Albert Kotin

{{Infobox artist

| name = Albert Kotin

| image = Photo of Albert Kotin.jpg

| image_size =

| caption =

| birth_name =

| birth_date = {{birth date |1907|8|7}}

| birth_place = Minsk, Russia

| death_date = {{death date and age |1980|2|6|1907|8|7}}

| death_place = New York City, New York, USA

| nationality = American

| field = Painting

| training =

| movement = Abstract expressionism; New York Figurative Expressionism

| works =

| patrons =

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}}

Albert Kotin (August 7, 1907 – February 6, 1980) belonged to the early generation of New York School Abstract Expressionist artists whose artistic innovation by the 1950s had been recognized across the Atlantic, including in Paris.{{cite book|title=Art history|via=worldcat.org|oclc = 39229727}} The New York School Abstract Expressionism, represented by Jackson Pollock, Willem de Kooning, Franz Kline, and others became a leading art movement of the post-World War II era.

Biography

Albert Kotin was born August 7, 1907, in Minsk, Russian Empire and emigrated to the US in 1908. He became a US citizen in 1923.

Kotin studied: (1924–1929) at the National Academy of Design, New York City; with Charles Hawthorne, Provincetown, Massachusetts; (1929–32) at the Académie Julian, the Académie de la Grande Chaumière and at the Atelier de Fresque and the Académie Colarossi, Paris, France;

(1947–1951) at The Art Students League of New York, New York City; under the GI Bill he went to study with Hans Hofmann in Provincetown and in New York City.

He participated in the Federal Art Project: Public Works of Art Project (PWAP) (1933–34) and Works Progress Administration/Federal Art Project (WPA/FAP) (1935–40).

Kotin won competitions that were funded through commissions under the Treasury Department's Section of Painting and Sculpture (later known as The Section of Fine Arts) in Ada, Ohio,{{cite web|url=http://www.wpamurals.com/ohio.html|title=New Deal WPA Art in Ohio|work=wpamurals.com|access-date=September 20, 2006|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060813134147/http://www.wpamurals.com/ohio.html|archive-date=August 13, 2006|url-status=live}} and in Arlington, New Jersey.{{cite web|url=http://www.wpamurals.com/newjersy.htm|title=New Jersey New Deal Art|work=wpamurals.com|access-date=September 20, 2006|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20061111231937/http://www.wpamurals.com/newjersy.htm|archive-date=November 11, 2006|url-status=live}} He completed two WPA murals, The City and The Marsh for the Kearney, New Jersey, post office in 1938.

Kotin served in the U.S. Army military service during World War II (1941–1945).

After the war Kotin found a studio on 10th Street. He soon joined the "Downtown Group"Downtown Group which represented a group of artists who found studios in lower Manhattan in the area bounded by 8th and 12th street between First and Sixth Avenues during the late 1940s and early 1950s. These artists were called the "Downtown Group" as opposed to the "Uptown Group" established during the war at The Art of This Century Gallery.

In 1949 Kotin joined the "Artists' Club"Artists' Club located at 39 East 8th Street.

Albert Kotin was chosen by his fellow artists to show in the Ninth Street Show held on May 21 – June 10, 1951.[http://albertkotin.com/9th.%20st.jpg 9th Street Show Poster] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120205205529/http://albertkotin.com/9th.%20st.jpg |date=February 5, 2012 }}

The show was located at 60 East 9th Street on the first floor and the basement of a building which was about to be demolished.

"The artists celebrated not only the appearance of the dealers, collectors and museum people on the 9th Street, and the consequent exposure of their work but they celebrated the creation and the strength of a living community of significant dimensions."Bruce Altshuler, [http://www.worldcatlibraries.org/oclc/28844337&referer=brief_results Avant-Garde In Exhibition New Art in the 20th Century,] New York: Harry N. Abrams, Inc., 1994, Chapter 9, p.171

Kotin participated in all the invitational New York Painting and Sculpture Annuals. The first annual in 1951 was called the Ninth Street Show. From 1953 to 1957 the invitational New York Painting and Sculpture Annuals were held in the Stable Gallery on West 58th Street in New York City.{{cite book|title=New York school : abstract expressionists : artists choice by artists : a complete documentation of the New York painting and sculpture annuals, 1951–1957|via=worldcat.org|oclc = 50666793}} He was among the 24 out of a total 256 New York School artists who was included in all the Annuals.{{cite web|url=http://albertkotin.com/Kotin_posters.htm |title=Albert Kotin Posters |work=albertkotin.com |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20090429070551/http://albertkotin.com/Kotin_posters.htm |archivedate=April 29, 2009 }} These Annuals were important because the participants were chosen by the artists themselves.{{cite book|title=New York school : abstract expressionists : artists choice by artists : a complete documentation of the New York painting and sculpture annuals, 1951–1957|via=worldcat.org|oclc = 50666793}}

