Max Kozloff
Encyclopedia
Max Kozloff is an American Art Historian, art critic
of modern art and photographer. He has been art editor at The Nation
, and Executive Editor of Artforum
. His essay, "American Painting During the Cold War" is of particular importance to the criticism on American Abstract Expressionism
.
in 1953. Between 1954-1956 he served in the U.S. Army, before returning to the University of Chicago for his M.A.
degree in 1958. He joined New York University
's Institute of Fine Arts
in 1959, to pursue a Ph.D.
degree and was subsequently awarded a Fulbright Fellowship for 1962-1963.
(NYU), and joined the Nation as art critic in 1961, where he worked until 1968, and Art International.
In 1964, he left NYU without a degree and began working at Artforum
as an associate editor. In 1966, he received the Frank Jewett Mather
Award for art criticism from the College Art Association
of America, and became Artforum's contributing editor in 1967 and rising up to remained its executive editor between 1975 and 1977. Meanwhile in 1976, he became an art photographer, and in the following years held numerous shows and became a photography critic.
He joined the faculty of School of Visual Arts
in 1989. He also remained a faculty at the California Institute of the Arts
.
He received the 1968 Guggenheim Fellowship
and later the Infinity Award for Writing in 1990, given by the International Center of Photography
.
In 1968, he signed the “Writers and Editors War Tax Protest” pledge, vowing to refuse tax payments in protest against the Vietnam War.
Art critic
An art critic is a person who specializes in evaluating art. Their written critiques, or reviews, are published in newspapers, magazines, books and on web sites...
of modern art and photographer. He has been art editor at The Nation
The Nation
The Nation is the oldest continuously published weekly magazine in the United States. The periodical, devoted to politics and culture, is self-described as "the flagship of the left." Founded on July 6, 1865, It is published by The Nation Company, L.P., at 33 Irving Place, New York City.The Nation...
, and Executive Editor of Artforum
Artforum
Artforum is an international monthly magazine specializing in contemporary art.-Publication:The magazine is published ten times a year, September through May, along with an annual summer issue...
. His essay, "American Painting During the Cold War" is of particular importance to the criticism on American Abstract Expressionism
Abstract expressionism
Abstract expressionism was an American post–World War II art movement. It was the first specifically American movement to achieve worldwide influence and put New York City at the center of the western art world, a role formerly filled by Paris...
.
Early life and education
He graduated from the University of ChicagoUniversity of Chicago
The University of Chicago is a private research university in Chicago, Illinois, USA. It was founded by the American Baptist Education Society with a donation from oil magnate and philanthropist John D. Rockefeller and incorporated in 1890...
in 1953. Between 1954-1956 he served in the U.S. Army, before returning to the University of Chicago for his M.A.
Master of Arts (postgraduate)
A Master of Arts from the Latin Magister Artium, is a type of Master's degree awarded by universities in many countries. The M.A. is usually contrasted with the M.S. or M.Sc. degrees...
degree in 1958. He joined New York University
New York University
New York University is a private, nonsectarian research university based in New York City. NYU's main campus is situated in the Greenwich Village section of Manhattan...
's Institute of Fine Arts
New York University Institute of Fine Arts
The Institute of Fine Arts is one of the 14 divisions of New York University . It offers a Master of Arts and a Doctor of Philosophy, the Advanced Certificate in Conservation of Works of Art, and the Certificate in Curatorial Studies...
in 1959, to pursue a Ph.D.
Ph.D.
A Ph.D. is a Doctor of Philosophy, an academic degree.Ph.D. may also refer to:* Ph.D. , a 1980s British group*Piled Higher and Deeper, a web comic strip*PhD: Phantasy Degree, a Korean comic series* PhD Docbook renderer, an XML renderer...
degree and was subsequently awarded a Fulbright Fellowship for 1962-1963.
Career
He started his career with a teaching position at New York UniversityNew York University
New York University is a private, nonsectarian research university based in New York City. NYU's main campus is situated in the Greenwich Village section of Manhattan...
(NYU), and joined the Nation as art critic in 1961, where he worked until 1968, and Art International.
In 1964, he left NYU without a degree and began working at Artforum
Artforum
Artforum is an international monthly magazine specializing in contemporary art.-Publication:The magazine is published ten times a year, September through May, along with an annual summer issue...
as an associate editor. In 1966, he received the Frank Jewett Mather
Frank Jewett Mather
Frank Jewett Mather was an American art critic and professor.He was born at Deep River, Conn., and graduated from Williams College in 1889 and from Johns Hopkins in 1892: he studied also at Berlin and at the Ecole des Hautes Etudes, Paris...
Award for art criticism from the College Art Association
College Art Association
The College Art Association of America is the principal professional association in the United States for practitioners and scholars of art, art history, and art criticism...
of America, and became Artforum's contributing editor in 1967 and rising up to remained its executive editor between 1975 and 1977. Meanwhile in 1976, he became an art photographer, and in the following years held numerous shows and became a photography critic.
He joined the faculty of School of Visual Arts
School of Visual Arts
The School of Visual Arts , is a proprietary art school located in Manhattan, New York City, and is widely considered to be one of the leading art schools in the United States. It was established in 1947 by co-founders Silas H. Rhodes and Burne Hogarth as the Cartoonists and Illustrators School and...
in 1989. He also remained a faculty at the California Institute of the Arts
California Institute of the Arts
The California Institute of the Arts, commonly referred to as CalArts, is located in Valencia, in Los Angeles County, California. It was incorporated in 1961 as the first degree-granting institution of higher learning in the United States created specifically for students of both the visual and the...
.
He received the 1968 Guggenheim Fellowship
Guggenheim Fellowship
Guggenheim Fellowships are American grants that have been awarded annually since 1925 by the John Simon Guggenheim Memorial Foundation to those "who have demonstrated exceptional capacity for productive scholarship or exceptional creative ability in the arts." Each year, the foundation makes...
and later the Infinity Award for Writing in 1990, given by the International Center of Photography
International Center of Photography
The International Center of Photography is a photography museum, school, and research center in Midtown Manhattan in New York City, United States...
.
Personal life
He married the artist Joyce Blumberg in 1967.In 1968, he signed the “Writers and Editors War Tax Protest” pledge, vowing to refuse tax payments in protest against the Vietnam War.
Selected works
- Jasper Johns, Abrams, 1972.
- Cubism/Futurism (1973)
- Photography & fascination: Essays (1979)
- Leon Levinstein: the moment of exposure. National Gallery of Canada, 1995. ISBN 0888846401.
- Cultivated Impasses: Essays on the Waning of the Avant-Garde, 1964-1975 (2000)
- New York: Capital of Photography (2002). ISBN 0-300-09445-0.
- The Theatre of the Face: Portrait Photography Since 1900 (2007). Phaidon Press. ISBN 9780714843728.