New exhibit showcases the long-hidden artwork of Avital Sagalyn

Key Points:

• A new exhibition in Provincetown, Massachusetts, is showcasing the work of Avital Sagalyn, an artist who painted there in the mid-1940s but remained largely unknown during her lifetime by choice.
• Sagalyn, who lived to 95 and passed away in 2020, avoided commercial art venues, focusing on painting as a private practice, which contributed to the purity and distinctiveness of her work.
• Her life story, recently shared by her son and daughter-in-law, reveals a childhood marked by fleeing war-torn Europe, early artistic talent, and a significant friendship with Pablo Picasso during her time in Paris as a Fulbright Scholar.
• Sagalyn's Provincetown paintings capture the coastal light and daily life with bold lines and color, drawing inspiration from masters like Turner and Cezanne, and she was encouraged by artist Hans Hofmann to pursue her unique style without formal classes.
• After decades of obscurity, Sagalyn held her first solo museum exhibition in 2019 at age 94, and her legacy is now gaining recognition, influencing the American art scene and inspiring new appreciation for her work.