Ivan Dmitri
Encyclopedia
Ivan Dmitri (1900 – 1968), born Levon West, was an artist from the U.S. State
of North Dakota
. Born in Centerville
, South Dakota
, his father was a Congregational
minister who immigrated from Armenia
. The family changed their name to West after arriving in the United States. Dmitri later adopted the pen name
Ivan Dmitri.
from 1914 to 1918, when the family moved to Harvey
. West graduated form high school in Harvey as valedictorian, and graduated from the University of Minnesota
in 1924. He wanted to take almost entirely art courses but his father insisted that he major in business administration.
West served in the United States Navy
during World War I
.
's famous transatlantic flight in 1927, West memorialized the event with a popular etching of his plane the Spirit of St. Louis
. This led to a series of successful etchings and national prominence. He was also a skilled watercolorist.
When he began working with color photography, Levon West he adopted the pen name
"Ivan Dmitri," though he continued to use the name Levon West for his non-photographic works. As Ivan Dmitri, he helped to gain acceptance for photography as an art medium, helping to establish one of the first photography exhibits at New York
's Metropolitan Museum of Art
. Dmitri felt that such a move was necessary in order for the public to treat photography as art, rather than just something reserved smaller mediums like books, magazines, and newspapers. In 1959, Ivan Dmitri founded Photography in the Fine Arts.
West was a recipient of the North Dakota Theodore Roosevelt
Rough Rider Award in April 1962, the third person so inducted.
U.S. state
A U.S. state is any one of the 50 federated states of the United States of America that share sovereignty with the federal government. Because of this shared sovereignty, an American is a citizen both of the federal entity and of his or her state of domicile. Four states use the official title of...
of North Dakota
North Dakota
North Dakota is a state located in the Midwestern region of the United States of America, along the Canadian border. The state is bordered by Canada to the north, Minnesota to the east, South Dakota to the south and Montana to the west. North Dakota is the 19th-largest state by area in the U.S....
. Born in Centerville
Centerville, South Dakota
Centerville is a city in Turner County, South Dakota, United States. The population was 882 at the 2010 census.-Geography:Centerville is located at ....
, South Dakota
South Dakota
South Dakota is a state located in the Midwestern region of the United States. It is named after the Lakota and Dakota Sioux American Indian tribes. Once a part of Dakota Territory, South Dakota became a state on November 2, 1889. The state has an area of and an estimated population of just over...
, his father was a Congregational
Congregational church
Congregational churches are Protestant Christian churches practicing Congregationalist church governance, in which each congregation independently and autonomously runs its own affairs....
minister who immigrated from Armenia
Armenia
Armenia , officially the Republic of Armenia , is a landlocked mountainous country in the Caucasus region of Eurasia...
. The family changed their name to West after arriving in the United States. Dmitri later adopted the pen name
Pen name
A pen name, nom de plume, or literary double, is a pseudonym adopted by an author. A pen name may be used to make the author's name more distinctive, to disguise his or her gender, to distance an author from some or all of his or her works, to protect the author from retribution for his or her...
Ivan Dmitri.
Early years
Levon West moved often as a boy, as his father preached in a series of North Dakota towns. His father was pastor at the Congregational Church in Glen UllinGlen Ullin, North Dakota
As of the census of 2000, there were 865 people, 369 households, and 221 families residing in the city. The population density was 831.2 people per square mile . There were 405 housing units at an average density of 389.2 per square mile...
from 1914 to 1918, when the family moved to Harvey
Harvey, North Dakota
As of the census of 2000, there were 1,989 people, 926 households, and 529 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,031.8 people per square mile . There were 1,056 housing units at an average density of 547.8 per square mile...
. West graduated form high school in Harvey as valedictorian, and graduated from the University of Minnesota
University of Minnesota
The University of Minnesota, Twin Cities is a public research university located in Minneapolis and St. Paul, Minnesota, United States. It is the oldest and largest part of the University of Minnesota system and has the fourth-largest main campus student body in the United States, with 52,557...
in 1924. He wanted to take almost entirely art courses but his father insisted that he major in business administration.
West served in the United States Navy
United States Navy
The United States Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the seven uniformed services of the United States. The U.S. Navy is the largest in the world; its battle fleet tonnage is greater than that of the next 13 largest navies combined. The U.S...
during World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
.
Professional career
After Charles LindberghCharles Lindbergh
Charles Augustus Lindbergh was an American aviator, author, inventor, explorer, and social activist.Lindbergh, a 25-year-old U.S...
's famous transatlantic flight in 1927, West memorialized the event with a popular etching of his plane the Spirit of St. Louis
Spirit of St. Louis
The Spirit of St. Louis is the custom-built, single engine, single-seat monoplane that was flown solo by Charles Lindbergh on May 20–21, 1927, on the first non-stop flight from New York to Paris for which Lindbergh won the $25,000 Orteig Prize.Lindbergh took off in the Spirit from Roosevelt...
. This led to a series of successful etchings and national prominence. He was also a skilled watercolorist.
When he began working with color photography, Levon West he adopted the pen name
Pen name
A pen name, nom de plume, or literary double, is a pseudonym adopted by an author. A pen name may be used to make the author's name more distinctive, to disguise his or her gender, to distance an author from some or all of his or her works, to protect the author from retribution for his or her...
"Ivan Dmitri," though he continued to use the name Levon West for his non-photographic works. As Ivan Dmitri, he helped to gain acceptance for photography as an art medium, helping to establish one of the first photography exhibits at New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
's Metropolitan Museum of Art
Metropolitan Museum of Art
The Metropolitan Museum of Art is a renowned art museum in New York City. Its permanent collection contains more than two million works, divided into nineteen curatorial departments. The main building, located on the eastern edge of Central Park along Manhattan's Museum Mile, is one of the...
. Dmitri felt that such a move was necessary in order for the public to treat photography as art, rather than just something reserved smaller mediums like books, magazines, and newspapers. In 1959, Ivan Dmitri founded Photography in the Fine Arts.
West was a recipient of the North Dakota Theodore Roosevelt
Theodore Roosevelt
Theodore "Teddy" Roosevelt was the 26th President of the United States . He is noted for his exuberant personality, range of interests and achievements, and his leadership of the Progressive Movement, as well as his "cowboy" persona and robust masculinity...
Rough Rider Award in April 1962, the third person so inducted.