Culture
OU Alumnus’ Book Explores Friendship Between Salvador Dali, Physician
< < Back toPaul Chimera, a 1971 Ohio University journalism graduate, is a writer, teacher, journalist and one of the world’s foremost experts on the Spanish artist Salvador Dali.
In March, Chimera’s latest book about Dali was published – Dali and His Doctor: The Surreal Friendship Between Salvador Dali and Dr. Edmund Klein.
Chimera became interested in this friendship after the widow of Dr. Klein contacted Chimera and told him of a special relationship between Dali and Dr. Klein.
Dr. Klein was a skin cancer researcher and expert. He was contacted by Dali to treat some type of skin condition. Over the next eight years (1972-1980), the pioneer in surrealism and the pioneer in medicine met and worked together, according to Chimera.
Each time they met, Dali would make a drawing or a sketch for Dr. Klein. Klein did not charge Dali a fee, so Dali repaid him with original drawings. The drawings were signed and dedicated to Dr. Klein, whom Dali called his Guardian Angel.
The drawings were all kept in a safety deposit box at a bank. Dr. Klein’s widow asked Chimera to inspect the art, catalogue the art, get it appraised and sell it.
As a result of this unique relationship, Chimera wrote his new book which is for sale through online book distributors.
Chimera currently teaches Writing and Public Relations at Daeman College. He also has his own editing and freelance business called Chimera Communications.
He has written two previous books about writing: Nuts, Bolts and Anecdotes: Journalists Discuss Interviewing and Note-Taking in Their Own Words and Winning With the News Media: Simple Steps to Better Press Relations.
Chimera has been a writer/columnist with the Salvador Dali Society of Redondo Beach, California, and was the former publicity director of the Original Dali Museum of Beachwood, Ohio. The museum permanently relocated to St. Petersburg, Florida, in 1982.