Gertrude Abercrombie: The Whole World Is a Mystery

This meticulously curated retrospective offers an in-depth exploration of Gertrude Abercrombie, the esteemed yet under-recognized Chicago Surrealist, celebrated as the “queen of the bohemian artists.” It provides valuable insight into her influential body of work and artistic legacy. This authoritative scholarly volume examines Chicago artist Gertrude Abercrombie, a pivotal figure in the mid-20th-century Chicago art and jazz communities. From the 1930s until her passing in 1977, Abercrombie created enigmatic paintings marked by a distinctive vision, employing a precise symbolic language and a muted palette. Her works—featuring motifs such as cats, owls, doors, moons, barren trees, seashells, and introspective female figures—reflect a life of deliberate self-examination and emotional complexity. Rooted in her dream imagery, Abercrombie’s art embodies her belief that “the whole world is a mystery.” Gertrude Abercrombie: The Whole World Is a Mystery accompanies the artist’s first retrospe