 1982. His works have been featured in many magazines such as American Heritage, Architectural Digest, Harpers, Town and Country, Vogue, Travel & Leisure, The New York Times.
The two major books on de Mejo's life and art are Seldman Rodman's My America: Paintings and Comments by Oscar de Mejo (New York: Abrams, 1983) nd Robert C. Morgan's Oscar de Mejo, the Naive Surrealist (New York:Abrams, 1992).
Mr. De Mejo's primitive and sometimes surreal paintings have been exhibited in the United States and in Europe. In the 1980's, he wrote and illustrated several children's books, including "The Tiny Visitor," "There's a Hand in the Sky," "My America," "The Forty-Niner," "Journey to Boc Boc: The Kidnapping of a Rock Star," "Oscar De Mejo: The Naive Surrealist," "La Bella Magellona," "Professor of Etiquette," "Oscar de Mejo's ABC" and "Does God Have a Big Toe?" (written by Marc Gellman and illustratrd by Oscar de Mejo).
His first wife was the actress Alida Valli.
In addition to his second wife, Dorothy, Mr. De Mejo is survived by two sons, Carlo: actor, Carlo De Mejo was born on January 17, 1945 in Rome, Lazio, Italy and Lorenzo "Larry", and five grandchildren. Grandfather of Pierpaolo De Mejo (Carlo's son), born January 2, 1984 in Rome, Lazio, Italy, actor.
a painter and children's-book illustrator, died
After World War II, he married the movie star Alida Valli and they came to the United States. After a stint as a jazz composer, Oscar finally returned to his first love – painting.
Oscar de Mejo’s works have been featured in such publications as: American Heritage, Architectural Digest, Art Today, Sciences, Harpers, International Economy, Town and Country, MD Magazine, Vogue Magazine, Die Kunst (Germany), Oggi and Graza (Italy), Yale Literary Magazine, Penthouse, Travel & Leisure and the New York Times.His works have been featured in such publications as American Heritage, Architectural Digest, Art Today, Sciences, Harpers, International Economy, Town and Country, MD Magazine, Vogue Magazine, Die Kunst (Germany), Oggi and Grazia (Italy), Yale Literary Magazine, Penthouse, Travel & Leisure and the New York Times.
Sources: The New York Times, February 1, 1992;
He had degrees in both Law and Political Science. After law school, he had a brief career as a music composer for the films "L'ippocampo" in 1942(3) and "Tutta la città canta" in 1943(4) in Italy. Due to World War II, the productions were started and stopped several times. Although completed in 1943, the films were not released until 1945.
In 1982, working in Hollywood, California, he composed music for the movie "Rent Control", which was released in 1984.
A believer in the occult and in particular the I Ching, he even chose his art dealer, Ken Nahan according to the I Ching’s advice.
composer, jazz pianist and surrealist painter
also had a home in Pawling, N.Y.
"While the concepts for his images are often complex and sophisticated, the finished works are often compelling because of their vibrant mixture of naivete, wit, and whimsy. Ultimately, these warming characteristics invite viewers to relax and enjoy the often incongruous elements of his irrational images."
Since 1949, when de Mejo immigrated from Italy to the United States, he won immediate acclaim as a naive surrealist. His complete lack of academic training, coupled with an acute sense of fantasy, humor, and the supernatural, allowed him to naturally develop his unique style of naive surrealism.
De Mejo enjoyed many exhibitions at both museums and galleries in the United States and in Europe, including the landmark "Genius of the Naives" at the Grand Palais in Paris in 1982. His works have been featured in many magazines such as American Heritage, Architectural Digest, Harpers, Town and Country, Vogue, Travel & Leisure, The New York Times.
The two major books on de Mejo's life and art are Seldman Rodman's My America: Paintings and Comments by Oscar de Mejo (New York: Abrams, 1983) nd Robert C. Morgan's Oscar de Mejo, the Naive Surrealist (New York:Abrams, 1992).
Mr. De Mejo's primitive and sometimes surreal paintings have been exhibited in the United States and in Europe. In the 1980's, he wrote and illustrated several children's books, including "The Tiny Visitor," "There's a Hand in the Sky," "My America," "The Forty-Niner," "Journey to Boc Boc: The Kidnapping of a Rock Star," "Oscar De Mejo: The Naive Surrealist," "La Bella Magellona," "Professor of Etiquette," "Oscar de Mejo's ABC" and "Does God Have a Big Toe?" (written by Marc Gellman and illustratrd by Oscar de Mejo).
