Arthur Garfield Dove, Tree Trunk (detail), about 1929. Pastel on canvas mounted to paper on strainer. Gift of the William H. Lane Foundation.
Arthur Garfield Dove, Tree Trunk (detail), about 1929. Pastel on canvas mounted to paper on strainer. Gift of the William H. Lane Foundation.
Modernism at Mid-Century
1:00 pm–2:30 pm
Tickets (Member / Nonmember)
In-Person $28 / $35
Livestream $16 / $20
During the mid-20th century, many painters, sculptors, and photographers in the United States and Europe looked to nature to find abstraction. Against a backdrop of political and economic upheaval and great change in the world, these artists sought inspiration, and perhaps solace, in the landscape. Some traveled widely and others explored their own surroundings, finding shapes, patterns, and textures in hills and dunes, shells and bones, clouds and water. Curator Erica Hirshler introduces several of the iconic artists of this important art movement, including Georgia O’Keeffe and Henry Moore, as well as their contemporaries Arthur Dove, Edward Weston, Imogen Cunningham, Barbara Hepworth, and Alexander Calder.
Erica Hirshler, Croll Senior Curator of American Paintings, Art of the Americas
Course Packages
Purchase a ticket package for the full five-session “Abstracting Nature: Exploring Georgia O’Keeffe and Henry Moore” course. Please note that this option is not available after the date of the first session.
Assistive listening system
Wheelchair accessible
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.
Livestream Tickets
The livestream ticket gives access to a live feed of the event that can be watched remotely. You must be logged in to the account used to purchase the ticket in order to access the livestream on the Video Content page. Please log in at least 5 minutes before the start of the event to test your connection.
Livestream ticket holders must watch the event live; there is no recording of the event available for viewing at a later time.
Bag Checks
All bags are subject to inspection by Museum staff. Backpacks, large bags, all liquids including hand sanitizer and sunscreen, and outside food or drink are not permitted. Exceptions are made for medical or religious needs. All bags are strongly discouraged, and any bags larger than 11” x 15” must be checked in the Coat Room upon entry. Read our full bag check policy.