Edward Leffingwell, Influential Critic and Curator, Dies at 72

Edward Leffingwell, a critic and curator from New York, passed away on August 5, 2014, at the age of 72 due to cardiac arrest after a prolonged struggle with Parkinson's disease, as confirmed by his brother Thomas. Born in 1941 in Sharon, Pennsylvania, he nurtured his artistic passions at the Butler Institute in Youngstown, Ohio. In the mid-1960s, he relocated to New York, immersing himself in the downtown art scene and forming friendships with notable figures such as Abbie Hoffman and Hélio Oiticica. He received his B.A. from Youngstown State University in 1982 and an M.A. from the University of Cincinnati in 1984. Beginning his curatorial journey in 1983, he later led the Los Angeles Municipal Art Gallery, where he initiated "LAX: The Los Angeles Exhibition" in 1992. For twenty years, he contributed to Art in America, recognized for his witty and flamboyant writing style.