Philip and Muriel Berman Museum of Art at Ursinus College

Join us for a conversation at 6 pm tonight with artist Kris Graves and Dr. Lynne Edwards, Professor of Media and Communication Studies, about Graves' work. "Testaments" is available to view on our website.

Dr. Deborah Barkun discusses the Museum's recent acquisition, Kara Walker's "Resurrection Story Without Patrons.

On Thursday at 6pm we will be hosting a conversation with artist Kris Graves and Dr. Lynne Edwards, Professor of Media and Communication Studies, about Graves' stunning photographic work. "Testaments" is available to view on our website.

Deborah Barkun walks through "Chuck Kelton: Folds" and discusses the photographer's unique artistic practice in this informative tour.

#FBF to last March when "The Griz" statue was moved from the Floyd Lewis Bakes Center to the new Commons building. (Terry Lee, The Griz, 2013, Bronze. Generously given by the class of 1963 in honor of their 50th reunion)

"The darkroom experience has always had a magical place in my life. Though the materials change, the thrill of the darkroom drama remains the same. The process has been going on for more than 150 years and every time you make a print, you are tied into that history. Chuck Kelton. His works of photographic art, as well as some of the materials he uses to create them, are on view in "Folds."

#FBF to 2019 when we celebrated 30 years of the Berman. Last year, this Ursinus College Magazine article profiled founding director Lisa Tremper Hanover with then-director Charles Stainback. In 2020, Lisa rejoined the Berman as its transitional director after Stainback retired. Little did she know she would be taking on one of the Museum's greatest challenges to date, the COVID-19 outbreak. "The pandemic presented a whole different set of challenges that the staff has met w...ith remarkable energy and creativity, she says. "Currently, our gallery spaces are being used for teaching and it is a remarkable opportunity for us to speak directly to our campus audience, as we have physically installed our planned exhibitions. Our virtual platforms have become our most important communication vehicle and we strive to deliver evocative and exciting content that constantly evolves. I am always energized when I walk through our galleries with visitors and look forward to the time when we can welcome our audience back to immerse themselves in the visual splendors we have to offer." See more

Take a virtual Curator’s Tour of Françoise Gilot: Her Journey Through Portraiture with our Director of Operations, Lisa Tremper Hanover. Lisa’s intimate knowledge of Gilot (her life, relationships, and artistic process) is a treat to hear as she guides one from artwork to artwork. What better way to honor Gilot’s 99th year and artistic legacy than to see her life through the eyes of the people she painted and loved. Click the link to watch.

Happy Hanukkah! Following in the footsteps of her parents, who were great champions of Jewish and Israeli art, Philip and Muriel Berman Foundation president Nancy Berman authored The Art of Hanukkah (Universe, 2016), highlighting 48 works from ceremonial items to masterful paintings.

The Philip and Muriel Berman Museum of Art condemns the tragic deaths of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, Ahmaud Arbery, and countless others, resulting from acts of racist violence. We stand united against police brutality and racial injustice. We remain steadfast in our commitment to create spaces of dialogue, equity, and inclusion through our programming and exhibitions. Here, we re-present images from our exhibition "Under Color of Law" (2015), curated by Ginny Kollak, that... contextualized and responded to civil unrest following the deaths of Michael Brown and Eric Garner. "Under Color of Law" featured work by five acclaimed, Black artistsTerry Adkins, Nsenga Knight, Hank Willis Thomas, Nari Ward, and Carrie Mae Weemswho explore themes of race, privilege, speech, and historical memory. The exhibition was tragically timely then and remains grievously urgent now. We reprise this exhibition, along with expanded content, to bear witness. Black Lives Matter. To be silent is to be complicit. See more

Today’s working conditions at the Berman Museum

We're thrilled to announce that The Philip and Muriel Berman Museum of Art on the Ursinus College campus has been reaccredited by the American Alliance of Museums, a distinction earned by a very select number of museums in the United States. We continue to strive to sustain and improve upon our efforts in support of the Ursinus College educational mission and our stewardship of the permanent collection resources entrusted to our care.

There’s so much stuff that you don’t know. Just part of the process. You think you know stuff. You know nothing. Today on the #BermanMuseumOfArt YouTube channel, Deborah Barkun and Willie Williams continue their conversation, discussing Williams’ research process and his recent exploration of abolitionist leader Frederick Douglass. Click the link to watch!

Today's Election Day! Make your vote count.

Artist Katie Merz explains her process for creating the smokestack mural at @UrsinusCollege as well as the meaning behind its imagery and iconography in this illuminating video.

Happy almost Halloween! Sometimes a visit to our offsite storage facility can get a little creepy. (Pictured: The Reader by J. Seward Johnson Jr. , 1980. Bronze. Gift of Muriel and Philip Berman.)

Museum at Home: Jean Pierre Vasarely a.k.a. Yvaral's "Structures in Cubiques" exemplifies the artist's love of pattern, design and repetition. (before 2002. Serigraph on paper. Gift of Dr. and Mrs. Homer J. Robinson)

Museum Moment of Zen: Israeli artist Menashe Kadishman cultivated a minimalist style in which heavy forms achieve improbable balance. This undated piece, on loan from the Philip and Muriel Berman Foundation, is typical of his midcentury work. (Untitled brass, n.d., brass.)

Be sure to check out Justin Favela's "Libertad (Freedom)," part of an installation of six works by Group X at the Philadelphia Navy Yard, which will be up until November 4th. The Berman presented Favela's piñata-inspired mural "The Valley of Oaxaca" in 2018-2019.

Happy birthday, Roy Lichtenstein! This piece, Sunrise, is in the Museum's permanent collection. (1965. Lithograph on paper. Gift of Muriel and Philip Berman)

Museum at Home: Contemporary American folk artist Ronald Cooper taught himself woodworking after an on-the-job accident left him depressed and permanently injured. Like many of his pieces, "Demon Possessed Man" depicts the universal themes and stark imagery of his nightmares. (1989. Acrylic on wood. Purchase with funds donated by Muriel and Philip Berman)

Museum Moment of Zen: In both his paintings and prints, 20th-century artist Richard Florsheim explored the ways electric light played into landscapes. In this print, "Metropolis," the street light blends into the facades of city buildings. (before 1979. Lithograph on paper. Gift of Muriel and Philip Berman)

When you walk into the Berman, you're typically greeted by a friendly student worker. This series of videos introduces the students who have been so integral to the Museum in recent years.

We long for the day when the Berman can reopen to the public again, but in the meantime, the virtual experience of Stephanie Rowden's The Collection Speaks offers a poignant journey through art and artifacts that convey the Museum's distinct point of view. https://bit.ly/3l0BtsD

Just a little 360 degree video of the Katie Mertz mural!

Museum at Home: Swedish painter Doris Hennix worked in the 20th century but her expressive brushstrokes and muted color palette in paintings such as this one, "Man at Table," have a distinctly Post-Impressionist quality. (c. 1960-1970. Gouache on vellum. Gift of the Philip and Muriel Berman Foundation)