description: Norman W. Lewis was born in Harlem, New York. His parents had emigrated from Bermuda. Always interested in art, he had amassed a large art history library by the time he was a young man. A lifelong resident of Harlem, he also travelled extensively during the two years that he worked on ocean freighters. An important early influence was the sculptor and teacher Augusta Savage, who provided him with open studio space at her Harlem Art Center. He also participated in WPA art projects, alongside Jackson Pollock, among others. He was an early member of the Spiral Group, a group of artists and writers who met regularly that included Charles Alston, Romare Bearden, Ralph Ellison, and Jacob Lawrence. His earlier work was mostly figurative. He at first painted what he saw, which ranged from Meeting Place (1930), a swap meet scene, and The Yellow Hat (1936), a formal Cubist painting, to Dispossed (1940), an eviction scene, and Jazz Musicians (1948), a visual depiction of the bebop that was bein
language: English
title: Norman Lewis, from the Harlem Renaissance to Abstraction: May 7, 1989-June 25, 1989, Kenkeleba Gallery, New York
titlecomplete: Norman Lewis, from the Harlem Renaissance to Abstraction: May 7, 1989-June 25, 1989, Kenkeleba Gallery, New York
ratings_count: 1
publisher: Natl Endowment for the Arts