Born in Newark, New Jersey, Lee Lozano studied at the Art Institute of Chicago before moving to New York City in 1960. She quickly gained recognition for her bold, expressionistic paintings that often incorporated visceral, tool-like imagery and a distinctively raw aesthetic.

Her practice evolved from figurative painting into complex conceptual projects, most notably her Wave Series, which explored the physics of light and energy. She frequently utilized oil on canvas to execute works that challenged traditional notions of form and gender, often imbuing her compositions with a sense of mechanical intensity.

Lozano remains a significant figure in contemporary art history, with her monographs and artist books continuing to be featured in international exhibitions and reading room projects. Her legacy is frequently revisited in institutional surveys that highlight the contributions of women artists to the development of 20th-century conceptualism.