DelArt presents an exhibition of abstract light-filled canvases by New York-based painter Lisa Bradley
The Delaware Art Museum is proud to present Lisa Bradley: Beyond Luminosity, on view from September 19, 2026 through January 17, 2027. Organized by DelArt Head Curator and Curator of Contemporary Art Margaret Winslow and Art Bridges Fellow Hilda Delgado, this inspiring exhibition will introduce audiences to Bradley’s most recent body of work, on view for the first time in Beyond Luminosity.
Lisa Bradley translates the mysterious into the physical with intimate marks and sweeping gestures. As an artist working within the field of abstraction, Bradley has contributed to its evolving history. Eminent art historian Carter Ratcliff describes her work as depicting “a pause between the pulses of some vast and luminous energy.” Her career is one that has endured beyond trends and common tropes, representing a breakthrough in the field of abstract painting. Bradley’s work is informed by a strong interest in spiritual experience. In her luminous paintings, she achieves an expression of simultaneous movement and stillness, creating a feeling of suspended time.
“Bradley offers her India ink drawings and radiant oil paintings for our discovery,” said Winslow. “We are rewarded with each encounter, suspended in a luminous field of color.”
Featuring 10 large-scale paintings and eight works on paper, the exhibition is the Delaware Art Museum’s first solo presentation of Bradley’s work. Her painting, Akasa II (also on view), was welcomed into the collection in 2009. Over the past 15 years, the painting has been a regular fixture in the Museum’s galleries, captivating visitors of all ages and becoming a beloved piece in the contemporary collection.
The artist explains, “There is a certain nature that is neither life nor death, indivisible, something we all know yet don’t know… that part of me that knows, paints.” Bradley’s works encourage viewers to pause and dwell in their mystery, finding meaning in moments of quiet reflection. Bradley was born in Columbus, Ohio, and received her undergraduate degree from Boston University in 1973. Bradley acknowledges gallery owner and artist Betty Parsons and collectors Dorothy and Herbert Vogel as important champions in her early career. Her paintings have been included in numerous solo and group exhibitions throughout the United States and Europe. Bradley’s work is included in the collections of the Minneapolis Institute of Art, National Museum of Women in the Arts, New Orleans Museum of Art, Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts, and Eli and Edyth Broad Art Museum, among many others.
A complementary 120-page monograph—available in the Museum store, Market at DelArt—features insights from prominent curators, critics, and art historians including Ronny Cohen, Eleanor Heartney, Townsend Ludington, Carter Ratcliff, and John Yau.
Reflecting the exhibition’s contemplative themes, the fall programming around the exhibition—including Transcendent: Landscapes of the Hudson River School organized by The New York Historical—offers moments of respite, creating opportunities to pause, reconnect, and make space for stillness amid the pace of everyday life.
Related Events
A series of unique programs have been developed to bring visitors closer to the themes of spiritual experience and mindfulness in Lisa Bradley’s paintings.
October 2, 12 – 1 p.m.
Gallery Talk: Mindful Looking with Curator Margaret Winslow
Join Head Curator and Curator of Contemporary Art, Margaret Winslow, for a guided-looking exploration of Bradley’s luminous paintings. No expertise is required for this slow-paced experience.
October 8, 1 – 2:30 p.m.
Creative Connections: Memory Cafe
This program is designed specifically for visitors with early-stage Alzheimer’s or dementia and their care partners. Led by a specially trained guide in an environment that encourages conversation, exchange, and storytelling. Join us from 1- 1:30 p.m. in East Court for snacks and social time. At 1:30 p.m., we will head into the galleries for a discussion-based tour.
December 3, 6 – 7:30 p.m.
Interfaith Talk
Gather with diverse spiritual leaders for a conversation on the nature of introspective examination. Bradley’s radiant paintings will inspire a discussion on how art can nurture self-reflection.
December 16, 10:30 – 11:30 a.m.
Little Listeners
Join us on the third Wednesday of each month from 10:30 to 11:30 a.m. for Little Listeners, a fun and interactive storytime designed for young children and their caregivers. Each session features guest readers, engaging stories, and hands-on activities that spark creativity and learning. Perfect for preschoolers and early learners!
Sponsors
This exhibition is supported by the Eli Lilly Endowment, Inc. This organization is supported, in part, by a grant from the Delaware Division of the Arts, a state agency, in partnership with the National Endowment for the Arts. The Division promotes Delaware arts events on www.DelawareScene.com.
About the Delaware Art Museum
The Delaware Art Museum is a nationally recognized regional museum that connects people through art and experience. Founded in 1912 to honor illustrator Howard Pyle, the Museum now houses over 13,000 works, including the largest Pre-Raphaelite collection outside the U.K. and a growing contemporary art collection. Its campus features galleries, a six-acre sculpture garden, labyrinth, and event spaces—creating a dynamic center and vibrant cultural resource, offering exhibitions, classes, and community programs that reflect and engage the diverse Delaware community and beyond. Visit delart.org to for the latest exhibitions, programs, and performances or connect with us via social media.
IF YOU GO
WHAT: Lisa Bradley: Beyond Luminosity
WHEN: September 19, 2026 – January 17, 2027
WHERE: Delaware Art Museum, 2301 Kentmere Parkway, Wilmington, DE 19806
COST: Free
INFO: delart.org/event/lisa-bradley-beyond-luminosity/
Omnipresent, 2018. Lisa Bradley (born 1951). Oil on canvas, 74 1/2 × 55 inches. Courtesy of the artist. © Lisa Bradley.