Ruth Gikow

Ruth Gikow
Ruth Gikow with Susanna and Jack Levine, c.1950
Born	6 January 1915 Ukraine
Died	1982 New York City
Nationality	American
Known for	Visual artist, Painter

Ruth Gikow (January 6, 1915 Ukraine - 1982 New York City) was an American visual artist who was primarily known for her work as a painter.^[1]

Early life

Ruth Gikow was born on January 6, 1915 in the Ukraine.^[1] Her father, Boris, was a photographer and her mother was named Lena.^[2] In 1920 she emigrated to New York City. She studied at the Cooper Union Art School, where she studied with Austin Purvis, Jr. and John Steuart Curry.^[3] She joined the New York City WPA Federal Art Project.

Career

In 1939, inspired by the muralists Diego Rivera and José Clemente Orozco, she applied and later won a commission to paint murals for Bronx Hospital, Rockefeller Center and the New York World's Fair.^[4] In 1946 she married the artist Jack Levine.^[2] In the same year she held her first solo exhibition at the Weyhe Gallery in New York City.^[2] A young Eleanor Antin, who would later become a famed photographer and performance artist, modeled for Gikow's early artworks.^[5]

With other associates, she founded the American Serigraph Society.^[4] In 1959 she was awarded a grant from the American Academy of Arts and Letters.^[2] In 1979 she was elected into the National Academy of Design as an Associate member and became a full Academician in 1982.

Public collections

Her work can be found many institutions, including:

Sources

Josephson, Matthew. Ruth Gikow, New York: Maecenas/Random House, 1970
Paula Hyman, Deborah Dash Moore (ed.). Jewish Women in America: A-L. Taylor & Francis, 1997. ISBN 978-0-415-91934-0.

References