Above: Luise Kaish at work on The Ark of Revelation at her MacDougal Street Studio. 1961-62 © Kaish Family Art Project

Born 100 years ago, Luise Kaish (1925–2013) was a key figure in the New York art scene of the late 20th century. Her multidisciplinary and process-oriented practice contributed to various artistic discourses at the time. The strength and breadth of her work, her influential role in education, and the prestigious awards she received in recognition of her practice set her apart as an early female leader in the arts.

Kaish was Chair of Columbia University’s painting and sculpture division (1980-86), one of the first women to receive the Rome Prize Fellowship (1970-72), and a participant in pioneering shows such as the Sculpture Center’s “Women Welders” (1953), which highlighted women’s contributions to the welding process.

In honor of the artist’s centennial, we are celebrating her life and art with our communities in New York and beyond.