Independent Arts News Reporting Universal Dreams: Modernism in Oil, Paper and Bronze, A New Exhibition
Reported on Thursday, April 24, 2025.
Pictured Above:
Iver Rose (1899–1972)
The Return
18 3/4 x 25 3/4 inches
Oil on paper
Signed upper right, titled verso.
Photo Credit: Contributed.
NEWSROOM POST: NEW YORK, NEW YORK
Universal Dreams: Modernism in Oil, Paper and Bronze runs April 24 through June 26 and can be viewed at HeliclineFineArt.com, artsy.net, 1stDibs.com and in person
New York, NY – Helicline Fine Art proudly announces the opening of its new exhibition, Universal Dreams: Modernism in Oil, Paper and Bronze, a vibrant online exhibition celebrating the artistic movements that shaped the 20th century. Running from April 24 through June 26 at HeliclineFineArt.com as well as on artsy.net and 1stDibs.com. While Helicline operates as a digital-first private gallery, select works can be viewed in person at its Midtown Manhattan space by appointment.
A Journey Through Modernism
Universal Dreams offers a compelling glimpse into the diverse artistic expressions of both American and European modernists, featuring paintings, works on paper, and sculpture that span realism, abstraction, art deco, regionalism, caricature, WPA-era mural studies, American Scene painting, and Vorticism. Each piece reflects the evolving artistic sensibilities of the 20th century, capturing themes of innovation, social change, and cultural identity.
Pictured Above:
O. Louis Guglielmi (1906 – 1956)
Obsessive Theme
44 x 33 inches
Oil on canvas
Signed and dated ’48 lower left
Titled verso.
Photo Credit: Contributed.
“As collectors-turned-dealers, we take great pride in curating works that resonate on deeper levels,” say gallerists Keith Sherman and Roy Goldberg. “We embrace the niche. And we’ve found that many collectors and curators appreciate niche. Universal Dreams presents a wide spectrum of artistic voices and movements from the 1920s – 50s—an era of remarkable creative exploration.”
Pictured Above:
Tony Bennett (1926-2023)
New York City Traffic
11 x 12 ¼ inches
Scratchboard India Ink on Board
Signed “Benedetto” lower right
Photo Credit: Contributed.
Exhibition Highlights
The exhibition showcases a dynamic mix of well-known and under-the-radar artists, offering rare and significant works, including:
-A rare WPA-era mural study by Louise Ronnenbeck and an original large WPA Work Program poster.
-A surrealist-inflected early figurative abstraction by Juanita Guccione.
-New York City in art, including an Ernest Fiene cityscape, Tony Bennett’s rendering of the Chrysler Building, a Jo Cain UN poster design from 1948 that remains strikingly relevant today, a Bernard Gussow depiction of the elevated train, an intimate park scene by Isabel Bishop, and Mercury, the bronze figure that adorned Fifth Avenue traffic lights starting in the 1930s.
-A theatrical treasure: an original Al Hirschfeld drawing of Gwen Verdon from the 1959 Broadway musical Redhead.
-A striking art deco bronze, Le Comete by Maurice Guirard-Riviere.
-Lesser-known WPA-era artists Syd Browne and Herbert Heyel, alongside celebrated names such as Abraham Walkowitz, Anton Refregier, Daniel Celentano, and Max Arthur Cohn.
-Two exquisite watercolors by modernist pioneer Arthur Dove.
-Featured Artists
Pictured Above:
Saul Kovner (1904-1981)
Facing the East River
20 x 24 inches
Oil on canvas
signed lower right, Saul
Inscribed with artist’s name Saul verso and dated 1945
Photo Credit: Contributed.
The exhibition includes works by: Sybil Andrews, Tony Bennett, Charles Biederman, Isabel Bishop, Syd Browne, Jo Cain, Daniel Celentano, Max Arthur Cohn, James Daugherty, Arthur Dove, Seymour Fogel, Ernest Fiene, Joseph Freedlander, Juanita Guccione, Bernard Gussow, Agnes Hart, Herbert Heyel, Al Hirschfeld, Mervin Jules, Isidore Konti, Anton Refregier, Robert Riggs, Maurice Guirard-Riviere, Louise Ronnebeck, John Ruggles, Abraham Walkowitz, and Albert Wein.
Pictured Above:
Jo Cain (1904 – 2003)
Lower Manhattan
34 1/4 x 42 ½ inches
Oil on canvas c. 1930s
Signed lower right
Photo Credit: Contributed.
Universal Dreams underscores the evolution of modernist thought, reflecting the artistic shifts and innovations that defined the early-to-mid 20th century. Through this diverse selection, the exhibition offers a compelling look at how artists across America and Europe redefined form, space, and narrative, ultimately shaping the trajectory of modern art.
MORE ABOUT HELICLINE FINE ART:
Helicline Fine Art, founded in 2008 by Roy Goldberg and Keith Sherman, specializes in American and European modernism. The gallery’s core offerings are works from the WPA period. Additionally, Helicline offers American scene, social realism, mural studies, industrial landscapes, regionalism, abstracts, and other artwork. Located in a private space in midtown Manhattan, Helicline is open by appointment. The artworks on the site represent a sampling of available works. Helicline’s offerings are also available on artsy.net and 1stDibs.com.
Pictured Above:
Juanita Guccione (1904 – 1999)
Photo Credit: Contributed.
