About this Event
Long before major museums embraced him as one of America's most original artists, Jon Serl (c. 1898-1993) lived a quiet but vibrant life in rural California, surrounded by his visionary paintings, his chickens, and his chihuahuas. Playful, curious, and fiercely true to himself, he filled his work with social commentary and fearless self-examination, exploring spirituality, politics, gender, sexuality, and death. Weightless, ethereal figures seem to swim across his canvases in a kind of celestial dance.
The moment Susan C. Larsen and her late husband, Lauri Robert Martin, caught sight of one of those remarkable paintings behind the counter of a remote California antique shop, they were captivated. The work wasn't for sale, so instead they decided to track down the self-taught artist.
What followed was a decadeslong friendship. Over those years, Larsen pieced together much of Serl's remarkable story through countless interviews and close study of his paintings, while Martin documented the artist's life in an extraordinary body of photographs. Larsen's scholarship would make her one of the earliest and most influential interpreters of Serl's work.
Today, amid renewed national interest in Serl’s work, much is still unknown about the artist.
On Nov. 12, Larsen will offer a rare, firsthand account of the artist, his work, and the enduring friendship that shaped her understanding of both. The free lecture at Mechanics’ Hall draws on Larsen’s forthcoming memoir about Serl and is organized alongside an intimate exhibition, “Jon Serl: Life Is a Dance,” at the Rabkin Foundation. The exhibit, curated by Larsen, the foundation’s emeritus and founding director, and Rabkin Curator Danielle Yovino, brings together paintings from Larsen’s personal collection alongside works collected by Dorothea and Leo Rabkin, who were among Serl's earliest champions.
Wednesday, November 12 at 6:30 p.m. (doors open to the public 6:00 p.m.). The event is free to the public, registration is required.
Photograph by Lauri Robert Martin ft.The Orchard by Jon Serl, ca. 1975
ABOUT THE SPEAKER
Susan C. Larsen is the founding and emeritus executive director of the Dorothea and Leo Rabkin Foundation. Susan developed the Rabkin Prize, which honors excellence in arts writing, and established the Portland headquarters of the foundation, where the legacy of Dorothea and Leo Rabkin is celebrated, studied, and preserved.
Susan met Dorothea and Leo Rabkin in 1972 while doing research on the American Abstract Artists group for her doctoral thesis at Northwestern University. She documented Leo Rabkin’s long tenure as the group’s president, a period of several decades when he brought younger artists on as members. Susan’s close friendship with the Rabkins continued throughout their lives.
Susan was a professor of art history at the University of Southern California in Los Angeles from 1975 to 1996, and she was the curator of the permanent collection at the Whitney Museum of American Art in New York from 1988 to 1991. Susan moved to Maine with her husband, Lauri Robert Martin, in 1996, and she served as the chief curator of the Farnsworth Art Museum in Rockland. She also worked as a regional collector of documents for the Smithsonian Institution’s Archives of American Art.
Susan is the author of many articles, museum catalogues, and books, and she has been a frequent lecturer at museums and universities across the country and abroad. Susan lives in South Portland.
PARKING & TRANSPORTATION
The Greater Portland Metro’s Congress & Casco Street Stop is directly in front of our building, served by routes 1, 7, 8, and 9B.
Street Parking: Available on Congress, Casco, Cumberland, Free Street, and nearby streets. Pay by meter or the Passport Parking App. Free after 6 PM, on Sundays, and between Parris and Alder Street. Some blocks may vary — look for posted signs.
Garages: The Arts District Garage (41 Brown St) has 250+ spaces, is open 24/7, and accepts credit card only, with entrances on Brown, Cumberland, and Casco. The Elm Street Garage (21 Elm St) is conveniently near the Portland Library. The Spring Street Garage is three blocks away at 45 Spring St.
ACCESSIBILITY
To enter our building, patrons will need to navigate a single step or use a modular ramp. Please note that the wheelchair ramp has a steep 17" incline.
A wheelchair-accessible elevator is available. The elevator is 60" deep, 48" wide, with a 32" door opening. There are four wheelchair-accessible bathrooms on the third-floor level, adjacent to the Ballroom.
If you have a wheelchair or need accessibility accommodations/questions, please contact us at [email protected] or 207-773-8396.
Event venue & nearby stays
Mechanics' Hall, 519 Congress Street, Portland, United States
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