Monday, May. 18, 2009

James Ensor

Begins June 28 at the Museum of Modern Art, New York City

A pivotal figure in the development of 20th century Expressionism, the Belgian avant-gardist Ensor (1860-1949) was a faintly creepy original, the kind who uses the brightest colors in his paint box while he's showing you the skull beneath the skin. His vision of the world as a demonic convocation, lit by hellfires, is one you don't forget.

See TIME's Top 10 Museum Exhibits of 2008

TIME's 100 Most Influential People: Did Your Pick Make the Cut?