As a rabbi’s son, Moshe Lifshen was drawn to the spiritual, yet he wrestled with his faith throughout his life. Moshe was attracted to all types of religion, exploring mythology, Native American themes as well as Judeo-Christian beliefs (link to ‘Jesus.jpg with caption that reads, “Jesus”). Imagery evoking the crucifixion, the bible, God and other themes permeate his art. Moreover, his work – especially his writings – is witness to his intense struggle of wanting desperately to believe in and love God as a protecting force but ultimately feeling betrayed by God as he succumbed to a life of mental illness. This dichotomy of his mind and of his spirit is played out in countless symbolic and literal ways through his artistic vision. Within his visual work and especially his written words, there are clear contrasts of light and darkness; attentiveness and slumber; sacred and profane; angels and devils; oasis and desert; freedom and imprisonment; drowning and pulled to safety; healthy and insane; life and death.

Largely a self-taught artist, he absorbed knowledge like a sponge and through the years tried on a range of artistic styles by painters he emulated. So as we look at Moshe’s work, we might see graphical color planes of Modigliani, the expressionistic lines of Schiele, the blue color palate of Picasso, the angst of Munch and the moody atmosphere of Pinkham Ryder.

Moshe painted many images of tortured faces – very close up, many with sad or empty eyes that seem to be the gatekeepers to a restless inner soul. Perhaps they are self-portraits; unquestionably, they are works that demand our attention. On a lighter note and in another style, he painted a series of stark, larger-than-life portraits of famous faces: James Dean (link to ‘James Dean.jpg with caption that reads, “James Dean, 2001”), Picasso (link to ‘Picasso.jpg’ with caption that reads, “Pablo Picasso, 2002”), John Coltrane (link to ‘Coltrane.jpg’ with caption that reads, “John Coltrane, 2001”) and Marilyn Monroe. Yet when he worked in a smaller scale, he frequently drew repetitive boxes, closed shapes and sometimes mazes or images of an inner circle with radiating forms. Images of both release and enclosure, we can clearly see the duality of wanting to be at the center of things, of the universe, wanting to reach out yet at the same time feeling boxed in and constrained.

Moshe’s writing (link to the Writings of Moshe Lifshen Main Page, created from ‘Moshe Lifshen Writing.doc’) is deeply personal and introspective, sprinkled with gems of insight and piercing, yet often distorted, conclusions about the human condition. He left scores of notebooks filled with writings, journal musings and doodles – some funny, some tragic. Most contain the sad questioning, ranting and finger pointing, grandiose dreaming, disappointment and resentment of a tortured soul observing life on its periphery. Yet interspersed are the mundane, such as shopping lists, smoking-cessation pep talks, silly word plays and flat-out declarations, revealing Moshe’s sly sense of humor.

Although he wanted desperately to believe in all that is good and true and that life could be full of hope, the demons of his disease told him otherwise. And while he yearned for artistic recognition and praise, throughout his life he was entirely too hard on himself and unforgiving; in the end, his self-doubt was overpowering and the enormous discord within his mind prevailed. It is small consolation, but we can take some comfort in knowing that we are richer to have all that remains of his vision and spirit. Now we are interlopers to Moshe’s unfinished life, bearing testament to the heartbreaking loss of one man’s losing battle with schizophrenia.

Moshe is survived by his parents, Faith and Leonard Lifshen of Erie, Pa.; sister Michele, brother-in-law Steve and nieces Charlotte and Daisy of Morristown, N.J.; and brother Eli, sister-in-law Mila and niece Yelena of Chicago, Ill. Special thanks to Michele Lifshen Reing for use of content from her work, Moshe Lifshen: A Life Remembered (link to ‘Lifshen booklet.pdf’)

In 2005, Stairways created a named fund to celebrate the life of Moshe Lifshen. Contributions to the Moshe Lifshen Fund for Arts and Humanities benefit children and adults with severe mental illness by providing unique opportunities for healing and recovery at the Stairways Center for Arts and Humanities. Donate $50 or more today (link to ‘Donation Form Moshe Lifshen Fund.doc’) and receive a limited edition print of Man with a Pipe by Moshe Lifshen. The original of this exquisite work was created in 1995 and is now part of a local private collection. Learn more about the unfinished life of Moshe Lifshen here (link to ‘Lifshen booklet.pdf’) or contact Mary Ellen Dahlkemper at 814-878-2167 or mdahlkemper@stairwaysbh.org (live link) for more information.

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