Ivars Hirss

Hirss was born in Riga, into an extremely wealthy Latvian family. Contrary to his father's wishes that he become a businessman, Hirss pursued a career in art. He eventually moved to San Francisco, where, by the early 1960s he had made a name for himself in graphics, as well as within the greater San Francisco art community.[1] He had several successful exhibits, including one at the Triangle Gallery (San Francisco) in 1962 and another in 1967 at the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art.[2] His work often included a bright primary color upon which other colors were then superimposed. It also often included Latvian decoration or ornament.[3] Hirss died in 1989 from complications related to alcoholism. With the revival of modernist aesthetics, Hirss' art has received renewed interest from scholars.

• 1962 Thesis (M.F.A.)--California College of Arts and Crafts "The serigraphs of Ivars Hirss", San Francisco, CA[4]
• 1967 January 17-February 12, "Serigraphs by Rolf Eiselin and Ivars Hirss: San Francisco Museum of Art. CA[5]
• 1971 January 15-February 28, "San Francisco Art Institute centennial exhibition", San Francisco CA

• The Janet Turner Print Museum at California State University, Chico. CA[6]

(in others as well as many private collections)

• Untitled, 1962, Serigraph / color Collection of The Janet Turner Print Museum at California State University, Chico CA.
• My Window Facing East, Serigraph/color, Collection of The Janet Turner Print Museum at California State University, Chico CA.

• San Francisco Public Library, Artists File : Hirss, Ivars (1931- ) b. Riga, Latvia S.F
• The Janet Turner Print Museum at California State University, Chico. Collection: Ivars Hirss.