Norman Lewis, Every Atom Glows, Electrons in Luminous Vibration (detail), 1951. Oil on canvas. The John Axelrod Collection—Frank B. Bemis Fund, Charles H. Bayley Fund, and The Heritage Fund for a Diverse Collection. © Estate of Norman W. Lewis; Courtesy of Michael Rosenfeld Gallery LLC, New York, NY.
Norman Lewis, Every Atom Glows, Electrons in Luminous Vibration (detail), 1951. Oil on canvas. The John Axelrod Collection—Frank B. Bemis Fund, Charles H. Bayley Fund, and The Heritage Fund for a Diverse Collection. © Estate of Norman W. Lewis; Courtesy of Michael Rosenfeld Gallery LLC, New York, NY.
Art and the Spirit
“Art, when really understood, is the province of every human being,” wrote influential teacher and painter Robert Henri in the 1920s. Explore the universal human drive to understand the world by making art through works created in times of fear and conflict alongside works by self-taught artists who drew on spiritual subjects for inspiration. Look closely at the explorations of dissolving form and light made at mid-century by Hyman Bloom, Jackson Pollock, and Norman Lewis, as well as the visionary creations of Howard Finster and Sam Doyle.
Erica Hirshler, Croll Senior Curator of American Paintings, Art of the Americas
Michael Bramwell, Joyce Linde Curator of Folk and Self-Taught Art, Art of the Americas
Course Packages
Purchase a ticket package for the full five-session “Stories Artists Tell: Art of the Americas, the 20th Century” course. Please note that this option is not available after the date of the first session.
Assistive listening system
Wheelchair accessible
Past Dates and Times
Wednesday, April 5, 2023
Ticket Information
To order tickets by phone, call 1-800-440-6975 ($6 processing fee applies); to order in person, visit any MFA ticket desk.