Famous African American Landscape Painter Who Formed the Providence Art Club

Artist Gage Prentiss has done it again. A stunning bust of noted Black mural painter, one of the founding members of the Providence Art Club, Edward M. Bannister, at present casts a gimlet eye on the gallery below, sizing information technology up. Meticulously researched and executed — and loaded with personality and confidence — this confront merely draws you in. Back in 1880 a group of professional artists founded the Providence Art Order, a group that included a few women every bit well equally Bannister. Born in Canada, he eventually found his fashion to Providence. From The Smithsonian:

Edward Mitchell Bannister's conclusion to go a successful artist was largely fueled by an inflammatory article he read in the New York Herald in 1867, that stated ​"the Negro seems to have an appreciation for art while being apparently unable to produce information technology." Ironically, less than a decade later, in 1876, Bannister was the first African-American artist to receive a national accolade [first prize at the Philadelphia Centennial Exposition].

Now his bust holds pride of identify on the second floor gallery of the Clubhouse. Ane fellow member commented on Bannister's "return" to the lodge: "Of all past club members, Bannister undoubtedly achieved more national recognition than any of the other artist members." Moved by the power of the piece he added: "He'due south there . . . the tilt to his head . . . a swagger."

Artist Cuff Prentiss answered a few questions for The Dose via electronic mail. Information technology has been edited for infinite and clarity.

PDD: Can you draw your process? What source textile was there for the paradigm of Bannister?

GP: When putting together his likeness, I had 4 images. I found 2 on a google search. They were basically the same, staged 3/four bending from the left and correct. I'm guessing years apart, by hairline. They worked perfectly well for understanding his features, though without a straight-on image, I couldn't actually pull out the calipers to get skilful measurements for building his anatomy in the circular.

The third paradigm was the most heady to me. It was blurred and grainy, only showed him standing casually with his pipage, probably at the Art Club, probably unaware. His hair was natural, his gesture was relaxed, and I started to meet a glimpse of the person that I couldn't see in the staged portraits. The image came from a Bannister testify booklet from the Kenkeleba House in New York City, 1992.

PDD: There is, of class, the Art Society'southward array of artists' silhouettes on the walls.

GP: The 4th image was really cool, considering it was his shadow silhouette, reproduced on the Art Club wall. Surely it was a bit stylized, but it came straight from him, and gave me the confidence of a profile to work from.

Because nobody live knows what Bannister looked similar from whatever other bending than a iii/4 view, I felt his presence was more than important that a perfect likeness. To become a feeling for his presence, I spent a lot of time looking at his paintings online, and was able to see the real thing at the Gilbert Stuart Museum. In my search for images I met Diane Heller, an creative person working on a documentary about Bannister. She gave me details about who he was, how he worked, and what his contemporaries thought of him. Putting all those facets together, I came away with the feeling of a stiff, spiritual and fearless man of vision, grace and charisma.

PDD: How else were y'all able to arrive at this rendering?

GP: To become his likeness, I cobbled together the average skull dimensions of an African American male, with photos and measurements from a live model who I felt shared a similar presence and physicality to Bannister. Then there was a lot of squatting and looking at the 3/four view. If I could capture that, and grab some facial symmetry, I should have been able to achieve something shut to his likeness.

PPD: Were there any surprises during the procedure?

GP: I was surprised at how deeply I felt for Bannister past the end. I discovered him when I was designing a bus shelter for the urban center, and wanted to use his wife Christiana Carteaux Bannister for 1 of the panels. I knew he was the only Black founding member of the PAC, and that he was a landscape painter, but I had not dug any deeper. The more time I spent with his paintings, the more than I began to experience him. He liked to be out in creation, painting nature, and working to capture the awe and wonder of it, the deity of information technology.  His fine art has a feeling of expectation, light, gravity, and grace. He touched me through his work. I really wanted to honor him. I wanted to grab a bit of his presence to share with the present and time to come. I want people to see him, and be curious to observe why he was memorialized.

PDD: Final thoughts?

GP: When I delivered him to the Fine art Lodge, I got chills, because I realized that was the outset fourth dimension he would cast a shadow in that location since he had passed.

*************************************************

Farther recognition came last yr when Magee Street was renamed Bannister Street in a long overdue acknowledgement of this man's place in Providence history. (Magee was a slave trader.)

The painting in the background is 'Cairo Airport' by another local artist, Morris Nathanson.

The Providence Fine art Club is currently running its 'Little Pictures Art Sale' and will be open to the public, seven days, noon to 5pm, through December 23rd.

Providence Art Order, 11 Thomas Street, (directions)

crittendenengand1958.blogspot.com

Source: https://providencedailydose.com/2020/12/05/new-bannister-sculpture-at-prov-art-club/

Share this post