Liberman, Alexander, 1912-1999

A Russian-American artist known for his signature red steel sculptures and geometric paintings, in addition to his 30+-year tenure at Condé Nast as its editorial director. Initially hired as an art director for Vogue upon moving to the United States in 1941, his keen, exacting eye for visuals combined fashion shoots with Modern Art—a memorable spread used Jackson Pollock’s paintings as a backdrop for Cecil Beaton’s photographs a decade later. Born September 4, 1912 in Kiev, Russia (now Ukraine), Liberman studied in Paris at the Sorbonne and the École des Beaux-Arts, focusing on philosophy and architecture. His work at the magazine VU in the 1930s introduced him to celebrated photographers, such as Brassaï, Man Ray, and Henri Cartier-Bresson, and started his career in publishing. The painter and sculptor died on November 19, 1999 in Miami, FL after a career spent shaping periodicals in tandem with a robust artistic practice. “It’s tradition and at the same time a revolt against it that [still] governs my creative thinking,” the artist had said.