Harold Rosenberg, New York art critic listed Albert Kotin among the "Tenth Street Artists: Individuals Prevail over the Group:" Harold Rosenberg, "Tenth Street: A Geography of Modern Art", Art News Annual XXVIII, 1959, New York: Art Foundation Press, Inc. pp.:120–143 Kotin was exhibited by the Anita Shapolsky Gallery in New York City, McCormick Gallery, and Robert Miller Gallery-New York.{{cite web|url=http://www.artslant.com/global/artists/show/50570-albert-kotin|title=Albert Kotin|work=ArtSlant|access-date=March 19, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150923180221/http://www.artslant.com/global/artists/show/50570-albert-kotin|archive-date=September 23, 2015|url-status=live}}

Kotin was also a poet who inspired his fellow artists.{{cite book|title=American abstract expressionism of the 1950s : an illustrated survey with artists' statements, artwork and biographies|via=worldcat.org|oclc = 50253062}} Alexander Calder wrote in 1968, "As long as there are people such as Al Kotin, there is no danger to art."From a monograph by Mathias Goeritz: "Alexander Calder", 1968 Private Collection

Kotin died on February 6, 1980, in New York City from lung cancer.

References

[http://siris-archives.si.edu/ipac20/ipac.jsp?uri=full=3100001~!215688!0#focus Abstract expressionist art movement in America video documentation project, 1991–1992.]
[http://siris-archives.si.edu/ipac20/ipac.jsp?session=1158Y3H6280C1.49415&menu=search&aspect=Keyword&npp=50&ipp=20&spp=20&profile=all&ri=&term=Albert+Kotin&index=.GW&aspect=Keyword&term=&index=.AW&term=&index=.SW&term=&index=.TW&term=&index=.FW&x=11&y=16#focus Smithsonian Institution Research Information System; Archival, Manuscript and Photographic Collections, Albert Kotin]

Catalogs which include Albert Kotin

[http://www.worldcat.org/oclc/227193237&referer=brief_results It is; a magazine for abstract art] No. 4, Autumn 1959, New York City
10th Street The Contemporary Arts Museum Houston, Texas October 15 – November 8, 1959
Albert Kotin Byron Gallery, Inc. New York City, April 7–25, 1964
Albert Kotin 1907–1980 Memorial Exhibition Long Island University, The Brooklyn Center, Brooklyn, New York. October 6–29, 1982
Albert Kotin Retrospective: Paintings, Drawings, Prints Artfull Eye Exhibition Gallery, Lambertville, New Jersey. October 30 – November 20, 1988
[http://www.baruch.cuny.edu/mishkin/catalogs.html Mishkin Gallery] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080409033347/http://www.baruch.cuny.edu/mishkin/catalogs.html |date=April 9, 2008 }} Reclaiming Artists of the New York School Toward a More Inclusive view of the 1950s Baruch College CUNY March 18 – April 22, 1994
[https://web.archive.org/web/20070207014700/http://paam.org/store.html Provicetown Art Association] Hans Hofmann, New York-Provincetown: A 50s Connection Provincetown Art Association and Museum, Provincetown, Massachusetts July 8 – August 1, 1994
[https://web.archive.org/web/20061229230926/http://www.rockfordartmuseum.org/store.html Rockford Art Museum] Reuniting an Era abstract expressionists of the 1950s Rockford Art Museum, Rockford, Illinois November 12, 2004 – January 25, 2005

Books

Marika Herskovic, [http://www.worldcat.org/search?qt=worldcat_org_bks&q=9780967799421&fq=dt%3Abks American Abstract and Figurative Expressionism: Style Is Timely Art Is Timeless] (New York School Press, 2009.) {{ISBN|978-0-9677994-2-1}}. pp. 140–143
Marika Herskovic, [http://www.worldcatlibraries.org/oclc/50253062&tab=holdings American Abstract Expressionism of the 1950s An Illustrated Survey,] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070929125405/http://www.worldcatlibraries.org/oclc/50253062%26tab%3Dholdings |date=September 29, 2007 }} (New York School Press, 2003.) {{ISBN|0-9677994-1-4}}. pp. 190–193
Marika Herskovic, [http://www.worldcatlibraries.org/oclc/50666793&tab=holdings New York School Abstract Expressionists Artists Choice by Artists,] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070929103229/http://www.worldcatlibraries.org/oclc/50666793%26tab%3Dholdings |date=September 29, 2007 }} (New York School Press, 2000.) {{ISBN|0-9677994-0-6}}. p. 16; p. 37; pp. 206–209
Marika Herskovic, [https://www.amazon.com/Albert-Kotin-American-Abstract-Expressionist/dp/0967799430/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1483462792&sr=8-1&keywords=9780967799438 Albert Kotin American Abstract Expressionist of the 1950s] (New York School Press, 2016.) {{ISBN|978-0967799438}}

External links

[http://www.albertkotin.com/paintings.html Selected works of art by Albert Kotin]
[http://www.albertkotin.com/publications.html Publications including Albert Kotin]
{{YouTube|iN_tQlGdLe8|Albert Kotin Abstract Expressionism 1950s-New York action painting}}—14:14min video

Category:1907 births

Category:1980 deaths

Category:Abstract expressionist artists

Category:American Expressionist painters

Category:20th-century American painters

Category:American male painters

Category:United States Army personnel of World War II

Category:American modern painters

Category:Painters from New York City

Category:Art Students League of New York alumni

Category:Académie Colarossi alumni

Category:Federal Art Project artists