A Life of Color and Expression
Alexander Bercovitch was a painter, set designer, and teacher known for his lively picturing and Expressionist intensity of color. Born in Kherson, Ukraine, his fascination with art began as a boy of nine while watching the painting of icons at a local monastery. After receiving basic lessons from monks, he began designing sets and costumes for Yiddish language theatre groups by age 15. His formal education took him from the Bezalel School of Arts and Crafts in Jerusalem to the Bakst-Dobujinsky school in St Petersburg. He later studied at the Munich Academy of Fine Arts, where he was influenced by Lovis Corinth.
His career included work as a set designer for the Odessa Opera House and serving as an assistant to Ignaty Nivinsky in Moscow. In 1922, he moved to Ashkabad to teach art at the suggestion of Wassily Kandinsky. Following his emigration to Canada in 1926, he settled in Montreal, becoming a central figure in the local art scene. He was a founding member of the Eastern Group of Painters and the Contemporary Arts Society.
Exhibitions and Legacy
Throughout his time in Montreal, Bercovitch was an active participant in the art community. He exhibited at the Art Association of Montreal and the Independent Art Association, and held solo exhibitions at the Drummond Street gallery and Eaton's Fine Art Galleries. His work was also featured in a four-person show at the Art Gallery of Toronto. Between 1934 and 1946, he painted in the Gaspé Peninsula.
As an educator, he taught art at The Women's Hebrew Association (YWHA) in Montreal. His legacy is preserved through his inclusion in public collections, such as:
