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 rooted in the stark realities of post-war America, shaped by the quiet resilience of his Ukrainian immigrant parents, Ada and Odesa Kurelek. His father, Dmytro, had fled Ukraine during the turmoil of the Russian Revolution, carrying with him a profound sense of loss and a determination to build a new life for his family in the United States. This history of displacement subtly informed Katz’s artistic sensib…