Winfred Rembert (1945-2021)

Washington’s NGA has acquired their 1st work by Winfred Rembert. G.S.P. Reidsville (2013) in dyed, carved and tooled leather, depicts a prison chain gang at work. Growing up in the Jim Crow era, Rembert survived a near-lynching and spent 7 years in prison, where he learned leatherworking techniques. (NGA)

After surviving a lynching in rural Georgia in 1967, and being imprisoned for 7 years, in time the Georgian turned to art. His leather works depicting vivid scenes from his life led him to become an artist of renown. He passed away at 75 last week. (New York Times)