Irving Norman: Fight for Life @ SJMA

Irving Norman: Fight for Life is a focused survey of the late Bay Area artist known for his monumental social-surrealist paintings and drawings. Combining the political force of Mexican muralism with the apocalyptic warnings of artists such as Hieronymus Bosch and Otto Dix, Norman’s work reflects his conviction in art as a catalyst for positive social and political change. Including several works from SJMA’s collection, the exhibition is guided by the artist’s remarkable life story: Born in Vilna, Poland, in 1906, he immigrated to the US through Ellis Island in 1923, soon after returning to Europe to fight in the Spanish Civil War. Upon his return to the US, he studied figurative art, enrolling at the California School of Fine Arts in San Francisco, and eventually settled in Half Moon Bay. His experience in war shaped his lifelong commitment to making art that opposed violence, social inequality, and abuses of power. As communities across the US continue to fight for justice, Norman’s paintings from the 1950s–1980s offer solidarity in struggle as they channel his unshakable hope for a more just future.