Deep Pines by Wolf Kahn In recognition of the important part that art has had in the Mayo Clinic environment since the original Mayo Building was finished in 1914, Mayo Clinic Pro- ceedings will feature some of the numerous works of art displayed throughout the buildings and grounds on the Mayo Clinic campuses. W olf Kahn, a colorist who specializes in oil painting, was born in Stutt- gart, Germany, on October 4, 1927. 1 His interest in art began in his early child- hood, and while still a youth, he fled from Ger- many to England to escape the horrors of the Nazi regime and the impending World War. 2 Shortly thereafter, he emigrated from England to the United States, where he attended high school in New York City, New York. He continued his education at the Hans Hoffman School of Fine Art in New York from 1947 to 1949, and in 1951 he received a BA degree from the University of Chicago, Illinois. Interest- ingly, after his studies in Chicago, he worked as a lumberjack in Oregon. 1-3 This experience certainly gave him great insights into his favored subject matter: tree-scapes. Unlike much of Kahn’s work, Deep Pines, a 28 1 / 2 X 38 1 / 2 inch image, #13 of 108, is done in silk screen rather than oil paint, but his favored subject matter, trees, remains. Silk screening is the process where ink is pressed through a mesh cloth, traditionally silk, and then the excess ink is squeegeed away to leave an image on a secondary surface. 4 Set against a cobalt-blue sky, Deep Pines features a horizon- line almost as tall as the treetops and a ground- cover bathed in presumed moonlight. Tall and lean, the pine trees stand at attention as if waiting for an order to march. White shadows emerge behind the trees, suggesting a deeper and darker forest in the wings. One could imagine fabled characters emerging to snatch children or valu- ables from an unsuspecting wanderer. Deep Pines is located on the 7th floor of the Gonda Building on the Rochester, Minnesota, campus. Margaret R. Wentz, BA 1. Wolf Kahn. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wolf_Kahn. Accessed July 9, 2014. 2. Spanierman Modern. http://www.spaniermanmodern.com/ inventory/K/Wolf-Kahn/wolf-kahn_BIO.htm. Accessed July 9, 2014. 3. Wolf Kahn Biography. http://www.wolfkahn.com/biography. Accessed July 9, 2014. 4. Screen printing. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Screen_printing. Accessed July 17, 2014. Mayo Clin Proc. n November 2014;89(11):e117 n http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.mayocp.2014.07.018 www.mayoclinicproceedings.org n ª 2014 Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research e117 ART AT MAYO CLINIC

Deep Pines by Wolf Kahn

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ART AT MAYO CLINIC

Deep Pines by Wolf Kahn

In recognition of the important part that art has hadin the Mayo Clinic environment since the originalMayo Building was finished in 1914, Mayo Clinic Pro-ceedings will feature some of the numerous works ofart displayed throughout the buildings and groundson the Mayo Clinic campuses.

W olf Kahn, a colorist who specializesin oil painting, was born in Stutt-gart, Germany, on October 4,

1927.1 His interest in art began in his early child-hood, and while still a youth, he fled from Ger-many to England to escape the horrors of theNazi regime and the impending World War.2

Shortly thereafter, he emigrated from Englandto the United States, where he attended highschool in New York City, New York. Hecontinued his education at the Hans HoffmanSchool of Fine Art in New York from 1947 to1949, and in 1951 he received a BA degree

Mayo Clin Proc. n November 2014;89(11):e117 n http://dx.doi.org/www.mayoclinicproceedings.org n ª 2014 Mayo Foundation for M

from the University of Chicago, Illinois. Interest-ingly, after his studies in Chicago, he worked asa lumberjack in Oregon.1-3 This experiencecertainly gave him great insights into his favoredsubject matter: tree-scapes.

Unlike much of Kahn’s work, Deep Pines, a28 1/2 X 38 1/2 inch image, #13 of 108, is donein silk screen rather than oil paint, but hisfavored subject matter, trees, remains. Silkscreening is the process where ink is pressedthrough a mesh cloth, traditionally silk, andthen the excess ink is squeegeed away to leavean image on a secondary surface.4 Set against acobalt-blue sky, Deep Pines features a horizon-line almost as tall as the treetops and a ground-cover bathed in presumed moonlight. Tall andlean, the pine trees stand at attention as if waitingfor an order to march. White shadows emergebehind the trees, suggesting a deeper and darkerforest in the wings. One could imagine fabledcharacters emerging to snatch children or valu-ables from an unsuspecting wanderer.

Deep Pines is located on the 7th floor of theGonda Building on the Rochester, Minnesota,campus.

Margaret R. Wentz, BA

1. Wolf Kahn. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wolf_Kahn. AccessedJuly 9, 2014.

2. Spanierman Modern. http://www.spaniermanmodern.com/inventory/K/Wolf-Kahn/wolf-kahn_BIO.htm. Accessed July9, 2014.

3. Wolf Kahn Biography. http://www.wolfkahn.com/biography.Accessed July 9, 2014.

4. Screen printing. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Screen_printing.Accessed July 17, 2014.

10.1016/j.mayocp.2014.07.018edical Education and Research

e117

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wolf_Kahn

http://www.spaniermanmodern.com/inventory/K/Wolf-Kahn/wolf-kahn_BIO.htm

http://www.wolfkahn.com/biography

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Screen_printing