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1950s

Bloch travelled to America in 1948 painting and teaching and stayed with his Bauhaus educated stepdaughter Hilde Reiss (1909-2002) who had emigrated to America in 1933. She and her partner William Friedman were living in 'Idea House II', the modern house they had designed in the grounds of the Walker Arts Center, Minneapolis.  Bloch's dramatic 'Mississippi at Minneapolis' (1948-50) is in the Tate Gallery, whilst his condensed vision of a train journey across America 'From Colorado to New Mexico' (1959-51) is in the National Gallery of Canada in Ottowa. In Wales he stayed in Ystradginlais with fellow artist, Josef Herman (1911-2000); both he and Herman contributed large paintings of Welsh miners to the seminal Festival of Britain Exhibition '60 Paintings for 51.' Bloch's painting 'Down from Bethesda Quarry' (1950-51) with its strong colour and expressionist focus is now in the National Museum of Wales. There are two versions of the late, lyrical 'Afternoon in Bangor', an oil sketch from 1952 in the Sainsbury Centre for Visual Arts, Norwich and a larger version from 1952-4 is in the Tate. Between 1949 and his death in London in 1954, he taught at Camberwell, where he influenced a new generation of British painters.

Afternoon in Bangor 1952 painting by Martin Bloch

Afternoon in Bangor

1952

Estuary of the River Dee 1953 painting by Martin Bloch

Estuary of the River Dee

1953

The Womb of the Land 1954 painting by Martin Bloch

The Womb of the Land

1954

Afternoon in Bangor 1952-54 painting by Martin Bloch

Afternoon in Bangor

1952-54

Down from Bethesda Quarry 1950-51 painting by Martin Bloch

Down from Bethesda Quarry

1950-51

Slate Heaps in North Wales 1948-51 painting by Martin Bloch

Slate Heaps in North Wales

1948-51

Welsh Village 1953 painting by Martin Bloch

Welsh Village

1953