Picasso’s artistic talent was apparent already in his childhood and developed from his persistent sense of discipline. Samples of his lesser known early works and selections from his decades of creations will be discussed. We will see Picasso’ s costumes and set design for the Ballets Russes, his sculpture made of found objects and his ceramics which reflected his wit as well as his love for animals. Above all, some of his greatest works arose when a new woman came into his life. As Picasso aged, his partners became younger and younger. We will see why Picasso remains among the greatest artists in history.

Dali is known for his works with their detailed, dream-like imagery. With the rise of anti-Semitism in the 1930s, the artist painted several works which show interest in Hitler. He was exiled from the Surrealists for his flirtation with Nazism. Decades later, he was selected by the State of Israel to create works for its twentieth anniversary. His works for this celebratory event are striking in their treatment of Biblical and contemporary history. During Dali’s meeting with Freud in London, the artist painted his portrait which now is in the Freud Museum in London. This talk raises the question of how to evaluate his radiant Jewish-themed works and his feelings about Jews. Can we separate the man from the art?

Miriam Schapiro, an artist and educator, promoted the importance of women in the world of visual arts, so much so that she came to be called the Johnny Appleseed of the field. Femmage was the term she coined in the mid-1970s to identify the collaging of materials such as rickrack, embroidery, handkerchiefs, lace and other textiles which were previously considered outside the realm of serious art making. Mimi created femmages relating to her Jewish heritage. There is a work dedicated to Jewish painter/fashion designer Sonia Delaunay. Also there is a series of canvases devoted to Frida Kahlo. Schapiro was interested in her paintings as well as her "alleged" Jewish background. The presentation ends with Schapiro’s tributes to Anne Frank which contain touching vignettes of Jewish life.

Mary Cassatt, born in an affluent family, aspired to become a professional artist, a male province. In mid-nineteenth century America, Mary’s decision to study at the Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts in Philadelphia before traveling to Europe seemed beyond the pale. As a woman her subject matter was restricted to the domestic sphere. Yet we will see her little-known early works in Spain in which flirtatious scenes between the sexes appear. Her success in the Impressionist shows will be discussed. Mary grew up in a family that valued education and her images of women in cultural and intellectual activities show them as independent and powerful beings.

Barbara Kruger was listed in Time magazine in 2021 as one of the 100 most important people in the world. She creates powerful black-and-white images marked by slogans to broadcast her ideas in posters and billboards. Her critiques such as “I Shop Therefore I Am” even appear on T-shirts and show the impact of her art. She describes, “I work with pictures and words because they have the ability to determine who we are, what we want to be and what we become.” She deciphers and challenges female and male attitudes through her work. We will also look at her equally bombastic sculptures in which political issues and secrets are unveiled. Kruger deconstructs gender roles and reminds us of the power of public imagery.

Cindy Sherman’s work, which always stars the artist transformed through makeup and costume, addresses a variety of female roles. Without titles her photos throughout her 4-decades-long career let us identify the stereotypes she constructs from movie stars, housewives, insecure eavesdropping women, and fantasy scenes. Starting with her work in black-and-white to her use of color photography, Sherman examines and questions with her staged portraits: Do we know these women or identify with them? Some of her works reflect characters out of art history as well as the posing models of the fashion industry. An early feminist, she raises unanswered questions and challenges us to consider clichéd ideas associated with femininity and status.

Helen Frankenthaler, who did not want to be labeled as a woman artist, flourished as an abstract painter in a world of male artists, dealers, and critics. She wanted to be valued as a good artist rather than be categorized. Her luscious paintings placed her in a circle of highly respected artists and galleries. The critic Clement Greenberg, with whom Frankenthaler had a serious relationship during the ’50s, saw in her work Innerlichkeit, or inner light. Her color field paintings reflect this quality of quietly looking within. We will look at her radical approach to the canvas, her themes from her love of nature as well as Biblical references in her work, and her influence on others.