Winfred Rembert: Caint to Caint
February 1 - March 31, 2013
Adelson Galleries Boston is pleased to present Caint to Caint, a solo exhibition of Winfred Rembert (b. 1945). The artwork will be on display from Friday, February 1st, 2013 through March 31st, 2013 in our South End gallery at 520 Harrison Avenue.
The title of the show is based on Winfred Rembert’s painting, “Caint to Caint (Can’t see when you go to work, can’t see when you get back),” referring to working in the cotton fields before sunrise until after sunset during his days in Cuthbert, Georgia in the 1950s and 60s. Winfred continues this work ethic - working from the early morning to late at night telling his life’s story on leather sheets.
Having survived the hardships of bigotry, near lynching, and jail, Winfred has seen some of the ugliest moments in American history. He retells these memories with a method that he learned in prison when he witnessed a man carving leather wallets. He began practicing this technique, and later in his life, at the suggestion of his wife Patsy, Winfred took the practice to a new level by carving his life story into sheets of tanned leather that he colors with dye. He does not simply depict the horror of his past; rather, he recaptures the feeling and vision of Cuthbert, Georgia in the 1950s and 60s. One sees segregated pool halls, church and town scenes that seem antiquated, yet they existed during this man’s generation. His amazing life story is not only an inspiration, but also an important part of American History.
Adam Adelson
Director