Remembering Lyanne Malamed: Celebrating Decades of Art and Humanity

Northampton Community College (NCC) is celebrating the life and legacy of Lyanne Malamed, a talented artist whose career captured the full cycle of human life, from childhood to old age. At the art exhibition currently displayed on NCC’s Bethlehem campus, visitors can view the work in which Malamed explored the depths of human emotion, often blending themes of joy, grief, and spiritual reflection. Her passing in 2022 left a void in the art community, but in her will, Malamed requested that her artwork continue to be shared with the public.

Born during the Great Depression in rural Iowa in 1931, Malamed’s early life was devoid of the art galleries or museums that often inspire budding artists. Her first exposure to art included black-and-white images found in her textbooks. Despite never having seen professional artwork firsthand, Malamed committed to becoming an artist. Her inspirations grew from works like Bosch’s Garden of Earthly Delights, which left a lasting mark on her artistic style.

After attending Briarcliff College, Malamed’s life as an artist spanned over 40 solo and group exhibitions. She settled with her family in Somerset County, raising her son with her husband while continuing to create and exhibit her art.

One of her most profound series, The Voyage of Life, reflects the progression of human existence. In this series, a guardian angel guides a child through the early stages of life, symbolizing protection and innocence. As the child matures, the angel steps back and allows him to navigate the complexities of adulthood while still watching from afar. In old age, the angel returns, exploring themes of death, resurrection, and the Christian journey of faith.

Malamed’s work delved deeply into themes of elation and despair, often playing with the dualities of Heaven and Hell and the contrasting states of mind that accompany these extremes. Her imagery of brides riding horses into new phases of life and cradling babies captured the essence of renewal and birth. However, it was her unique empathy for older women that set her apart.

Her focus on older women was a subject rarely appreciated in art. Through her paintings, Malamed dignified aging women by portraying them as powerful, despite the challenges they faced in society. Her art showed them spending time with grandchildren, highlighting the warmth of family bonds. With masks, Malamed symbolized what these women wanted the world to see, even as they struggled internally. Birds were a recurring symbol in Malamed’s art, representing departed souls. When placed above her subjects’ heads, these birds embodied protection and guidance from those who had passed.

The exhibition of Malamed’s work is a tribute to her commitment to sharing all aspects of humanity. Even in death, her art continues to reach new audiences, as she had hoped. Check out the exhibit, Life/Afterlife, running until October 25 in the Communications Hall Gallery on the Bethlehem campus.