His first wife was the actress Alida Valli.
In addition to his second wife, Dorothy, Mr. De Mejo is survived by two sons, Carlo: actor, Carlo De Mejo was born on January 17, 1945 in Rome, Lazio, Italy and Lorenzo "Larry", and five grandchildren. Grandfather of Pierpaolo De Mejo (Carlo's son), born January 2, 1984 in Rome, Lazio, Italy, actor.
a painter and children's-book illustrator, died
After World War II, he married the movie star Alida Valli and they came to the United States. After a stint as a jazz composer, Oscar finally returned to his first love – painting.
Oscar de Mejo’s works have been featured in such publications as: American Heritage, Architectural Digest, Art Today, Sciences, Harpers, International Economy, Town and Country, MD Magazine, Vogue Magazine, Die Kunst (Germany), Oggi and Graza (Italy), Yale Literary Magazine, Penthouse, Travel & Leisure and the New York Times.His works have been featured in such publications as American Heritage, Architectural Digest, Art Today, Sciences, Harpers, International Economy, Town and Country, MD Magazine, Vogue Magazine, Die Kunst (Germany), Oggi and Grazia (Italy), Yale Literary Magazine, Penthouse, Travel & Leisure and the New York Times.
Sources: The New York Times, February 1, 1992;
Oscar De Mejo, 80, of Manhattan, New York, died of colon cancer, Tuesday, January 28, 1992 at his Manhattan home. He was born ? 1911 to ? in Trieste, Italy, which at the time was part of the Austro-Hungarian empire.
He had degrees in both Law and Political Science. After law school, he had a brief career as a music composer for the films "L'ippocampo" in 1942(3) and "Tutta la città canta" in 1943(4) in Italy. Due to World War II, the productions were started and stopped several times. Although completed in 1943, the films were not released until 1945.
In 1982, working in Hollywood, California, he composed music for the movie "Rent Control", which was released in 1984.
A believer in the occult and in particular the I Ching, he even chose his art dealer, Ken Nahan according to the I Ching’s advice.
composer, jazz pianist and surrealist painter
also had a home in Pawling, N.Y.
"While the concepts for his images are often complex and sophisticated, the finished works are often compelling because of their vibrant mixture of naivete, wit, and whimsy. Ultimately, these warming characteristics invite viewers to relax and enjoy the often incongruous elements of his irrational images."
Since 1949, when de Mejo immigrated from Italy to the United States, he won immediate acclaim as a naive surrealist. His complete lack of academic training, coupled with an acute sense of fantasy, humor, and the supernatural, allowed him to naturally develop his unique style of naive surrealism.
De Mejo enjoyed many exhibitions at both museums and galleries in the United States and in Europe, including the landmark "Genius of the Naives" at the Grand Palais in Paris in 1982. His works have been featured in many magazines such as American Heritage, Architectural Digest, Harpers, Town and Country, Vogue, Travel & Leisure, The New York Times.
The two major books on de Mejo's life and art are Seldman Rodman's My America: Paintings and Comments by Oscar de Mejo (New York: Abrams, 1983) nd Robert C. Morgan's Oscar de Mejo, the Naive Surrealist (New York:Abrams, 1992).
Mr. De Mejo's primitive and sometimes surreal paintings have been exhibited in the United States and in Europe. In the 1980's, he wrote and illustrated several children's books, including "The Tiny Visitor," "There's a Hand in the Sky," "My America," "The Forty-Niner," "Journey to Boc Boc: The Kidnapping of a Rock Star," "Oscar De Mejo: The Naive Surrealist," "La Bella Magellona," "Professor of Etiquette," "Oscar de Mejo's ABC" and "Does God Have a Big Toe?" (written by Marc Gellman and illustratrd by Oscar de Mejo).
His first wife was the actress Alida Valli.
In addition to his second wife, Dorothy, Mr. De Mejo is survived by two sons, Carlo: actor, Carlo De Mejo was born on January 17, 1945 in Rome, Lazio, Italy and Lorenzo "Larry", and five grandchildren. Grandfather of Pierpaolo De Mejo (Carlo's son), born January 2, 1984 in Rome, Lazio, Italy, actor.
a painter and children's-book illustrator, died
After World War II, he married the movie star Alida Valli and they came to the United States. After a stint as a jazz composer, Oscar finally returned to his first love – painting.
