Leo Kaplan assemblage and sculpture

Collection — Carton: 1

Identifier: RITArt-0043

Staff Only

Scope and Contents

This collection contains one assemblage and one sculpture by Leo Kaplan. Kaplan's distinctive assemblages combine found objects into sculptural works of art.

Jamie's World, assemblage, 1990

Type, sculpture, undated

Dates

Creation: 1990, undated

Creator

Kaplan, Leo (Person)

Conditions Governing Access

This collection is open to researchers.

Biographical / Historical

Leo Kaplan was born in Binghamton, New York in 1912, and attended the Rochester Athenaeum and Mechanics Institute's (a precursor to RIT)School of Art and was listed in “Who’s Who in American Art” as both an Assemblage and Collage Artist. He studied illustration and advertising art, and graduated in 1932. While at RAMI, he was in Art Student's League, the yearbook committee,and the Student Handbook staff providing illustrations throughout these publications.

He joined the Air Force in 1942 and spent 2 1/2 years in England as a First Sergeant with a Ferry and Transport unit.

After the war, he lived in Rochester and worked for the Great Lakes Press, a Rochester-based color lithographing firm, for 30 years and designed annual reports, catalogues, advertising literature, displays and packages. He was the company’s art director for 20 years and the creative director for the remaining 10 until his retirement in 1976.

In 1968 he was honored by RIT with an Outstanding Alumnus Award. He continued to live and create his unique assemblages in Florida until his passing at age 100 in 2012.