Alex Katz Awarded National Medal of Arts

Painting seems an old man’s business. After a certain time you’re out of it, and you just paint masterpieces. - Alex Katz

Alex Katz was awarded the National Medal of Arts on Monday, October 21st, at a ceremony at the White House.

Katz turned 97 on July 24th. He has had a long and successful career as a painter, printmaker and sculptor, and much deserved recognition in the past few years: He had a spectacular retrospective at the Guggenheim at the end of 2022, a solo exhibit at MoMA this summer, current exhibits in France, London and Salzburg and an upcoming exhibit at The Baker Museum in Naples, Florida from November 1, 2024 through February 2, 2025.

Born in Brooklyn, Katz has lived and worked in his SoHo studio since 1968 and spends summers in Lincolnville, Maine. His unique style, using flat fields of color and clean lines, defies categorization. 

In a personal statement to the National Endowment for the Arts, Katz wrote, “It was completely unexpected. I’m overwhelmed by the honor—particularly, having the American government taking fine artists so seriously. Of the other artists who received it, Robert Rauschenberg is like a hero to me with his relationship to society. He gave a lot back and I try to work in his footsteps.”

Other National Medal of Arts recipients at Monday’s ceremony included Spike Lee, Steven Spielberg, Ken Burns and Queen Latifah.

Alex Katz is not only a superb artist, he is also a generous one, having donated hundreds of works by contemporary artists to various art institutions.

He recently donated a 15-foot tall abstract sculpture by 91-year-old American artist Mark di Suvero to the Brooklyn Museum in recognition of the museum’s 200th anniversary celebration this month. The two artists have never met, but neither has slowed down, and each continues to create masterpieces.