“Marian Spore Bush Was Nobody’s “Visionary Artist”

This was one of my favorite articles that appeared during the time some of Marian’s works were on display from July 9 – September 6 at Karma Gallery in New York City (Marian Spore Bush: Life Afterlife, Works c. 1919–1945). I like how the author, Natalie Haddad, discusses how many of her pieces resonate with themes of violence, suffering, and redemption, aligning her more closely with artists like Goya, Otto Dix, and Käthe Kollwitz than with the “visionary women” such as Hilma af Klint or Agnes Pelton, to whom she is often compared.

The article cautions against lumping women artists into the reductive category of “visionary” or “spiritualist,” which risks reinforcing gendered stereotypes of irrationality. Marian hated being branded as a “spiritualist,” particularly because she didn’t want to be associated with the actual religion of Spiritualism. While Marian’s belief in spiritual guidance from “They,” was part of her process, her art also reflects historical realities of the Great Depression and World Wars, placing her firmly within broader traditions of political and social commentary. By framing her primarily as a rediscovered “visionary woman,” curators risk erasing these connections and repeating old hierarchies in art history. Instead, the essay argues for new lines of connection that recognize Spore Bush’s originality and her rightful place alongside canonical chroniclers of human struggle.

Read the article:

“Marian Spore Bush Was Nobody’s “Visionary Artist” When “rediscovered” women artists are lumped together, we might ask: Who acts as the discoverer, who tells the story, and how do they tell it?” Article by Natalie Haddad, September 2, 2025 for Hyperallergic.com