ABOUT
Ruth Lozner and Kenzie Raulin, an exhibition of collaborative paintings and objects that speaks to a reverence for books and the parsing of words and meaning, that will be on view at Kaikodo Gallery 74 East 79th Street.
For the past two years, artists Ruth Lozner and Kenzie Raulin have adopted a mode of working that is quite different from the common traditional or even modernist model. They work collaboratively: equally sharing concepts and aesthetics, techniques and skills, experience and perspective, while happily working side-by-side on the same pieces at the same time. The evaluation of the work does not, by any means, hinge on the uniqueness of this process. Yet it is this very dynamic process that allows these artists to expand their own vision and capabilities and produce work that is provocative, beautiful and meaningful.
Creative magic happens when an artist becomes deeply involved in the various technical and conceptual aspects of the art form in which they are working. Often creative leaps and advancements can appear as flashes of insight or even “happy accidents”. When an artist is immersed in the process of creation alone, these flashes occur fairly often and are modulated introspectively. Add an equal creative partner to the mix and you’ve ignited a constant stream of these flashes of insight, visual and conceptual ideas and additional technical skills and styles. The process becomes as important and enjoyable as the end result.
Certainly, there are several contemporary examples of 20th century collaborations such as Warhol and Basquiat, Ernst and Tzara, Johns and Rauschenberg, Duchamp and Ray, and Gilbert and George. The synergy of their partnerships inspires work that would not have been possible if produced individually. Lozner and Raulin have also found themselves in this unique and fortunate position of a collaborative process with infinite creative possibilities.
—ArtDaily.com February 2020
Every work exhibited in “Interior World: Contemporary Furniture” is technically a home furnishing, but the seven-artist Popcorn Gallery show adopts a poetic sense of the word “interior.” From unsittable chairs to a screen that’s politically charged as well as decorative (Lozner), this furniture is designed as much for the brain as the body. Provocative, in a quiet way, is a Japanese screen whose depiction of childhood innocence Ruth Lozner has added falling bombs, thus commemorating the devastation of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. Also, by Lozner is the quietly haunting “Night House- Rising Tides” a frame structure adorned with starlike white spatters and featuring a flooded pool made of blue glass.
–– Mark Jenkins, March, 2021 Washington Post
“At the center of the show is “Baltimore Self Portrait,” Ruth Lozner’s assemblage of found objects and memories, is a vintage clock that lacks hour and minute hands but whose second -hand circles resolutely. The partial but steadfast timepiece ticks one theme of “Fleeting, Fled.”
–Mark Jenkins, Washington Post, April 2021
“A year of extremes, 2020 has driven some people to claim the streets and others to cloister at home.….a solitary person sits at a D.C. bus stop in a Ruth Lozner painting that evokes Edward Hopper’s lonely moments — with the up-to-date addition of a cellphone. It tells a story of someone, secluded or maybe just intensely focused, who burrows into something, whether a physical object or the human psyche, to find transcendence at its core.
—Mark Jenkins, The Washington Post 2020
Smartly positioned is Ruth Lozner’s Rising Tides, an open wood and glass structure that looks like a house on stilts of a kind that are often built near the water in many places…with a narrative about climate change and the rising seas.
—Claudia Rousseau, East City Paper 2020
“The works here rest in the tension between intimate and alien. The artists express that being at home is an active relationship with place, an ongoing practice in making the foreign familiar, and that being rooted isn’t the same as staying put. The exhibit questions how the concept of home can transcend definitions and borders. A highlight, Ruth Lozner’s Aftermath: a master at deconstructing and reconstructing memory and reality.”
—Andreil Luis, Curator, September, 2018. Balisle Online
“Ruth Lozner’s assembled sculptures utilize found objects and ephemera to address the issue of obsolescence, of presence that becomes absence over time. Her dictionary of obsolete words is a reminder that language itself can be ephemeral.”
—Holly Koons McCullough, Curator’s statement, restonarts.org, Sept 2015
“. . . a stand out in particular– Ruth Lozner demonstrates her respect for the readymade’s legacy in Autumn Landscape Somewhere a piece that honors the ‘rectified’ idea of using existent artworks to comment on art, like L.H.O.O.Q. Her brilliance lies in how she adds a ’paint-by-numbers’ template to partially mask her ‘Picture Craft Oil Painting’ readymade’s stale fawns-in-nature cliché, setting up a subversive play between subject and object.”
— Mark Cameron Boyd, Curator, July 20, 2014. From the catalogue, Readymade@100.
In 1927, Philip and Mary Rosner signed a lease for a space at Baltimore’s Belair Market. That scrap of paper was a practical matter then, but now, some 90 years later, it has become a metaphor, or a fragment of one. Ruth Lozner’s “Legacies,” at Hillyer Art Space, assembles specific artifacts to conjure a general impression of past lives and dispersed communities. The local artist works with what’s left to commemorate, what’s lost.
