Today, I learned that my friend, Louis Torres, died at the age of 88 on August 17, 2026, after a long decline in his health. Back in April 2025, I had reported on the death of his wife, Michelle Marder Kamhi.
Lou was an independent scholar and arts critic. Having graduated with a B.A. in psychology from Rutgers University in 1960, with a minor in English, Lou did graduate work in child psychology at the University of Minnesota and received his M.A. in the Teaching of English at Teachers College, Columbia University. He’d go on to teach English, art and music appreciation, in schools throughout New Jersey and New York City.
In 1982, Lou founded Aristos, a publication that advanced critical commentary and arts scholarship informed by the work of Ayn Rand. A series of articles on Rand’s aesthetics with his co-editor and wife Michelle led to their trailblazing, co-authored book, What Art Is: The Esthetic Theory of Ayn Rand, published by Open Court in 2000. A year later, that book inspired the first-ever published symposium on Rand’s aesthetics in The Journal of Ayn Rand Studies (JARS).
Lou’s work went beyond Rand scholarship. His essays on Jack Schaefer, the author of Shane, led to several insightful contributions in Aristos. He also contributed to the Encyclopedia of Libertarianism, Art Education, and the book, After the Avant-Gardes: Reflections on the Future of the Fine Arts.
Lou wrote two articles that appeared in JARS. As a founding co-editor of JARS, editing Lou’s work for publication gave one a lesson in humility. His attention to detail—down to the use of commas and semi-colons—was not meant for the faint of heart.
But what a heart he had.
We first met in the early 1990s when I was working on my book, Ayn Rand: The Russian Radical. He and Michelle were loving, generous, kind, and supportive friends. Over the years, we spent countless hours together. Even when seeing each other was virtually impossible, we could visit with one another in lengthy phone calls. I loved them both very much.
Here are a few photos of happy memories:
I want to express my deepest condolences to his family and friends. I share in their loss. Rest in peace, dear friend.
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