Samuel Borenstein

Samuel Borenstein was born in Lithuania in 1908. He had a difficult childhood due to the war in Poland. In 1921, he moved to Montreal with his father and sister. After spending two years as an apprentice to a furrier in Ottawa, Borenstein returned to Montreal and worked in a clothing factory as a cutter. Despite having no formal training, he attended evening art classes and studied sculpture under Elzéar Soucy, and drawing under John Y. Johnstone and Adam Sheriff Scott. He also spent time with Montreal artists like Alexandre Bercovitch, Fritz Brandter, Herman Heimlich and Louis Muhlstock. In 1934, he had his first personal exhibition at the Café de Montréal. During a painting trip to Brittany in 1939, Borenstein was able to see the work of artists he admired and would later draw inspiration from. In 1940, he began painting Laurentian landscapes in a rich and expressive style that quickly drew attention. Borenstein's unique style often incorporated bright colours and expressive shapes, which fused abstract and figurative elements. His paintings reflect not only his personal experiences but also explore broader themes of human emotions, identity, and the impact of historical events. In 1966, three years before his death, Borenstein was the subject of a retrospective at the art gallery of Sir George Williams College, now Concordia University in Montreal.