Barnett Newman: Here by Amy Newman—Book Review

Barnett Newman and Religion

Barnett Newman was born in 1905 in New York City. He was a son of Jewish immigrants from Poland, an aspect of his life that is key to his biographer. Amy Newman dedicates a significant portion of her book to the painter’s Jewish upbringing. She dives deeply into the Newman family history and their connection with religion.

For instance, Newman places a great deal of importance on the artist’s Bar Mitzvah, one of the most important ceremonies in Judaism: a moment of coming-of-age, when a 13-year-old boy reads from the Torah in front of the whole community for the first time. The writer even suggests that the passage Newman read was so significant for him that it inspired the titles for many of his paintings.

The emphasis on religion provides a fresh, new angle when it comes to interpreting Barnett Newman’s art. Previously, scholars would rather focus on discussing the philosophical aspects of his work, particularly in relation to the concept of the sublime. I believe Amy Newman brings something new to the scholarship, something that might even inspire other researchers, who will also look at one’s art from an unexpected perspective.

Barnett Newman as a Persona

In the introduction, Amy Newman sets the tone for the biography by explaining that Newman’s art was inherently connected with his identity.

The biographer encourages us to look at Newman’s art with his identity in mind. She challenges the purist look of abstract art. Where other scholars would encourage us to look solely at the shape and form, Amy Newman is telling the reader to look deeper into the painter’s life to understand his work. In this way, she places him in the tradition of artists such as Andy Warhol or Joseph Kosuth, for whom the myth of their person sometimes preceded their artistic practice.

Barnett Newman: One of the Irascibles

This results in numerous fascinating stories, such as the one of the Irascibles. In 1950, Nina Lee took one of the most iconic photographs connected to the history of American art, which was published in Life magazine. In the picture, we see 15 artists (unsurprisingly, only one woman—Hedda Sterne). We can spot, for example, Jackson Pollock sulking, Mark Rothko in his clear glasses, and serious Willem de Kooning. However, we cannot avoid noticing the one prominent figure in the center—Barnett Newman. There is no doubt who is the star of the show. As the biographer notes:

Why were these artists photographed in the first place? Editors at Life wanted to publish the story about the painters protesting against an exhibition titled American Painting Today—1950 that was to be organized at the Metropolitan Museum of Art. The painters did not agree with the museum’s selection of modern painting; they found it too conservative. To bring the matter into the public eye, they published an open letter in The New York Times. The media coverage not only brought awareness to the problem but, more importantly, made the Abstract Expressionist movement more popular.

Barnett Newman: Here

Amy Newman’s biography is definitely an important cornerstone in the scholarship on Barnett Newman. What is more, her own research might be only the beginning of a new study on the artist. If you love abstract painting, the New York art scene of the mid-20th century, and great stories that shaped the Abstract Expressionist movement, this book is for you!

Barnett Newman: Here was published by Princeton University Press in October 2025 and is available through the publisher’s website.