I am excited to share that on October 23, 2026, Edward E. Boccia: An American Modernist opens at Philip Slein Gallery in St. Louis. Curated in collaboration with the gallery, the exhibition brings together more than thirty paintings spanning over five decades of Boccia’s career, including rarely exhibited works and several of his monumental multi-panel paintings.

This exhibition represents far more than the opening of a show, it is the culmination of more than a decade of research, writing, curating, and advocacy dedicated to reintroducing Boccia as one of the important voices in postwar American art. Along the way, I have had the privilege of working with extraordinary scholars, collectors, and institutions who have generously shared their knowledge, memories, and support.

One of the most meaningful aspects of this project has been the opportunity to mentor students throughout the process. Students from Molloy University, Washington University in St. Louis, Montclair State University, Bowdoin College, ArtStart, and other partner institutions have contributed to archival research, collections documentation, exhibitions, public programs, and digital initiatives. Watching many of them go on to graduate study, fellowships, museum positions, and other careers in the arts has been one of the most rewarding parts of this work.

Fellowships with the National Endowment for the Humanities and, most recently, the Italian Diaspora Studies Summer Seminar at the John D. Calandra Italian American Institute, Queens College, CUNY, in partnership with Roma Tre University, have deepened my interest in artistic networks, migration, cultural identity, and the contributions of Italian and Italian diasporic artists to American art.

Exhibitions should do more than present great works of art, they must generate new scholarship, create opportunities for students, encourage collaboration across institutions, and invite broader audiences into important conversations about art and its history.

I am deeply grateful to the Edward E. Boccia Artist Trust, Philip Slein Gallery, the National Endowment for the Humanities, the John D. Calandra Italian American Institute, Roma Tre University, and the many museums, archives, collectors, colleagues, and students who have made this work possible.

This exhibition is the beginning of an exciting new chapter in the exploration of the contributions of diasporic artists in the Americas. I look forward to continuing this research through future publications, exhibitions, and collaborations that further expand our understanding of American art and the artists whose stories still deserve to be told.

I hope you’ll join us in St. Louis this fall.

Edward E. Boccia: An American Modernist
Philip Slein Gallery
St. Louis, Missouri
October 23, 2026 – April 23, 2027