Norman Lewis
1909–1979
Introduction
Norman Wilfred Lewis (July 23, 1909 – August 27, 1979) was an American painter, scholar, and teacher. Lewis, who was African-American and of Bermudian descent, was associated with abstract expressionism, and used representational strategies to focus on black urban life and his community's struggles.
Wikidata identifier
Q7052490
Information from Wikipedia, made available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License . Accessed July 11, 2025.
Introduction
A New York native, Norman Lewis focused his work on the African-American experience in Harlem. He was educated at Columbia University and later studied with Augusta Savage. By the 1930s his work shifted to the marked style of Abstract Expressionism for which he became known. In 1963 Lewis and Romare Bearden founded the Spiral Group, an organization that produced works of art in response to the civil rights movement.
Country of birth
United States
Roles
Artist, instructor, painter
ULAN identifier
500060084
Names
Norman Lewis, Norman Wilfred Lewis
Information from the Getty Research Institute's Union List of Artist Names ® (ULAN), made available under the ODC Attribution License. Accessed July 11, 2025.