These combines are not in the style of Robert Rauschenberg’s, which are more absurd and very much of their Pop Art moment. Lozner prefers venerable domestic objects — shoes, a straight razor, a brittle baby dress — and timeworn hues. (She writes that she follows “in the traditions of surrealism and dada, with a back story of folk art.”) Some objects are repurposed, and new items may be added: A sideways ladder serves as a series of frames for found objects, and a plastic face mold creates an eerie note on top of a grandfather clock.
Lozner seldom trashes or transforms her materials, leaving intact their essential forms and qualities. Indeed, the actual content of the maps, postcards, class photos, report cards and, yes, market leases can be a little distracting. But the show’s overall effect is to powerfully evoke the ruthlessness of time.
—Mark Jenkins, The Washington Post
EDUCATION
MFA : American University, Washington, DC
BFA: Carnegie-Mellon University, Pittsburgh, PA
ACADEMIC APPOINTMENTS
2014 – pres Professor Emerita, Art+Design, University of Maryland, College Park, MD
2010-2017 Member, National Education Committee, Cooper-Hewitt Design Museum, NYC
2009-pres Fellow, Royal Society of Arts, UK
1986 – 2014 Associate Professor, Art+Design, University of Maryland, College Park, MD
Other academic positions include: Adjunct Professor, Parsons School of Design, NYC; Associate Professor and Chair, University of the Arts, Philadelphia, PA
PROFESSIONAL EXHIBITIONS
2022 “Sculpture Now 2022”, Harmony Hall Arts Center, Fort Washington, MD Juried Group Show, Juror: Fitsum Shebeshe, International independent curator
2022 “National Juried Show”, Delaplaine Arts Center, Frederick, MD Juried Group Show, Juror: Gerald Ross, Maryland Institute of Art
2022 “Spring Show” Circle Gallery, Annapolis, MD, Juried Group Show, Juror: Mark Anderson, Georgetown University
2022 “Regionals”, Hill Center, Washington, DC, Juried Group Show, Juror: Claude Elliot, Independent Curator
2022 “Prints of Book Series”, Planet Word: Museum of Language, Washington, DC
2021 “Relief Sculpture”, The Phillips Collection @ THE ARC, Washington, DC Juried Group Show, Jurors: Nehemiah Dixon III, Vesela Sretonovic, The Phillips Collection
2021 “Prints of Book Series”, Planet Word Museum, Washington, DC
2021 “Visualizing Memory”, Mills Pond Gallery, St. James, NY Juried Group Show, Juror: Carol Strickland
2021 Maryland Federation of Art Spring Show, Circle Gallery, Annapolis, MD, Juried group show. Juror: Joey Manlapaz
2021 “Regionals”, Torpedo Factory Gallery @ Mosaic, Fairfax, VA Juried Group Show, Juror: Phil Hutinet
2021 “Fleeting/Fled” Glen Echo Gallery, Glen Echo, MD. Juried Group show, Juror/curator: Laura Roulet
2021 “Book Series 3.0” Invitational, Lewes Library, Lewes, DE
2021 “Interior World” Glen Echo Gallery, Glen Echo, MD. Invitational show. Juror/curator: Tomora Wright
2020 “Rising Tides” Curve Gallery, Annapolis, MD, Juried group show
2020 “Moments in Time” Athenaeum Gallery, Alexandria, VA, Juried group show, Juror/curators: Twig Murray, Allison Nance
2020 “Sculpture Now 2020” McLean Center for the Arts, McLean, VAJuror/curator: Nancy Sausser
2020 Six Lozner-Raulin paintings purchased for the permanent collectionof the University of Delaware Morris Library
2020 “Book Series 3.0” Biblion, Lewes, DE Lozner-Raulin Collaborative Work
2020 “Book Series 2.5 ” Loyalty Books, Silver Spring, MD Lozner-Raulin Collaborative Work
2020 “In Context” Kaikodo Gallery, New York, NY Solo Show Lozner-Raulin Collaborative Work
2020 Annual Regional Juried Exhibition, Hill Center Galleries, Washington, DC Lozner-Raulin Collaborative Work Juried group show. Juror: Myrtis Bedolia
2020 “Home” Strathmore Gallery, Rockville, MD, Annual juried group show. Jurors: Terence Nicholson, Erwin Timmers
2020 “Mixtures” Touchstone Gallery, Washington, DC, Invitational Group Show
2019 “Book Series 2.0” Silver Branch, Silver Spring, MD, Solo Show Lozner-Raulin Collaborative Work
2019 “Book Series” Glenview Mansion, Rockville, MD, Solo Show Lozner-Raulin Collaborative Work
2019 Loyalty Books, Silver Spring, MD, Solo Show Lozner-Raulin Collaborative Work
2019 “Book Series” Glenview Mansion Gallery, Rockville, MD Two-person show
2019 “Color Stories” Glenview Mansion Gallery, Rockville, MD Solo show
2019 “Eye of the Beholder” Circle Gallery, Annapolis, MD, Juried Group Show, Juror: Katie Dell Kaufman
2019 “Time” Mills Pond Gallery, St. James, NY Juried Group Show
2019 “Reflections” Wohlfarth Gallery, Washington, DC Invitational Show
2019 “Quietly Powerful” Sense Gallery, Washington, DC, Juried group show, Juror/Curator Jenny Wu
2019 “Sculpture Now” Brentwood Arts Exchange, Washington, DC Juried group show, Juror/Curator Spencer Dormitzer
2018 “The Night” Strathmore Gallery, Rockville, MD. Annual juried group show.
