Marcia Marcus Gets First Solo Museum Show in 42 Years at PAAM

The Provincetown Art Association and Museum (PAAM) will present 'Marcia Marcus: Strange and Clear,' the artist's first solo museum exhibition in 42 years, from June 26 to August 30, 2026. Marcus, who died in 2024 at age 97, was a key figure in the 1950s–60s New York avant-garde, known for her strikingly modern portraits and collages. The exhibition brings together over 30 objects, mostly paintings from the 1950s through the 1980s, plus archival materials. Curated by Debra Lennard, the show follows recent presentations at Olney Gleason gallery (which now represents her estate), Lévy Gorvy Dayan, and Eric Firestone gallery. A monograph from Rizzoli will accompany the exhibition. Marcus studied at Cooper Union and the Art Students League, where she was taught by Edwin Dickinson. She was the first woman to stage a Happening in 1960, and her work presaged contemporary painters like Amy Sherald. Her daughters Jane Barrell Yadav and Kate Prendergast have stewarded her legacy.