Bernece Berkman-Hunter

Bernece Berkman-Hunter (1911-1988) used a unique blend of cubism and expressionism in her paintings and prints to depict themes of social justice, urban life, and industrialization in Chicago. Born to an American mother and Russian immigrant father, Berkman began studying at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago in 1927 and then in the studio of Todros Geller (1889-1949), under whose guidance her Jewish and activist identities became more intertwined and apparent in her art. Berkman worked for the painting and graphic arts divisions of the WPA Federal Art Project during the 1930s. She often exhibited with radical and Jewish artist groups in Chicago, and was one of fourteen artists chosen to contribute a print to the Biro-Bidjan Portfolio (c. 1937-1938).