On view September 8, 2026 - May 22, 2027

Wolf Kahn: Conversations in Color brings together paintings and works on paper by Wolf Kahn (1927–2020) alongside artists whose work and careers intersected with his own. Centered on Kahn’s exploration of color, light, and gesture, the exhibition places his work in dialogue with other artists who pursued related creative ideas and associated with one another throughout their careers, whether in the New York art world or Vermont. 
 

A pastel featuring a bright green field, with dark gray on the horizon with an orange burst coming through. Artwork by Wolf Kahn.
Wolf Kahn (United States 1927 - 2020) Deep Central Gap, Guilford, 2003. Pastel on paper. Bequest of J. Brooks Buxton '56. 2019.1.61

Widely recognized as one of the most influential colorists of his generation, Kahn developed a distinct visual language that synthesized principles drawn from abstraction and representation. Focusing on work created after Kahn and his wife, artist Emily Mason, purchased a summer home in West Brattleboro, Vermont, Conversations in Color situates Kahn’s creative practice with that of his contemporaries including the artists Pat Adams, George Ortman, Elaine De Kooning, and Mason.

Sketched forms of a bulls and horses on a color wash of blues and browns. Artwork by Elaine De Kooning.
Elaine De Kooning, Time of the Bison #67, 1986. Watercolor on paper. Gift of the Margaret Lampe Kannenstine Trust 2015.4.2


Artists: Wolf Kahn with Pat Adams, George Ortman, Elaine De Kooning, Emily Mason

Wolf Kahn: Conversations in Color is presented as part of Wolf Kahn 100, a nationwide initiative commemorating the centennial of the artist’s birth in 2027. The exhibition draws from the collections of the Fleming Museum of Art, Wolf Kahn Foundation, and Middlebury College Museum of Art.

An abstract painting with large fields of blue-grey, brown, and bright yellow-green. Artwork by Wolf Kahn.
Wolf Kahn, Seaweed Garden, 1999. Oil on canvas. 16 x 20 inches. Collection of the Wolf Kahn Foundation © Wolf Kahn Foundation/ARS.

 

About the Fleming Museum of Art

We are UVM’s art museum. From class visits and public programs to research and exhibitions shaped by the questions, creativity, and discoveries happening right here on campus: the Fleming is where learning comes alive. Each year, thousands of UVM students, community members, and visitors gather here to experience art that brings people together. The Museum and all events are free and open to all. Learn more at uvm.edu/fleming.