2018 “From Here to Elsewhere: Kindled by Things” McLean Project for the Arts, Invitational, Curator: Nancy Sausser
2018 “Inch-by-Inch” Touchstone Gallery, Washington, DC, Invitational
2018 “Uprooted” IA&A at Hillyer, Washington, DC, Juried group show, Juror: Adriel Luis
2018 “Cabinet of Curiosities” The Athenaeum Gallery, Alexandria, VA Juried Group Show, Jurors: Twig Murray, Veronica Szalus
2018 “One House” Blackrock Center for the Arts, Germantown, MD, an ArtWatch group installation
2018 “Poe & Puck” Strathmore Gallery, Rockville, MD Juried group show. Juror/curator: Adah Rose Bitterbaum
2018 “Annual Invitational Show” Waverley Gallery, Bethesda, MD
2018 “Letters” Takoma Park Art Center, Invitational, Curator: Nahid Toontoochi
2018 “Gray Area” Kingston Gallery, Boston, MA Juried group show, Juror/Curator, Julie Graham
2017 “Color: Primary to Tertiary” Site: Brooklyn Gallery, Brooklyn, NY Juried group show, Juror/Curator: Lilly Wei
2017 “One House” Touchstone Gallery, Washington, DC, Piece in installation, Juried group show, Curator: Ellyn Weiss
2017 “Eye of the Beholder” Circle Gallery, Annapolis, MD Juried Group Show, Curator/Juror: Janet Maher
2017 “Off the Wall“ Waverley Gallery, Bethesda, MD Juried Group Show, Curator/Juror: Oliver Shell
2017 RH Ballard Gallery, Little Washington, VA, Solo Show, Curator: Robert Ballard
2016 “Sculpture Now” Delaplaine Visual Arts Center, Frederick, MD Juried Group Show, Juror/Curator, John Shipman
2016 “Annual National Sculpture Exhibition” Delaplaine Visual Arts Center, Frederick, MD Juried Group Show, Juror/Curator, Foon Sham
2016 “ Idols and Legends” Karyn Mannix Gallery, East Hampton, NY. Juried group show. Juror/Curator, Karyn Mannix
2016 “Landmarks” King Street Gallery, Cafritz Center, Silver Spring, MD Juried group show, Juror/Curator, Claudia Rousseau
2016 “Dada Centennial” International Museum of Collage, Assemblage and Construction, Sante Fe, NM Juried group show, Juror/Curator: Cecil Touchon
2016 “Art on Paper” Circle Gallery, Annapolis, MD Juried Group Show, Juror/Curator: Robert Mintz, Chief Curator, Walters Art Museum, Baltimore.
