Allen Atwell, a luminary of midcentury modern artistry, A revered professor at Cornell University and an acclaimed exhibitor on the global stage, his work transcended boundaries and captivated audiences worldwide.
Allen Atwell
Dance with enlightenment.
Insatiable curiosity, Atwell's paintings were a symphony of Eastern mysticism, celebrating the harmony between humanity and nature. Each stroke invited viewers on a journey of introspection, where the mind's eye danced with spirituality and enlightenment.
Allen was on the leading edge of the beatnik generation and was active in counterculture. His imperative was to paint. He was an essentially apolitical artist with not much interest in revolutionizing the national mindset — he was an image maker involved with vision and consciousness as vision.
Revered on a global scale.
During the academic year of 1964 – 65 Atwell headed the Cornell New York City Extension Program. He gained recognition as a contemporary visionary painter. Some people were introduced to his work through 71st Street.
Dalí called it the Sextine Chapel.
Paul Desmond called it the Psychedelicatessen.
Allen Ginsburg chanted there.
Andy Warhol filmed there.
Paul Desmond called it the Psychedelicatessen.
Allen Ginsburg chanted there.
Andy Warhol filmed there.
Traveled to India on a Ford Foundation fellowship in 1953.
Then on a Fulbright to India and Nepal in 1961.
A Rockefeller Foundation fellowship to Southeast Asia, India and Japan in 1962 – 63.
Lectured at the Castalia Foundation in Millbrook, New York.
Taught in the Ithaca College Art Department from 1971 through 1977.
Tenured Associate Professor of Art at Cornell University.
Published with Timothy Leary.
Exhibited work at Cornell’s new Johnson Museum where they hold his work in their permanent collection.
1972 during the Munich Olympics he was invited to exhibit in the Munich Haus der Kunst exhibit, World Cultures and Modern Art.
Exhibited Dusseldorf Museum in Germany.
Studied the Mexican and Mesoamerican art.
In 1973 he taught at the Instituto Allende in Guanajuato.
Then on a Fulbright to India and Nepal in 1961.
A Rockefeller Foundation fellowship to Southeast Asia, India and Japan in 1962 – 63.
Lectured at the Castalia Foundation in Millbrook, New York.
Taught in the Ithaca College Art Department from 1971 through 1977.
Tenured Associate Professor of Art at Cornell University.
Published with Timothy Leary.
Exhibited work at Cornell’s new Johnson Museum where they hold his work in their permanent collection.
1972 during the Munich Olympics he was invited to exhibit in the Munich Haus der Kunst exhibit, World Cultures and Modern Art.
Exhibited Dusseldorf Museum in Germany.
Studied the Mexican and Mesoamerican art.
In 1973 he taught at the Instituto Allende in Guanajuato.
In summary
Atwell’s artistic legacy is marked by his visionary approach to painting and his deep engagement with the exploration of perception, spirituality, and the mind’s potential for transcendence. His work remains influential, particularly in the context of the psychedelic art movement, and his contributions to the integration of Eastern philosophy into contemporary art continue to resonate today.
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© Copyright and all rights reserved. 2025.
© Copyright and all rights reserved. 2025.
