Talks & Performances

A Closer Look: Gallery Talk

Joan Semmel and the Body

Feb. 20, 2026 1:00 pm - 2:00 pm
Exhibition Galleries

Dive deeply into the work of painter Joan Semmel, who for over fifty years has upended traditional figuration with her boldly declarative nude painting through gestural and hyperreal representation.

Looking at works from both the Jewish Museum’s collection and Joan Semmel: In the Flesh, this educator-led gallery talk will discuss how artists use a range of artistic techniques, compositions, and materials to depict or distort the human form.

Free with Museum admission; advance RSVP required.

A Closer Look: Gallery Talk

Joan Semmel, "Parade," 2023, oil on canvas, 72 × 60 in. (182.9 × 152.4 cm). Courtesy Alexander Gray Associates, New York © 2025 Joan Semmel / Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York