WEST PALM BEACH, FLA.- The Norton Museum of Art draws from its Collection for two new exhibitions, Artists at Work and 60 Seconds: Polaroids from the Collection.
Open through June 21, Artists at Work, a selection of paintings, sculptures, and works on paper, focuses on the artists themselves.
While an artist’s name or artistic style may be recognizable, that individual’s physical appearance or method of working is often less familiar.
“Portraits of artists in the act of artmaking show the tools, bodily postures, and facial expressions that characterize an artist,” noted Curatorial Research Associate Sarah Bass, who curated the exhibition. “Depictions of studios offer a glimpse into the surroundings that foster productivity.”
In addition, preparatory works displayed alongside the final versions demonstrate the development of artists’ ideas.
The Norton is among the places where artists’ creativity has flourished. Opened to the public in February 1941, the Norton continues to serve as a space to create, contemplate, and enjoy works of art as it celebrates its 85th anniversary in 2026.
A key work in this exhibition is Wheeler Williams’ 1941 Fountain of Youth, commissioned by Ralph Norton for the Museum’s courtyard.
Weathered by the Florida elements, the limestone sculpture was removed from the courtyard in 2018 and underwent conservation treatment beginning in 2023.
“This installation marks the first time Fountain of Youth is on view since being conserved,” Bass said. “The accompanying plaster study provides insight into the making of the finished limestone sculpture, and together they illuminate a piece of the Norton’s history.”
This exhibition offers a peek at the who, where, and how behind the art.
Several works present visitors with an opportunity to draw connections to works on view in other Museum spaces. For example, the photograph of Georges Braque in his studio can enhance visitors’ understanding of the artist who created The Mantelpiece, 1927, and Still Life with Guitar I (Red Tablecloth), 1936, both on view in the Norton’s Baum Gallery.
Although it only features a sampling of the many artists working throughout history, this exhibition invites visitors to better understand, appreciate, and relate to the people and practices involved in making art.
A second exhibition, 60 Seconds (March 7 – August 16, 2026), celebrates photography’s signature immediacy, highlighting instant photography from the Norton’s Collection, created between 1971 and 2025.
60 Seconds traces how artists have embraced Polaroids, or instant film, for their ability to produce a unique object in mere moments. Over time, this technology has fostered both spontaneous experimentation and inventive manipulation, making the Polaroid a site of play, process, and discovery.
Featured artists in this exhibition include Marina Abramović, Ulay, Dawoud Bey, Matthew Brandt, María Magdalena Campos-Pons, Ellen Carey, Lucien Clergue, Walker Evans, Cyprien Gaillard, Trevor Paglen, Lucas Samaras, Andy Warhol, and William Wegman.
So why the fascination with instant photography?
“This exhibition is timely, thanks to a resurgence of interest in instant photography as younger generations continue to embrace analog technologies,” said Lauren Richman, Ph.D., the Norton’s William and Sarah Ross Soter Senior Curator of Photography. “This process has maintained its cultural appeal well into the 21st century.”
The Polaroid develops in plain sight, turning the photograph itself into a self-contained darkroom. Since its introduction, artists have used instant film to experiment and take risks, exploring its imperfections, serendipity, and capacity for direct manipulation. From casual snapshots to meticulously altered prints, the Polaroid has collapsed the boundaries between documentation and invention.
Although its intimate, handheld formats are most familiar, Polaroid technology has long expanded beyond one size. Large-format Polaroids, for instance, possess a striking materiality that pairs the medium’s rapidity with a monumental scale. This versatility originated with scientist and inventor Edwin Land, whose 1948 “Land Camera” pioneered instant photography as both an everyday apparatus and a creative medium.
The large-format cameras are extremely rare — only six cameras were produced to create images measuring 20 by 24 inches. Only five of those cameras still exist, and even fewer are operational. They weigh more than 440 pounds and require significant studio setups to operate.
“It’s a valuable opportunity for audiences to gain insight into artists’ creative processes — why they might select instant photography over other methods, for example,” Richman noted.
Artists at Work was organized by the Norton Museum of Art.
