Romanian-American artist Emil Armin was born in Radautz, Austria-Hungary in 1883 and nurtured in a family deeply rooted in creative traditions. Armin's early exposure to art began at home, where his father, Hirsch Lieb, who was skilled at crafting cut-out paper figures and wax decorations, imparted his knowledge. From his grandfather, a talented scribe and maker of sacred scrolls, Armin also inherited a reverence for artistic expression. This familial legacy ignited Armin's innate artistic talents, evident from his childhood pursuits of carving wooden canes and ornaments and sketching during school hours, despite his teachers' initial disapproval.
In 1905, at the age of twenty-one, Armin sought new horizons in Chicago, where he joined his siblings, Sigmund and Frieda. Faced with the challenges of acclimating to a new culture and supporting himself financially, Armin immersed himself in a dual existence, toiling in shops by day and pursuing his aspirations through evening art classes. His dedication eventually bore fruit as he graduated from the School of the Art Institute of Chicago in 1920, marking the commencement of his illustrious career. Yet Armin, in collaboration with other young artists, endeavored to blaze his own trail by forming or joining anti-establishment cooperatives, such as the No-Jury Society, Cor Ardens, Neo-Arlimusc, and the Chicago Society of Artists.
Armin's artistic oeuvre reflected the pulse of early 20th century urban Chicago, capturing the vibrant energy and tumultuous rhythms of modern life. In addition to working as an easel painter for the WPA (Works Progress Administration) Federal Art Project in the 1930s, Armin's paintings served as poignant reflections of his own life, often delving into themes of Jewish ritual, biblical narratives, and the complexities of contemporary existence. Influenced by a diverse array of artistic styles, including Post-Impressionism, Expressionism, and Modernist movements, Armin's work exhibits a distinctive fusion of bold brushstrokes, vivid colors, and unabashed sentiment.
Throughout his prolific career, Armin remained a steadfast participant in Chicago's artistic community, exhibiting widely and garnering acclaim for his evocative portrayals of his adopted home. Armin's contributions to Chicago Modernism were lauded by critics and peers alike. His legacy endures as a testament to the power of art to illuminate the human experience, transcending boundaries of culture and time, and leaving an indelible imprint on the fabric of Chicago's artistic heritage. While Armin died in Chicago 1971, his works are today part of several notable private collections and held by the Art Institute of Chicago, the Smart Museum at the University of Chicago, the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts, and elsewhere.
