Moich Abrahams
Born in Hitchin , Hertfordshire, Moich grew up in nearby Letchworth First Garden City and attended Letchworth Grammar School, receiving both the school Art and Mathematics prizes. Among significant experiences in his early formative years, he developed a friendship with the local rabbi, Rabbi David Solomon Sassoon, an eminent figure among Sephardi Jews worldwide. As a teenager, Moich said to the Rabbi “If I am going to pray, I need to know who or what I am praying to.” The Rabbi answered ” Imagine you are on a pathway towards the best that you can be. Have a dialogue with that one; use that as your form of prayer.” This answer struck a chord with Moich and no doubt led to his later interest in non-dualistic philosophy and in particular the enquiry into: ‘Who am I?’.
On leaving school, Moich read Maths at King’s College London but was often more interested in extracurricular activities such as the college movie society’s showing of Bunuel and Dali’s ‘ Un Chien Andalou‘ and Cocteau’s ‘Orphee‘ . After graduating, Moich taught at the famous Utopian independent progressive school Monkton Wyld during its hey day in 1966-68, when it adopted a controversial democratic staff run system without a headteacher. He was the schools maths teacher and he also taught portrait drawing among other things. Later, he taught at Kingsmuir in West Hoathly, an independent progressive boarding school for EBD (emotionally and behaviourly disturbed) children. He combined class room teaching with the creation of an art studio for the children to use in the afternoons. During this period he found himself asking the question : “What would I do if I could do anything I liked?” As a result, he decided to stop teaching and pursue the “career” of an artist. He returned to Letchworth,and began to explore painting.
In 1970-73 Moich attended St. Martins (then the remarkable Byam Shaw School of Fine Art) where he gained a 1st class degree. Occasionally exhibiting his work, he took on a greater teaching work load (Special Needs) and mostly stopped painting during 1975-79. Then, in 1980-82, he was accepted on one of the first part-time fine art MA’s in the UK, trialled at Goldsmiths, under the leadership of the educational pioneer Jon Thompson. Disenchanted with some of his art experiences during 1984-5, there was another long hiatus in 1985-2003. In these non-art periods, he pursued a passionate interest in the paranormal, and during the latter time ran workshops training people to develop their intuition as a skill.
Over the years, Moich enjoyed friendships with such eminent artists and colourful individuals as Ken Kiff, George Melly, John Bellany, Anthony Green, among others. His enthusiasm for the work of, for example, Chagall, Picasso and Miro, plus an abiding interest in “Outsider Art” (Art Brut), inspired him to be the individual independent minded artist he is today.
This website is a modest attempt to provide an introduction to Moich’s work. We hope you enjoy the selection in the ‘Gallery’, and occasional quotes on the ‘Comments’ page.
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Now take a peek at the Gallery
Moich Abrahams 