Voice of Fire

Voice of Fire is an acrylic on canvas painting that was painted by American painter Barnett Newman in 1967. When it was purchased by the National Gallery of Canada for its' permanent collection in 1989 for $1.8 million, it caused a storm of controversy as the painting was no more than three strips of paint. Since that time its value has appreciated sharply. A book called Voices of Fire: Art Rage, Power, and the State edited by Bruce Barber, Serge Guilbaut and John O'Brian was published in 1996 by the University of Toronto Press, discussing the issues around the purchase of the painting.