Early Life and the Prairie Landscape Alex Katz, born July 24, 1927, in Brooklyn, New York, wasn’t destined for a life immersed in the vibrant hues of the art world. His early years were shaped by the quiet austerity of his Ukrainian immigrant family – his father, Odesa-born, had lost a factory during the upheaval following the Russian Revolution. The Kurelek family moved to St. Albans, Queens, in 1928, a shift that profoundly influenced his artistic sensibility. This wasn’t a city teeming with creative energy; it was a landscape of modest homes, close-knit communities, and a palpable sense o…