One of twentieth century's most powerful yet under-recognized artists, Leland Bell (1922-91) took inspiration from modernists as diverse as Derain, Hélion, Giacometti, and Mondrian and he applied the lessons of abstraction to figurative painting. Curated by Andrea Packard, List Gallery director, Changing Rhythms is the first major exhibition of Bell's work since his retrospective at the Phillips Collection in 1987. In October, 2001, Swarthmore College presented Bell's remarkable self-portraits and multiple versions of his Morning pictures. A complementary exhibition of Bell's family groups, portraits, and still life paintings was on exhibit at the Cantor Fitzgerald Gallery, Haverford College. A combined and condensed version of the two exhibitions traveled on to five other venues through out the United States. A 32 page catalogue with color reproductions is available.

In conjunction with Leland Bell: Changing Rhythms, Swarthmore College presented "Modernism and the Figurative Tradition" a lecture by noted art critic, Jed Perl. Funding for Changing Rhythms was made possible through grants from the Judith Rothschild Foundation; the William J. Cooper Foundation; the Philip Bruno Fund, Swarthmore College; and the Swarthmore College of Art.