The Life and Art of Sonia Sekula
Sonia Sekula was an abstract expressionist painter who moved from Lucerne, Switzerland, to New York in 1936. During her time in the United States, she studied at the Art Students League under George Grosz and Morris Kantor. Her presence in the New York art world during the 1940s and early 1950s was marked by her connection to the surrealists in exile and her visibility as an "out" lesbian. She was included in the 1943 Exhibition by 31 Women at Peggy Guggenheim's Art of This Century gallery, where she received her first solo exhibition in 1946.
Her work has been featured in various exhibitions, including shows at the Betty Parsons Gallery and the London Gallery. Notable collections holding her work include:
A Complex Legacy
Sekula's career was deeply intertwined with her personal struggles and her intense passion for her craft. Despite receiving recognition from influential figures, her life was often complicated by mental health issues and her open sexuality. She eventually returned to Switzerland in 1955 and remained there for the rest of her life. Her artistic spirit was noted by her instructors, who described her work as creative, moving, and possessing great spirit.
In her later years, she continued to exhibit, including a solo exhibition at Galerie Palette in Zurich in 1957. She passed away in Zurich, and per her request, she is buried in St. Moritz.
