Alice Neel: Paintings Of Two Decades
OA Version
Citation
Abstract
[Alice Neel, born 1900, has lived in New York for over half a century, painting still lifes, cityscapes,
narrative scenes and portraits. During that time she had indifferent husbands and zealous lovers, she
mourned a dead child and felt a mother's anxiety for two sons who grew and matured, she experienced a
harrowing mental depression but recuperated to pursue singlemindedly her own artistic career in spite of neglect. For ten years during the 1930s she lived off her wages from the Works Progress Administration, while being active in left-wing causes. In the 1950s she knew and painted the Beat writers, and even appeared in Robert Frank's and Al Leslie's film Pull My Daisy. Since then she has had major exhibitions across the country, and, in 1976, was elected to the American Academy of Arts and Letters. In 1979 she received a citation along with four other women for outstanding work in art from President Carter in a ceremony held in the Oval Office. Reviewing her life, she remarks: "All experience is great provided you live through it." ]
Description
Includes bibliographical sketch by Patricia Hills
This is the catalogue of the exhibition "Alice Neel: Paintings of Two Decades" held at Boston University Art Gallery from October 9 - November 2, 1980.
This is the catalogue of the exhibition "Alice Neel: Paintings of Two Decades" held at Boston University Art Gallery from October 9 - November 2, 1980.
License
©Boston University Art Gallery