Born in Egypt and raised in New York City, Ibram Lassaw was a pivotal force in defining the very essence of American Abstract Expressionism. Throughout his long career, Lassaw remained a leader in vanguard circles, following his own course instead of the changing fashions; in fact, his steadfast opposition to representational art anticipated the Abstract Expressionist movement that would come following World War II. Lassaw did not sell any major pieces until 1951, when Nelson Rockefeller purchased 10 of his pieces. His sculpture has since become part of many important collections including the Museum of Modern Art, the Whitney Museum of American Art, the Brooklyn Museum and Harvard University's Fogg Museum.