The Terrain Gallery
of the Aesthetic Realism Foundation

THE TERRAIN is the first gallery to show the inextricable relation between the technique of art and people’s lives. Since its opening in 1955 in New York City, the Terrain has presented exhibitions of contemporary paintings, prints, drawings, and photographs, with comment based on Aesthetic Realism, the philosophy founded by Eli Siegel, and on his historic Fifteen Questions, Is Beauty the Making One of Opposites?* Among the artists exhibiting have been Will Barnet, Robert Blackburn, William Clutz, Lois Dodd, William King, Andre Kertesz, Chaim Koppelman, Peter Passuntino, Stephen Poleskie, Elfi Schuselka, Richard Sloat, George O. Stadnik. *See also en Español and in Italiano.

DOROTHY KOPPELMAN—Paintings, Prints, Drawings

GALLERY HOURS: WED, FRI, SAT, 1 – 5 PM

GALLERY HOURS:
WED, FRI, SAT, 1 – 5 PM

“Love the depth of your paintings and quotes! Thank you.” —New York City

“Dorothy Koppelman’s work is outstanding!”  —Massachusetts

“Wonderful gallery where beauty lives.” —Italy

“Wow, Wow, & Wow.” —New Jersey

“This was amazing, truly made my day.” —New York

“Great surprise on morning stroll. Beautiful and meaningful art work.” —Brazil

“Que bonita la galeria!” —Madrid

“Très intéressante exposition.” —France

“Intensely thought provoking” —California

“I’m so glad I came here.” —New York

“What a beautiful philosophy.” —Canada

“Beautiful work, thought, style.” —New York

“Love the depth of your paintings and quotes! Thank you.” —New York City

“Dorothy Koppelman’s work is outstanding!”  —Massachusetts

“Wonderful gallery where beauty lives.” —Italy

“Wow, Wow, & Wow.” —New Jersey

“This was amazing, truly made my day.” —New York

“Beautiful and meaningful art work.” —Brazil

“Que bonita la galeria!” —Madrid

“Très intéressante exposition.” —France

“Intensely thought provoking” —California

“I’m so glad I came here.” —New York

“What a beautiful philosophy.” —Canada

“Beautiful work, thought, style.” —New York

The Visual Arts & the Opposites

  • Mar 17: Art & Anthropology–Beauty Looked at in Three Cultures (joint class) Learn more.

“If It Moves, It Can Move You”: Opposites in the Cinema

  • Mar 27: The Dramatic Opposites in Actors of the Silver Screen Learn more.

Eli Siegel on the Visual Arts:

Claude Monet, Rouen Cathedral

In the News:

A MAJOR NEW WEBSITE!—THE CHAIM AND DOROTHY KOPPELMAN FOUNDATION, established to exhibit and preserve the works of these two major 20th-century American artists, has launched a new website, containing works by printmaker Chaim Koppelman (1920-2009) and painter and founding director of the Terrain Gallery, Dorothy Koppelman (1920-2017). It presents, too, some of their powerful, profoundly thrilling writings on art, arising from their study of the philosophy Aesthetic Realism with the great American poet and critic Eli Siegel. read more

Featured Articles:

Edward Hopper

Hopper, Nighthawks, detail


Separate & Together: Opposites in the Art & Life of Edward Hopper by Dorothy Koppelman. What really is the message for us in Hopper’s paintings? We feature this groundbreaking explanation. more

Sargent’s Madame X

Sargetn, Madame X, detail of her head


Sargent’s Madame X; or, Assertion & Retreat in Women by Lynette Abel is the important article we’re featuring in relation to the Boston MFA & Tate Britain’s exhibitions on Sargent and Fashion. more

Terrain Gallery at Archives of American Art:

Terrain Gallery Records are Online at the Smithsonian Archives of American Art: “Files document over one hundred and forty exhibitions as well as the gallery’s relationship with artists…. The Terrain has featured paintings, sculptures, watercolors, and graphics, as well as photographic exhibitions, which have shown the work of both younger and established artists…. Every exhibition has included comment by artists and critics about how opposites are one in the technique and form of the works of art on view.”  more

Scroll to Top