Moss Galleries Resurrects the Visionary Work of John Hultberg

Moss Galleries proudly announces its representation of the late American painter John Hultberg (1922–2005) with the exhibition John Hultberg: Angels Above Fear, on view in Falmouth, Maine, through May 31. Once hailed by Time magazine as a “darling of American art,” Hultberg is an acclaimed figure in postwar art whose distinctive style, self-described as “abstracted realism,” defies easy categorization.

“John Hultberg’s work resonates with a kind of urgent mystery — haunting, prophetic, and deeply human,” said Elizabeth Moss, founder and director of Moss Galleries. “We are honored to champion his legacy and bring his work to a new generation of collectors and curators. Hultberg painted from a place of uncompromising vision, and that authenticity is more vital now than ever.”

Born in Berkeley, California, Hultberg served as a US Navy officer during World War II before studying with Clyfford Still and Mark Rothko at the Art Students League. His early career was marked by critical acclaim, including First Prize at the 1954 Corcoran Biennial and exhibitions at the Martha Jackson Gallery in New York and across Europe, though his fame dimmed in later decades. Today, it’s Lynne Drexler — his wife, who worked more quietly during her lifetime — who is commanding the market, major museum attention, and critical rediscovery. Hultberg, meanwhile, has slipped into relative obscurity, despite an equally distinctive and prolific body of work.

It’s a striking turn: the once-famous husband is now overlooked, while the once-overlooked wife ascends. What does this say about how the art world reevaluates legacy? About gender, fame, and how artistic vision gets framed posthumously? Hultberg, with his moody symbolism and sense of psychological tension, feels as relevant as ever — especially in today’s America, as we all brace for a precarious and unknowable future.

To learn more, visit elizabethmossgalleries.com.