2016 “Stormy Weather” Annapolis Maritime Museum, Annapolis, MD Juried Group Show, Juror/Curator: Professor Nora Sturges, Towson University
2015 “Questioning the Bomb: History and Non-Proliferation” University of Maryland Art Gallery, College Park, MD Invitational Group Show, Juror/Curator: James Thorpe
2015 “Ephemeral” Greater Reston Arts Center, Reston, VA Juried Group show, Juror/Curator: Holly Koons McCullough
2015 “Sanctuary” Joan Hisaoka Healing Arts Gallery, NW, Washington, DC Juried Group Show, Juror/Curator: Shanti Norris
2015 “Emulsion” Gallery O, Washington DC Juried Group Show: Juror/Curator: Adah Rose Bitterman
2015 “Bricklayers” Workhouse Arts Center, Lorton, VA Juried Group Show, Juror/Curator: Jennie Shanker
2015 “Women Artists/Women Chefs” Strathmore Arts Center, Rockville, MD Juried Group Show, Juror/Curator: Harriet Lesser
2015 “LEGACIES” Hillyer Art Space, Washington DC, (Solo Exhibition)
2014 “READYMADE@100” American University Museum, Washington DC Juried Group Show, Juror/Curator: Mark Cameron Boyd
2014 “Fiction Non Fiction” The Gibbs Street Gallery at VisArts, Rockville, MD (Solo Exhibition)
2014 “Gedankenexperiment” American Association for the Advancement of Science Gallery, Washington, DC Juried Group Show, Juror/Curator: Sarah Tanguy
2014 “Perceived and Constructed” Biggs Museum of American Art, Dover, DE Juried Group Show
2014 “Louloudi” Athaneum Gallery, Alexandria, VA Juried Group Show, Juror/Curator: Renee Stout
2013 “Sculpture Now : 2013” Honfleur Gallery, Washington, DC Juried Group Show, Juror/Curator: Florecy Morrisette
2011 “Poetics/Aesthetics” invitational show, University of Maryland Art Gallery, College Park, MD Invitational Group Show
2009 University of Maryland Faculty Exhibition, College Park, MD
2008 “Jewish Lives” HaHakom Gallery, Kensington, MD (Solo Show)
2007 “Of Doors and Keys” Sarah Brown Art Gallery, Baltimore, MD Juried Group Show
2006 “Folk Art: Tradition & Innovations” Harmony Hall Center, Fort Washington, MD Juried Group Show
2006 University of Maryland Faculty Exhibition, College Park, MD
2004 Jane Haslem Gallery Washington, DC ( Two-person show)
2002 University of Maryland Faculty Exhibition, College Park, MD
2000 Annual Illustrators of Washington Exhibition, Sumner Gallery, Washington, DC (juried group show)
2000 University of Maryland Faculty Exhibition, College Park, MD
1999 Annual Illustrators of Washington Exhibition, Sumner Gallery, Washington, DC (juried group show)
1998 Annual Illustrators of Washington Exhibition, Sumner Gallery, Washington, DC (juried group show)
1998 “Illustrators Who Teach”, Society of Illustrators, NYC (Invitational group show)
1997 University of Maryland Faculty Exhibition, College Park, MD
1995 University of Maryland Faculty Exhibition, College Park, MD
1993 University of Maryland Faculty Exhibition, College Park, MD
1996 “Works from Maryland Faculty”, Konin Museum, Poland ( Group show)
1992 Otterbein College, Columbus, OH (Solo show)
1992 “Washington Illustrators” Montgomery College, Rockville, MD (Juried group show)
1990 The Partners Gallery, Bethesda, MD. Painting. (Group show)
1989 Annual Show, Society of Illustrators, NYC (Juried group show)
1990 Annual Show, Society of Illustrators, NYC (Juried group show)
1979-84 Noel Butcher Gallery, Philadelphia, PA (Bi-annual Solo Shows)
2019 Juror for Congressional Art Competition, invited by Jamie Raskin, (D) MD
2016 “Winter Exhibition” Maryland Federation of Art, Annapolis, MD
2013 “Network of Mutuality: 30 Years Post-Birmingham” Art Gallery, University of Maryland
CURATORIAL ACTIVITY
2019-2022 Juror: Congressional Art Competition, invited by Congressman Jamie Raskin
2016 “Winter Exhibition” Maryland Federation of Art, Annapolis, MD
2013 “Network of Mutuality: 30 Years Post-Birmingham” Art Gallery, University of Maryland
INDIVIDUAL AND SMALL GROUP INSTRUCTION
Painting, drawing and portfolio development
Ruth Lozner received a BFA from Carnegie-Mellon University, Pittsburgh, PA and an MFA from American University, Washington, DC. Currently she holds the title of Professor Emerita of Art and Graphic Design from the University of Maryland, College Park. She previously held faculty positions at the Parsons School of Design and the University of the Arts, where she was Chair of the Illustration Department. She continues to teach painting privately. For several years, she served as co-director of the Academy of Excellence of Teaching and Learning at UMD, an organization that encourages and supports innovative pedagogical practices. For 10 years, she served on the Education Committee for the Cooper-Hewitt Museum, Smithsonian’s national design museum in NYC and for the last 15 years, she has been a Fellow of the Royal Society of the Arts, UK. Professor Lozner has lectured extensively on the creative process, and art and design history and theory at various venues including College Art Association Conferences, National Art Education Association Conferences, AIGA and many college campuses. Professor Lozner’s illustrations have appeared in her own book, “Scratchboard for Illustration” and in publications such as The New York Times, The Washington Post, The Atlantic Magazine. Recently, she retired from full time teaching and has maintained a very active Fine Arts practice showing collages, paintings and sculptures at various galleries. In addition, she is currently collaborating with another artist, Kenzie Raulin, to produce large scale paintings and commissions. In 2020 this team had a very successful exhibition in New York City, selling out the show.