Very little is known about Rick Barton (1928–92), who, between 1958 and 1962, created hundreds of drawings of striking originality. With the exception of small displays in cafés and bookshops in the ’50s and ’60s, his upcoming exhibition at the Morgan Library and Museum, Writing a Chrysanthemum: The Drawings of Rick Barton, opening June 10 and running through September 11, 2022, is the first time his work will be seen in public.

The first museum exhibition dedicated to this largely undiscovered, yet extraordinary and original draftsman features 60 drawings, two accordion-fold sketchbooks, and five printed works by Barton. The title of the show comes from a story Barton told poet and artist Etel Adnan (1925–2021) in a San Francisco café in the early 1960s. Adnan, who was enthralled by Barton’s accordion-fold books, later wrote, “Rick Barton should have been a San Francisco legend.” However, he remained an obscure figure until now.

Barton’s subjects range from the intimacy of his bedroom to the architecture of Mexican cathedrals, and from the gathering places of Beat-era San Francisco to the sinuous contours of plants. Working almost exclusively in pen or brush and ink, he captured these subjects in a web of lines that evokes both drawing and writing. Though at times his work is simple and economical, more often it is complex and kaleidoscopic.

To learn more, visit the themorgan.org.

Pacific Northwest College of Art’s 2022 MFA Thesis Show Opens in Portland

Currently on view across three locations in Portland’s Pearl District, PNCA’s MFA Thesis Exhibitions are the culmination of two years of intensive creative practice.

A Studio Visit With Jillian Conrad

In her sculpture, Conrad is disengaging from permanence and the imposition of one’s will, as taken up by sculptors from Michelangelo to Serra.

Beer With a Painter: John Lees

Despite the fact that Lees works on paintings for as long as 30 years, they don’t appear overly precious. Instead, they seem human and vulnerable.

National Portrait Gallery Announces Director’s Essay Prize Winner for 2022

This year’s winner, Dr. Tiffany E. Barber, will present a paper related to her award-winning essay in Washington, DC, on Friday, September 9.

San Diego’s Parks Come Alive With Art

In a new six-month-long citywide arts initiative, 18 site-specific artworks are being installed throughout 28 parks in San Diego.

Report Finds Alarming Levels of Political Interference in Museums

The findings suggest that museums in central Europe are subject to dangerously high levels of political meddling and influence.

Caption a Kafka Drawing to Win a Copy of Franz Kafka: The Drawings

Judged by Judith Butler and Andreas Kilcher, those who submit the best captions to Yale University Press’s #KafkaCaptionContest will receive copies of this new book.

Tagged: Exhibition AnnouncementsNew YorkNew York CitySponsored