Nicholas Krushenick
Encyclopedia
Nicholas Krushenick was one of the forerunners of the pop art
movement.
Krushenick began showing his work publicly in New York in 1957, at the age of 28. By 1962, his work was shown at upscale galleries and, by the year 2000, was part of major permanent collections throughout New York and the United States
Born in New York City
in 1929, Krushenick served in World War II
, then studied art
upon his return to home life. He attended the Art Students League of New York
(1948–1950) and the Hans Hofmann
School Of Art (1950–1951). He and brother John Krushenick
opened an artists' cooperative
called the Brata Gallery in the late fifties.
In 1969, Krushenick gave up his soft brush abstract expressionist technique for bolder colours and lines similar to illustration, yet maintaining use of abstract
figurative forms. This style marked him as one of the original practitioners of pop art.
In his later years, Krushenick taught at the University of Maryland, College Park
from 1977 to 1991. He died in New York on February 5, 1999, at age 69.
Pop art
Pop art is an art movement that emerged in the mid 1950s in Britain and in the late 1950s in the United States. Pop art challenged tradition by asserting that an artist's use of the mass-produced visual commodities of popular culture is contiguous with the perspective of fine art...
movement.
Krushenick began showing his work publicly in New York in 1957, at the age of 28. By 1962, his work was shown at upscale galleries and, by the year 2000, was part of major permanent collections throughout New York and the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
Born in New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
in 1929, Krushenick served in World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, then studied art
Art
Art is the product or process of deliberately arranging items in a way that influences and affects one or more of the senses, emotions, and intellect....
upon his return to home life. He attended the Art Students League of New York
Art Students League of New York
The Art Students League of New York is an art school located on West 57th Street in New York City. The League has historically been known for its broad appeal to both amateurs and professional artists, and has maintained for over 130 years a tradition of offering reasonably priced classes on a...
(1948–1950) and the Hans Hofmann
Hans Hofmann
Hans Hofmann was a German-born American abstract expressionist painter.-Biography:Hofmann was born in Weißenburg, Bavaria on March 21, 1880, the son of Theodor and Franziska Hofmann. When he was six he moved with his family to Munich...
School Of Art (1950–1951). He and brother John Krushenick
John Krushenick
John Krushenick painter and co-founder of the Brata Gallery in New York City. He studied with Hans Hofmann, exhibited at the Leo Castelli Gallery in New York City, and MoMA Tokyo. He and brother Nicholas Krushenick opened an artists' cooperative called the Brata Gallery in the late 1950s...
opened an artists' cooperative
Cooperative
A cooperative is a business organization owned and operated by a group of individuals for their mutual benefit...
called the Brata Gallery in the late fifties.
In 1969, Krushenick gave up his soft brush abstract expressionist technique for bolder colours and lines similar to illustration, yet maintaining use of abstract
Abstract art
Abstract art uses a visual language of form, color and line to create a composition which may exist with a degree of independence from visual references in the world. Western art had been, from the Renaissance up to the middle of the 19th century, underpinned by the logic of perspective and an...
figurative forms. This style marked him as one of the original practitioners of pop art.
In his later years, Krushenick taught at the University of Maryland, College Park
University of Maryland, College Park
The University of Maryland, College Park is a top-ranked public research university located in the city of College Park in Prince George's County, Maryland, just outside Washington, D.C...
from 1977 to 1991. He died in New York on February 5, 1999, at age 69.