Louis Lozowick
Encyclopedia
Louis Lozowick was an American painter
and a printmaker. He was born in Russian Empire
(Ludvinovka, Ukraine
), came to United States in 1906, and died in New Jersey
in 1973. He is recognized as an Art Deco
and Precisionist
artist, and mainly produced streamline, urban-inspired monochromatic lithographs in a career that spanned 50 years.
Lozowick attended Kiev Art School from 1904-1906 before emigration to USA, where he continued the studies in National Academy of Design
(New York) and Ohio State University
.
From 1919 to 1924 Louis lived and traveled throughout Europe, spending most of his time in Paris, Berlin and Moscow. In mid-1920-s he started making his first lithographs.
By 1926, when he joined the editorial board of the left-wing journal, New Masses, he was well-versed in current artistic developments in Europe, such as Constructivism and de Stijl
. These hard-edged, linear styles, evident in New York (Brooklyn Bridge
), suggest the possibility of an efficient reframing of the world, as did the political theories espoused in New Masses. A version of this lithograph was planned as a cover for New Masses that was never published.
Lozowick was highly interested in development of Russian avant-garde
and even published a monograph
on Russian Constructivism entitled Modern Russian Art.
In 1943 the artist moved to New Jersey
where he continued to paint and make prints. The human condition remained a constant theme of his art, and an ongoing interest in nature appears more frequently in his later works.
Painting
Painting is the practice of applying paint, pigment, color or other medium to a surface . The application of the medium is commonly applied to the base with a brush but other objects can be used. In art, the term painting describes both the act and the result of the action. However, painting is...
and a printmaker. He was born in Russian Empire
Russian Empire
The Russian Empire was a state that existed from 1721 until the Russian Revolution of 1917. It was the successor to the Tsardom of Russia and the predecessor of the Soviet Union...
(Ludvinovka, Ukraine
Ukraine
Ukraine is a country in Eastern Europe. It has an area of 603,628 km², making it the second largest contiguous country on the European continent, after Russia...
), came to United States in 1906, and died in New Jersey
New Jersey
New Jersey is a state in the Northeastern and Middle Atlantic regions of the United States. , its population was 8,791,894. It is bordered on the north and east by the state of New York, on the southeast and south by the Atlantic Ocean, on the west by Pennsylvania and on the southwest by Delaware...
in 1973. He is recognized as an Art Deco
Art Deco
Art deco , or deco, is an eclectic artistic and design style that began in Paris in the 1920s and flourished internationally throughout the 1930s, into the World War II era. The style influenced all areas of design, including architecture and interior design, industrial design, fashion and...
and Precisionist
Precisionism
Precisionism, also known as Cubist Realism, was an artistic movement that emerged in the United States after World War I and was at its height during the inter-War period...
artist, and mainly produced streamline, urban-inspired monochromatic lithographs in a career that spanned 50 years.
Lozowick attended Kiev Art School from 1904-1906 before emigration to USA, where he continued the studies in National Academy of Design
National Academy of Design
The National Academy Museum and School of Fine Arts, founded in New York City as the National Academy of Design – known simply as the "National Academy" – is an honorary association of American artists founded in 1825 by Samuel F. B. Morse, Asher B. Durand, Thomas Cole, Martin E...
(New York) and Ohio State University
Ohio State University
The Ohio State University, commonly referred to as Ohio State, is a public research university located in Columbus, Ohio. It was originally founded in 1870 as a land-grant university and is currently the third largest university campus in the United States...
.
From 1919 to 1924 Louis lived and traveled throughout Europe, spending most of his time in Paris, Berlin and Moscow. In mid-1920-s he started making his first lithographs.
De Stijl
De Stijl , propagating the group's theories. Next to van Doesburg, the group's principal members were the painters Piet Mondrian , Vilmos Huszár , and Bart van der Leck , and the architects Gerrit Rietveld , Robert van 't Hoff , and J.J.P. Oud...
. These hard-edged, linear styles, evident in New York (Brooklyn Bridge
Brooklyn Bridge
The Brooklyn Bridge is one of the oldest suspension bridges in the United States. Completed in 1883, it connects the New York City boroughs of Manhattan and Brooklyn by spanning the East River...
), suggest the possibility of an efficient reframing of the world, as did the political theories espoused in New Masses. A version of this lithograph was planned as a cover for New Masses that was never published.
Lozowick was highly interested in development of Russian avant-garde
Russian avant-garde
The Russian avant-garde is an umbrella term used to define the large, influential wave of modern art that flourished in Russia approximately 1890 to 1930 - although some place its beginning as early as 1850 and its end as late as 1960...
and even published a monograph
Monograph
A monograph is a work of writing upon a single subject, usually by a single author.It is often a scholarly essay or learned treatise, and may be released in the manner of a book or journal article. It is by definition a single document that forms a complete text in itself...
on Russian Constructivism entitled Modern Russian Art.
In 1943 the artist moved to New Jersey
New Jersey
New Jersey is a state in the Northeastern and Middle Atlantic regions of the United States. , its population was 8,791,894. It is bordered on the north and east by the state of New York, on the southeast and south by the Atlantic Ocean, on the west by Pennsylvania and on the southwest by Delaware...
where he continued to paint and make prints. The human condition remained a constant theme of his art, and an ongoing interest in nature appears more frequently in his later works.
External links
- Louis Lozowick (Russian/American, 1892-1973) on artnet
- Examples of Lozowick's work
- Columbus Museum of Art Web page on Lozowick's 1936 lithograph Lynching (click on picture for larger image)
- Louis Lozowick Papers At the Smithsonian's Archives of American Art
- Comrades in Art: Louis Kozowick