Join Mechanics’ Hall and the Rabkin Foundation for a firsthand account of the artist, John Serl. Long before major museums embraced him as one of America’s most original artists, Jon Serl (c. 1898-1993) lived a quiet but vibrant life in rural California, surrounded by his visionary paintings, his chickens, and his chihuahuas. Playful, curious, and fiercely true to himself, he filled his work with social commentary and fearless self-examination, exploring spirituality, politics, gender, sexuality, and death. Weightless, ethereal figures seem to swim across his canvases in a kind of celestial dance.

Larsen will offer a rare, firsthand account of the artist, his work, and the enduring friendship that shaped her understanding of both. The free lecture at Mechanics’ Hall draws on Larsen’s forthcoming memoir about Serl and is organized alongside an intimate exhibition, “Jon Serl: Life Is a Dance,” at the Rabkin Foundation. The exhibit, curated by Larsen, the foundation’s emeritus and founding director, and Rabkin Curator Danielle Yovino, brings together paintings from Larsen’s personal collection alongside works collected by Dorothea and Leo Rabkin, who were among Serl’s earliest champions.

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THe event is free to the public, registration is required.