LeRoy Neiman Exhibition Highlights Early Fashion Illustration Work
LeRoy Neiman (1921–2012) was best known for his brilliantly colored, expressionist paintings and screen prints of athletes, musicians and sporting events. A new exhibition highlights his early, lesser-known work as a fashion illustrator and explores how it influenced his lifelong interest in capturing the clothing, gesture and style of his subjects.
The exhibition begins with commercial works he produced in the 1950s and continues through the following decades, showcasing themes in his sketches and studies such as masculinity, celebrity and the formal elements of gesture, line and color. Neiman was rarely without his sketchbook, and his art reflects both his curiosity and observational skill.
Featuring 85 illustrations — many on public view for the first time — the exhibition spans Neiman’s work from the 1950s through the 1990s and includes garments from the artist’s personal wardrobe. It is organized in partnership with the LeRoy Neiman and Janet Byrne Neiman Foundation in New York City.
About the Kent State University Museum
The Kent State University Museum houses one of the world’s most important collections of fashion, textiles and decorative arts, spanning the mid-1700s to the present. With a collection of more than 30,000 objects and seven gallery spaces, the museum provides invaluable experiences for both the university community and the broader public. It is recognized regionally and nationally for the depth and scope of its collection.
About the LeRoy Neiman and Janet Byrne Neiman Foundation
The LeRoy Neiman and Janet Byrne Neiman Foundation aims to preserve and promote the legacy of LeRoy Neiman, supporting organizations that advance the arts and provide opportunities for at-risk youth to build successful futures. The foundation shares Neiman’s ideals, philanthropic spirit and artistic contributions throughout the United States and beyond.