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February 2, 2026
Chrysler Museum of Art Invites Visitors to Explore How Identity is Constructed through Events and Programming for “Architects of Being: Louise Nevelson and Esphyr Slobodkina”
Esphyr Slobodkina (Chelyabinsk, Russia, 1908–2002, Glen Head, New York), Abstraction with Red Circle, 1938, Oil on canvas, 29 x 13 x 1 1/4 in., On loan from the New Britain Museum of American Art: Olga H.
Knoepke Fund. 1994.02.
NORFOLK, Va.– The Chrysler Museum of Art is proud to present Architects of Being: Louise Nevelson and Esphyr Slobodkina, a groundbreaking exhibition showcasing works by two pioneering female artists on view from February 19–May 31, 2026. Chrysler Museum members enjoy a first look at the exhibition on February 18, while free access to the exhibition and select programming is available during the exhibition’s run.
Organized by the Arkansas Museum of Fine Arts (AMFA), this exhibition brings artists Louise Nevelson and Esphyr Slobodkina in direct dialogue for the first time. Both artists were Eastern European Jewish immigrants who worked in mid-century New York and developed distinct visual languages and identities within a male-dominated American art world. While Nevelson is known primarily as a sculptor and Slobodkina as a painter, both explored cubism, surrealism, and constructivism, with assemblage as an essential unifying theme throughout their careers.
Featuring 77 works, including sculptural assemblages, abstract paintings, collages, and garments they designed and wore, Architects of Being Being reveals the parallel journeys of women who helped transform American abstraction.
Programming for Architects of Being invites visitors to explore the exhibition’s central theme: how identity is constructed and expressed. By examining material choices, personal style, and visual composition, these programs provide audiences with a deeper understanding of the artists’ evolving voices, creative processes, and the social and historical contexts that shaped their work.
Architects of Being Exhibition Preview Celebration
Wednesday, February 18th, at 6 p.m.
Guests are invited to an evening preview celebration of Architects of Being. A collection of sculptures, mixed media, and other works by artists Louise Nevelson and Esphyr Slobodkina that explores their identities as immigrant women and pioneers in abstraction and highlights their unique contributions to art history and their perseverance as creatives.
Free for Museum members, $20 for non-members. Registration required.
Creative Minds: Constructing Identity in Art
Saturday, February 21, at 2 p.m.
The Creative Minds series takes audiences inside the genius of the world’s most iconic creators, innovators, and artists of our time. Artist and educator, Sherród Faulks, joins McKinnon Curator of Modern and Contemporary Art, Chelsea Pierce, to discuss and explore how individuals construct identity through art and design. This cross-disciplinary conversation explores how identity is imagined, performed, and expressed through creative practice.
$8 per talk for Museum members, $20 for Museum Members for series pass, $16 per talk non-members. Registration required.
Second Saturday Art Pop-Up
Saturday, March 14, from 11 a.m.–1:30 p.m
Whether you’re a curious creative or an experienced artist, this monthly program is for you! On March 14, construct a 3-D composition inspired by Louise Nevelson and Esphyr Slobodkina.
Free, registration required.
Governor’s School for the Arts (GSA) 12th Annual Wearable Arts Show
Friday, March 20, at 7 p.m.
This one-of-a-kind runway event celebrates the innovation and ingenuity of more than 50 students from GSA. This long-standing collaboration encourages young artists to use museums as sources of inspiration and artistic growth.
Free. Registration not required.
“Bits and Bobs” Assemblage Class
Sunday, March 22, from 1–4 p.m.
Channel your inner Louise Nevelson in this exciting partnership with the 757 Creative ReUse Center. Scavenge their extensive collection of upcycled and found objects to create your own vibrant work of art.
$15 for Members, $20 for non-members. Registration required.
Fashion Embellishment with GSA
Saturday, April 25, from 1–4 pm
Led by GSA students involved in the Wearable Arts Show, this unique class will focus on fashion embellishment. Embellish an article of clothing to learn how color, materials, and creativity combine into individual style.
$20 for Museum members, $35 for non-members. Registration required.
Book & Look– Modern Art: A Novel
Sunday, March 15, from 1–3 p.m.
Explores the exhibition’s themes with this Evelyn Toynton novel inspired by the life of Lee Krasner. Discussions will connect themes of self-discovery.
Free. Registration not required.
For a full lineup of exhibitions, programs, and events, visit chrysler.org or follow the Chrysler Museum on social media @chryslermuseum.
Following its debut at AMFA, the exhibition travels to the Chrysler Museum in Norfolk, Virginia, and then the New Britain Museum of American Art in Connecticut in 2026.
Architects of Being: Louise Nevelson and Esphyr Slobodkina is organized by the Arkansas Museum of Fine Arts and supported in part by the National Endowment for the Arts, Alan DuBois Fund for Contemporary Craft, and Ellsworth Kelly Foundation.
ABOUT THE CHRYSLER MUSEUM OF ART
The Chrysler Museum of Art brings art and people together through experiences that delight, inform, and inspire. Internationally recognized for its collection of more than 35,000 objects, including one the largest glass collections in America, the Museum also includes free admission, the state-of-the-art Perry Glass Studio, a full-service restaurant, shop, theater, works on paper space, and oversees the historic Myers House. The Museum boasts an ambitious schedule of exhibitions, events, and programs, and has been nationally recognized for its commitment to inclusion through its innovative gallery host program. For more information, visit chrysler.org. Follow on social media @ChryslerMuseum to receive the latest updates.
ABOUT THE ARKANSAS MUSEUM OF FINE ARTS
Founded in 1937, the Arkansas Museum of Fine Arts is the largest cultural institution of its kind in the state, offering a unique blend of visual and performing arts experiences. AMFA is committed to featuring diverse media and artistic perspectives within its permanent collection as well as through rotating temporary exhibitions. AMFA’s international collection spans eight centuries, with strengths in works on paper and contemporary craft, and includes notable holdings by artists from Arkansas, the South, and across the United States and Europe.
With a vibrant mix of ideas, cultures, people, and places, AMFA extends this commitment to diversity through the innovative Windgate Art School, a dynamic children’s theatre and performing arts program, and community-focused educational programs for all ages. Located in Little Rock’s oldest urban green space, MacArthur Park, AMFA’s landmark building and grounds are designed by Studio Gang and SCAPE, in collaboration with Polk Stanley Wilcox Architects.
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