Alliance of Figurative Artists

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The Alliance of Figurative Artists was a member‑run discussion group in New York City during the 1970s. It brought together many figurative and realist painters and sculptors, including Alice Neel, Philip Pearlstein, Rackstraw Downes, Paul Georges, Lois Dodd, Gabriel Laderman, Rosemarie Beck, and others.

Meetings began on February 14, 1969. The first three were held in artists’ lofts and studios, and later meetings took place at the Educational Alliance at 197 East Broadway. The group was open to everyone without a formal membership and was meant as a space for figurative artists who felt isolated in an art world dominated by abstract and pop styles. Most discussions were led by artists, with panels and guest speakers, and there were also “bring your work” nights.

The group was described as anarchistic and its discussions could be very contentious, sometimes driving people away. Philip Pearlstein recalled that hundreds attended, and that battles often split the room between intellectuals and expressionists—the “heads and the guts.” The Alliance helped inspire the Artist’s Choice Museum.