barnett newman mayoral run new york city 1234759035
A new biography titled *Barnett Newman: Here*, written by art historian Amy Newman, reveals that the Abstract Expressionist painter Barnett Newman ran for mayor of New York City in 1933—long before he became a famous artist. At age 28, with no paintings to his name, Newman campaigned on a vague, socialist-utopian platform that included a free city-run art school, waterfront parks, cleaner waters, and public ownership of utilities. He ran specifically to oppose the spread of Communism among intellectuals, but he admitted he did not expect to win. He lost, and his candidacy became a family joke.