Oscar de Mejo’s works have been featured in such publications as: American Heritage, Architectural Digest, Art Today, Sciences, Harpers, International Economy, Town and Country, MD Magazine, Vogue Magazine, Die Kunst (Germany), Oggi and Graza (Italy), Yale Literary Magazine, Penthouse, Travel & Leisure and the New York Times.His works have been featured in such publications as American Heritage, Architectural Digest, Art Today, Sciences, Harpers, International Economy, Town and Country, MD Magazine, Vogue Magazine, Die Kunst (Germany), Oggi and Grazia (Italy), Yale Literary Magazine, Penthouse, Travel & Leisure and the New York Times.
Sources: The New York Times, February 1, 1992;
He had degrees in both Law and Political Science. After law school, he had a brief career as a music composer for the films "L'ippocampo" in 1942(3) and "Tutta la città canta" in 1943(4) in Italy. Due to World War II, the productions were started and stopped several times. Although completed in 1943, the films were not released until 1945.
In 1982, working in Hollywood, California, he composed music for the movie "Rent Control", which was released in 1984.
A believer in the occult and in particular the I Ching, he even chose his art dealer, Ken Nahan according to the I Ching’s advice.
composer, jazz pianist and surrealist painter
also had a home in Pawling, N.Y.
"While the concepts for his images are often complex and sophisticated, the finished works are often compelling because of their vibrant mixture of naivete, wit, and whimsy. Ultimately, these warming characteristics invite viewers to relax and enjoy the often incongruous elements of his irrational images."
Since 1949, when de Mejo immigrated from Italy to the United States, he won immediate acclaim as a naive surrealist. His complete lack of academic training, coupled with an acute sense of fantasy, humor, and the supernatural, allowed him to naturally develop his unique style of naive surrealism.
De Mejo enjoyed many exhibitions at both museums and galleries in the United States and in Europe, including the landmark "Genius of the Naives" at the Grand Palais in Paris in 1982. His works have been featured in many magazines such as American Heritage, Architectural Digest, Harpers, Town and Country, Vogue, Travel & Leisure, The New York Times.
The two major books on de Mejo's life and art are Seldman Rodman's My America: Paintings and Comments by Oscar de Mejo (New York: Abrams, 1983) nd Robert C. Morgan's Oscar de Mejo, the Naive Surrealist (New York:Abrams, 1992).
Mr. De Mejo's primitive and sometimes surreal paintings have been exhibited in the United States and in Europe. In the 1980's, he wrote and illustrated several children's books, including "The Tiny Visitor," "There's a Hand in the Sky," "My America," "The Forty-Niner," "Journey to Boc Boc: The Kidnapping of a Rock Star," "Oscar De Mejo: The Naive Surrealist," "La Bella Magellona," "Professor of Etiquette," "Oscar de Mejo's ABC" and "Does God Have a Big Toe?" (written by Marc Gellman and illustratrd by Oscar de Mejo).
His first wife was the actress Alida Valli.
In addition to his second wife, Dorothy, Mr. De Mejo is survived by two sons, Carlo: actor, Carlo De Mejo was born on January 17, 1945 in Rome, Lazio, Italy and Lorenzo "Larry", and five grandchildren. Grandfather of Pierpaolo De Mejo (Carlo's son), born January 2, 1984 in Rome, Lazio, Italy, actor.
a painter and children's-book illustrator, died
After World War II, he married the movie star Alida Valli and they came to the United States. After a stint as a jazz composer, Oscar finally returned to his first love – painting.
Oscar de Mejo’s works have been featured in such publications as: American Heritage, Architectural Digest, Art Today, Sciences, Harpers, International Economy, Town and Country, MD Magazine, Vogue Magazine, Die Kunst (Germany), Oggi and Graza (Italy), Yale Literary Magazine, Penthouse, Travel & Leisure and the New York Times.His works have been featured in such publications as American Heritage, Architectural Digest, Art Today, Sciences, Harpers, International Economy, Town and Country, MD Magazine, Vogue Magazine, Die Kunst (Germany), Oggi and Grazia (Italy), Yale Literary Magazine, Penthouse, Travel & Leisure and the New York Times.
Sources: The New York Times, February 1, 1992;
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