Kozman, Myron, 1916-2002.

Primarily known for his work in abstract expressionism, Myron Kozman (1916-2002) received his degree from the Chicago School of Design in 1941, and was in the school's first graduating class. Founded by Bauhaus artist Lazlo Moholy Nagy, the Chicago School of Design had a strong focus in industry and craftsmanship. The Bauhaus movement was committed to merging visual aesthetics with everyday practicality; its founders believed that with a focus on intelligent design, artistic ideals could be productively applied to a variety of industrially produced items. Thus Kozman's education was infused with the both the philosophies of the Bauhaus movement and Moholy-Nagy's own experimentalism. As Kozman's close friend and mentor, Moholy-Nagy encouraged Kozman's interest in avant-garde techniques such as cameraless photography (the dripping of emulsion on photographic paper) and serigraph printing. During the late 1930s, Kozman also produced several abstract paintings for the Works Progress Administration which were displayed in public venues across the city. After he received his degree, Kozman enlisted in the army and spent some time abroad with the military. During this time, he not only served as a soldier during the second World War, but also collaborated with two of his fellow alumni to produce the magazine Continuity. Upon his return to the United States, Kozman began working as an instructor at the Chicago School of Design (which has since changed its name to the Institute of Design). In 1948 he married his fellow graduate Lois Field, also an accomplished visual artist. Kozman continued teaching visual design and printmaking at the Institute of Design until 1954. In the 1960s, Kozman served as the head of the design department at the Milwaukee Institute of Art and Design. His work has been exhibited internationally and is owned by several museums, including the Art Institute of Chicago, the Library of Congress, and the Block Gallery at Northwestern University.