di Rosa Center for Contemporary Art maintains a permanent collection of works by Northern California artists that was originally collected by Rene di Rosa (1919-2010) and Veronica di Rosa (1934–1991). The collection contains notable works by artists living or working in the San Francisco Bay Area from mid-twentieth century to the early twenty-first century, highlighting a story of experimentation of the artists of the region. It is displayed in part, on a rotating basis, in the galleries at di Rosa.
This page represents a just a portion of di Rosa’s rich permanent collection. Stay tuned as we continue to populate this page with artworks from our collection.
di Rosa strives to be a resource for educators, students and lifelong learners. For research inquiries, please contact curatorial@dirosaart.org.
Crossing the Desert
Work on Paper
Skeletal travelers riding in 'train' across desert at high speed
25
Watercolor and pencil on paper
Work on Paper
AR0025
Simon Lowinsky Gallery
Purchase
Irving Norman
1948
Title
Signature
Date
Recto, lower left
Crossing the Desert I. Norman - 1948
Graphite
Trains
Object
30 in
40 in
Frame
37-1/2 in
47 in
2 in
Be Not Still: Living in Uncertain Times (Part 1)
January 27 - Sunday, May 27, 2018, di Rosa Center for Contemporary Art, Napa
Curator
2018
Irving Norman (1906-1989) used his paintbrush as a tool to portray his visions of modern society, engaging both social and political concerns from a metaphorical, critical, and spirited perspective. This painting was completed after Norman traveled to Mexico to view the work of prominent muralists working there at the time, which had a pronounced impact on his own approach, though he always blended many artistic styles. Addressing the predicaments of human life on Earth, this teeming painting portray rush-hour commuters, the horrors of poverty, and the excesses of capitalism and urban life