Norman Bluhm (1920-1999) moved to New York in 1956 by way of Chicago and Paris during a pivotal time in art history, when New York was the center of the world for innovative artists. He initially studied architecture at the Armour Institute of Technology (now the Illinois Institute of Technology), but shifted to art after serving in World War II. He studied at Accademia di Belle Arte in Florence and attended both the Academie de la Grand Chaumire and the Ecole des Beaux Arts in Paris. Often referred to as a second generation Abstract Expressionist, Bluhm created his own unique style, refusing to adhere to any school, and continued to innovate throughout his life. His works are characterized by gestural strokes in bold colors, accented by drips in multiple layers. Just one year after moving to New York, Leo Castelli Gallery mounted Bluhm's first solo exhibition, and in 1959, his Poem-Paintings in collaboration with poet Frank O'Hara was selected for documenta II, the influential German contemporary art exhibition.

Over the years, Bluhm's style changed, and among the differing forms were kaleidoscopic canvases vibrant with rich pinks and oranges broken by sweeping lines in black. These compositions are more detailed and planned, but their impact is no less striking than his early works. Bluhm's paintings have been shown at the most prestigious galleries and museums in the world, including Leo Castelli and Martha Jackson in New York, Galerie Craven in Paris, The Art Institute of Chicago, The Museum of Modern Art in New York, and the Osaka Arts Festival in Japan, among many others. His work has been the subject of dozens of books and exhibition catalogues, written by leading critics and historians such as Lucy Lippard and Robert Rosenblum.