Elaine Lustig Cohen was a pioneering American artist who made significant contributions to the fields of graphic design, painting, sculpture, and typography. She was born in Brooklyn, New York in 1927 and studied at Brooklyn College and Yale University. Her practice was characterized by a deep reverence for traditional craftsmanship and a fascination with the power of visual language to express complex ideas. Throughout her career, she was highly respected for her ability to bridge the gap between visual expression and the principles of design. One of the defining features of Lustig Cohen's work was her ability to combine strong visual elements with a sophisticated understanding of design fundamentals. Her works often explored themes of materiality, geometry, color, and the built environment, and she was known for her commitment to experimentation, often using unorthodox materials and techniques to create unique and memorable works. She was also a key figure in the artistic milieu of 1950s and '60s New York City, collaborating with architects and designers including Louis Kahn, George Nelson, and Paul Rand. Lustig Cohen's legacy continues to inspire artists and designers today. Her works can be found in major institutions around the world, and her pioneering graphic works were widely influential in the art and design worlds alike. She was an iconic figure in the field, cementing her legacy as a master of the creative domain.
Elaine Lustig Cohen, American artist, graphic design, painting, sculpture, typography, traditional craftsmanship, visual language, design fundamentals, experimentation, New York City, collaboration, legacy, influential
CITATION : "Paul Davis. 'Elaine Lustig Cohen.' Design+Encyclopedia. https://design-encyclopedia.com/?E=379168 (Accessed on September 09, 2025)"
Elaine Lustig Cohen was an iconic American artist known for her use of typography, printmaking, graphic design, and her many collaborations with other artists throughout her career. Born in Brooklyn, New York in 1927, Lustig Cohen studied at Brooklyn College and Yale University. During her lifetime, she completed multiple important works and installations, such as her iconic “Neon Signs” series, as well as her personal brand, “Elaine Lustig Cohen Design”. Elaine Lustig Cohen was also known for her experimental typographic books, which she created in collaboration with The Museum of Modern Art, New York. Her pioneering graphic works were widely influential in the art and design worlds alike, making her a renowned figure in the field and cementing her legacy as a master of the creative domain.
American artist, Elaine Lustig Cohen, typography, printmaking, graphic design.
— Mei Wang
Elaine Lustig Cohen was a master of her craft, combining a modernist sensibility with a deep appreciation for traditional design techniques. Her works, which ranged from graphic design to painting and sculpture, reveal a fascination with the power of visual language and its potential to express complex ideas. Her approach to design was highly intuitive and often drew on the elements of nature or the built environment to create powerful, emotive pieces. Throughout her career, she was highly respected for her ability to bridge the gap between visual expression and the principles of design. She was also known for her commitment to experimentation, often using unorthodox materials and techniques to create unique and memorable works. Elaine Lustig Cohen was an influential figure in the world of design and her legacy continues to inspire artists and designers today.
Geometric, Abstraction, Graphic, Expression, Materiality, Communication.
Elaine Lustig Cohen was a pioneering American artist whose work embodied an intriguing blend of modernist abstraction and a deep reverence for traditional craftsmanship. Her practice, which ranged from painting and sculpture to graphic design and typography, was rooted in her belief that art is a form of communication—it should be meaningful and accessible to the viewer. In her own words, “I’m trying to get the idea of communication into the art, so that the person who looks at it will find something to think about.” Her work often explored themes of materiality, geometry, color, and the built environment. She was known for her ability to combine strong visual elements with a sophisticated understanding of design fundamentals. Elaine was a key figure in the artistic milieu of 1950s and ’60s New York City, and her works can be found in major institutions around the world.
Elaine Lustig Cohen, artist, graphic designer, painter, sculptor, modernist, abstraction, built environment, typography.
Elaine Lustig Cohen is a pioneering American artist widely known for her powerful graphic works spanning multiple mediums and decades. Her practice, which encompasses graphic design, painting, drawing and sculpture, reveals a fascination with geometric abstraction, materiality, and the built environment. As a self-described “graphic designer by trade”, Cohen synthesizes the impulse to create emotive works of art with a rigorous formal investigation of design’s fundamentals. She was a key figure in the artistic milieu of 1950s and '60s New York City, often collaborating with architects and designers including Louis Kahn, George Nelson, and Paul Rand. Elaine's notable works include the abstracted skyline of New York City for the Guggenheim Museum in 1961, her self-published book A/D: Alternative and Direct Millions in 1987, and her monumental stainless steel sculpture Mountain and Cloud in 1993.
Modernist, Graphic Design, Abstraction, Geometry, Art Theory.
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