Alice Neel's Communist Vision at Barbican
Right now, the Barbican Art Gallery in London is hosting an exhibit called 'Alice Neel: Hot Off the Griddle', featuring 70 of her paintings that emphasize her lifelong dedication to communism, a detail many people forget about. Neel joined the Communist Party USA in 1935 and remained a member until she died in 1984. One of the highlights is her 1951 artwork, 'The Death of Mother Bloor', which depicts Ella Reeve Bloor, a co-founder of the Communist Labor Party of America, holding a 'COMMUNIST PARTY' banner. The show runs until May 21, 2023, and curator Eleanor Nairne encourages a gentler view of Neel's politics, although some critics argue this approach overlooks the deeper meanings in her work.
Key facts
- Alice Neel joined the Communist Party USA in 1935 and remained a member until her death.
- The exhibition 'Alice Neel: Hot Off the Griddle' at Barbican Art Gallery includes 70 paintings.
- Neel's 1951 painting 'The Death of Mother Bloor' features a banner reading 'COMMUNIST PARTY'.
- Ella Reeve Bloor was a founder of the Communist Labor Party of America.
- Neel's work was included in the 1976 exhibition 'Women Artists, 1550-1950' at LACMA.
- Curator Eleanor Nairne urged a 'softer' view of Neel's politics.
- Neel declared in 1983 that 'the whole 20th century has been a struggle between communism and capitalism'.
- The exhibition runs until 21 May 2023.
Entities
Artists
- Alice Neel
- Ella Reeve Bloor
- Andy Warhol
- Gus Hall
- Frank O'Hara
- Linda Nochlin
- Daisy
- John Rothschild
- Ann Sutherland Harris
- Katy Hessel
- Hilton Als
- John Perreault
- Gerald Meyer
- Vivian Gornick
- Nancy Baer
Institutions
- Barbican Art Gallery
- Communist Party USA
- Communist Labor Party of America
- United Farmers League
- Public Works of Art Project
- Artists' Union
- Los Angeles County Museum of Art
- FBI
Locations
- London
- United Kingdom
- New York
- United States
- Bronx
- East Harlem
- Soviet Union