New Rochelle Public Library Presents Art and Artifact
The New Rochelle Public Library presents Art and Artifact, an exhibition highlighting artwork from the Library’s own archival Art and Illustration Collection, as well as original works displayed throughout the Library. Curated by NRPL Archivist David Rose, the exhibition will be on view in the Lumen Winter Gallery through December 3.
The exhibition reflects the Library’s longstanding commitment to the arts and to preserving New Rochelle’s cultural history. Public exhibitions of artists’ work at the Library date back to the opening of its first library building in 1914. The New Rochelle Art Association held its first group exhibition at the Library that year, establishing a tradition of bringing art and community together that continues today.
“Art and Artifact offers a fascinating opportunity to see the Library itself as a place of preservation,” said David Rose. “These are not only beautiful and meaningful works of art; they are artifacts that tell us something about the artists, our community, and the Library’s history. We’re pleased to display these pieces and invite visitors to observe familiar spaces and collections in a fresh way.”
The exhibition features a wide variety of artwork, including oil paintings, watercolors, lithographs, posters, marble sculpture, commercial art, cartoons, animation cels, folk art, public art and more. Together, the works demonstrate the breadth of the Library’s collection while offering a glimpse into the artists and creative traditions connected to New Rochelle.
Among the featured works is The Land of Enchantment by renowned American illustrator Norman Rockwell, as well as The Banner Project (2011) by internationally acclaimed abstract painter and ceramicist Dale Zheutlin. Commissioned by the New Rochelle Public Library Foundation and the Library as part of a renovation project, Zheutlin’s eight printed satin banners hang above the Lumen Winter Gallery and Library lobby. Each banner features a statement reflecting the philosophy and aspirations of the Library, including “A library is the heart and soul of the community” and “A library is a window on the world.”
The Library’s connection to the arts is also reflected in the gallery itself. The Lumen Winter Gallery was named in honor of Lumen Martin Winter (1908–1982), a multifaceted painter and sculptor who served as president of the New Rochelle Art Association from 1952 to 1954. Winter created Search for Knowledge in 1981, a single-piece Ravaccione marble sculpture whose three ascending, flame-like forms represent Science, Art and Literature. The sculpture is located in Ruby Dee Park adjacent to the Library.
The Library dedicated the Lumen Winter Gallery in 1983, one year after Winter’s death, as a permanent and accessible space to showcase the work of the community. Located in the Library lobby, the gallery hosts a diverse range of exhibitions throughout the year, including regular exhibitions by the New Rochelle Art Association, The City School District of New Rochelle’s Our Children, Our Artists, and exhibits presented by the New Rochelle Council on the Arts and the Lincoln Park Conservancy.
A gallery talk led by Archivist David Rose will take place on Thursday, November 5, 2026 at 6:00 pm. This will be a unique occasion to experience the diversity of New Rochelle artwork as part of the Library’s own collection. Registration is requested at bit.ly/ArtArtifact