New Lyman Allyn exhibits spotlights recent paint by Marvin Espy
Paintings by Marvin Espy
Lyman Allyn Art Museum • 625 Williams St, New London, CT 06320
July 13 – October 13, 2024
Paintings by Marvin Espy
The Lyman Allyn is pleased to present a special exhibition of recent work by New London artist Marvin Espy. Reflecting on the senseless killing of George Floyd and the universality of human experience, Marvin Espy presents new and recent paintings in Up from the Asphalt. Using Maslow’s hierarchy of needs as a framework for processing the painful last minutes of George Floyd’s life on May 25, 2020, Espy’s paintings and words offer us a pathway to unite in mourning, stand in resolve, and share in our hopes. Up from the Asphalt is on view July 13 – Oct. 20.
Maslow’s hierarchy of needs suggests that human motivation follows a pyramid structure, starting with basic survival needs such as food, shelter and safety, and building to a sense of belonging, esteem and, ultimately, self-actualization. In his last breaths, George Floyd pleaded for the most essential needs of Maslow’s hierarchy. This exhibition explores what is core to all people, everywhere.
The following quote was written by Marvin Espy on June 4, 2024. “Buried in the asphalt are the dreams of our fathers and hopes of our mothers. Beneath the clatter of traffic and the bustle of commerce spring the philosophies of panhandlers and fables from the wise. From the pavement, we hear the chants of protest, songs of resilience, and the echoes of our ancestors linked arm in arm. Voices in the pavement, trace like diary entries. Our cracked pavements drizzled with tar read like musical notes from a quill pen. Like the movement of a clarinet over a walking bass line.
Yet our shared streets remain divided along the double-yellow lines of power and privilege. And while our feet share in a connection greater than us all, we are all captive to Earth’s gravity, pulling us ever downward. We share in the universal quest for safety, shelter, belonging and community. We spring from the ground. We rise. “Up from the Asphalt. Out of the ground.”
A New London resident since early 2021, Marvin Espy has a studio and art gallery at 308 State Street, and teaches art at the Hygienic Gallery, New London. Originally from Cincinnati, Ohio, Espy studied fine art under Frank Shands at Princeton High School and artist Henry Koerner (Austrian, active in America, 1915-1991) at the Art Institute of Pittsburgh. Based in 625 Williams Street • New London, CT 06320 860.443.2545 • www.lymanallyn.org Marvin Espy, D Queen, 2024, oil on wood panel, 48 x 36 inches.Charlotte, North Carolina before moving to Connecticut, Espy has exhibited widely, and his work has been featured in numerous publications, including Connecticut’s INK Magazine. As Espy’s work continues to evolve, he invites viewers on a profound journey where we share in grief, so that we might share in celebration.
The opening reception is Friday, July 12, from 5 – 7 p.m. Museum members are free, and non-members are $10. To register, call 860.443.2545 ext. 2129 or email us at info@lymanallyn.org.
Related programming includes a Gallery Talk with artist Marvin Espy and Lyman Allyn curator Tanya Pohrt on Thursday, Aug. 15 at 5:30 pm. Members are $10, and non-members are $15. More information will be available on lymanallyn.org.
This exhibition is made possible with support from the Frank Loomis Palmer Fund, Bank of America, and Trustee, and an anonymous New York-based foundation. Funding has also been provided by the Connecticut State Legislature and is administered by the Department of Economic and Community Development, Office of the Arts.
Share your Lyme Allyn Art Museum experience with us by using #findingconnecticut on Instagram
Click here to learn more about Lyman Allyn Art Museum
Click here for the latest news for Lyman Allyn Art Museum
Click here for the upcoming events at Lyman Allyn Art Museum
Click here for the latest news in New London
Click here for the upcoming events in New London
Click here for the latest news in New London County
Click here for the upcoming events in New London County
••••• Message center •••••••
Connecticut business owners:
Connecticut with us! Are you a local business owner in Connecticut looking to boost your visibility and reach more customers? Look no further! Our platform provides a unique opportunity to showcase your business to an engaged audience of people who love and live in Connecticut. By partnering with us, you can reach potential customers who are actively seeking things to do, places to dine, and local merchants and service providers to support. Don’t miss out on this chance to grow your business and connect with the local community!
Connecticut with us!
Get our news straight into your inbox daily for free!
Stay connected with us on social media
Facebook • Instagram • Threads • Tiktok • X
Join our Reddit community
Share your Connecticut experiences with us by using #findingconnecticut on Instagram
Click here to return to Finding Connecticut’s home page
Looking for the latest news by region, topic and events
Latest news by region
Fairfield County • Hartford County • Litchfield County • Middlesex County • New Haven County • New London County• Tolland County • Windham County
Latest sports news by team
Hartford Wolf Pack • Hartford Yard Goats • Connecticut Sun • Norwich Sea Unicorns •
2024 schedules
Hartford Wolf Pack • Hartford Yard Goats • Connecticut Sun • Norwich Sea Unicorns
Events my region
Fairfield County • Hartford County • Litchfield County • New Haven County • New London County • Middlesex County • Tolland County • Windham County
Events by interest
Art • Sports • Family Friendly • History • Concerts • Farmers’ Markets
Events by the month
May 2024 • June 2024 • July 2024 • August 2024 • September 2024 • October 2024 • November 2024 • December 2024
Events by venue
College Street Music Hall • Space Ballroom • Westville Music Bowl • District Music Hall • Hartford Stage • The Bushnell • Goodspeed Opera House • Mohegan Sun