Born in 1945 in Cuthbert, Georgia, Winfred Rembert spent his youth largely working in the cotton fields. While in prison — where he was sent for participating in a civil rights march — he learned how to fashion tooled-leather wallets and design on leather.
On exhibit through this week at Cavalier Galleries is All Me, a solo exhibition featuring Rembert’s artworks painted on leather sheets that he hand tools and then dyes. A fascinating foray into the life of an African American coming of age in the pre-civil rights South, All Me is an impressive, forceful record of American history. Pictured above is Dinner Time in the Cotton Field, fashioned with dye on carved and tooled leather. Several more images from All Me follow:
Chain Gang, Dye on carved and tooled leather, 2010
Our Teacher, Dye on carved and tooled leather, 2014
Civil Rights — I Have a Dream, Dye on carved and tooled leather, 1999
Rocking in Church, Dye on carved and tooled leather, 2011
Saturday Shopping Day, Dye on carved and tooled leather, 2011
Jeff’s Pool Room, Dye on carved and tooled leather, 2003
All Me can be seen at 3 West 57th Street through Saturday from 10am to 6pm.
Photos of artworks by Lois Stavsky
