Menu
menu logo
BACK

Winston Branch

Artworks Biography & Videos
Artist Bio

A prominent artist, whose work is included in the collection of Tate Britain

“Why then this need to write on the achievement of the artists which is sufficient to watch. One can eventually, in a simplified manner, recall the need for explanation, particularly in the case of an abstract painting such as that of Winston Branch.
To touch on the main issue, the history of painting shows that the figurative aspect of the painting is always an appearance. The famous analysis of the ‘View of Delft’ by Vermeer, in the ‘Search of lost times’ by Marcel Proust depicts it very much.
The profound intention of the painter is to create his own symbolic language. What for the majority of spectators is only descriptive, is in fact the presentation of an inner landscape of the artist. The visionary who tries to transmit his vision to all, who discovers his works and as he gives an opportunity to see, in the capacity of the creator, that which has never been seen before. How surprising that he cannot be understood.
We recall the difficult beginnings of Wassily Kandinsky and of Jackson Pollock. Even so for Picasso, a great media figure who was never abstract, was found incomprehensible before recognition!
And yet, who would dare deny that the art work of these artists has changed our vision of the world. “

André CHAPOT Castries, November 1994

Born: Castries, ST. Lucia, West Indies, 1947 (British citizen)

Education:

  • 1971-1972: The British School at Rome,
  • 1966-1970: Italy Slade School of Fine Art, University College London, England

Teaching:

  • 2000-2001: Associate Professor, Kansas State University, USA
  • 1998-1999: Assistant Adjunct Professor, University of California at Berkeley
  • 1973-1992: Visiting Tutor, Slade School of Fine Art, University College, London, England ,Visiting Tutor, Chelsea Art School, London, England, Visiting Tutor, Kingston Art School, London, England
  • 1973: Artist-in-Residence, Fisk University, Nashville, Tennessee
  • 1971: Visiting Tutor, Goldsmith’s College or Art, London University, England,  Visiting Tutor, Hornsey College of Art, London, England

Public Lectures

  • May. 2002: “Artists Talk” Oakland Museum of California, Oakland, California Public talk.
  • Sep. 2000: Visiting Artists lecture series, Beach Museum of Art, Kansas State University
  • Feb. 2000: “Modernity out of the calabash: the art and artists of the Caribbean “3-part lecture series, Barrows Hall, University of California at Berkeley
  • Apr. 1999: “Time past, time present: Figuration, abstraction and the politics of race and gender”. Townsend Center for the Humanities, Stephens Hall, University of California at Berkeley
  • Nov. 1998: “The Calabash Lecture”, Kroeber Hall, University of California at Berkeley

Awards

  • 1996: Purchase award by the 23rd Bienal of Sao Paulo
  • 1995: Mural – Hewamorra International Airport, St. Lucia
  • 1994: Organization of American States sponsorship to Belize
  • 1978: John Simon Guggenheim Memorial Fellowship in Painting
  • 1977: Invited by the 2nd World festival of African Arts and Culture, Lagos, Nigeria
  • 1976: Artists-in-Berlin Programme (Berliner Kunsler Programme des DAAD)
  • 1973: British Council Award
  • 1971: Brazilian Government sponsorship to the 11th Bienal of Sao Paulo, Brazil
  • 1971: British Prix de Rome, Italy
  • 1970: Boise Traveling Scholarship

Stage Designs

  • 1971: “Jimmy K. Fitsh”, Leo Herne, Amsterdam
  • 1971: Art Director for Frankie Dymon Jr.’s film “Death my be your Santa Claus”
  • 1968: “Village Wooing”. George Bernard Shaw, London
  • 1968: “Hello-out-there”, William Saroyan, London

Group Exhibitions

  • 2005-2004: Alitask KeBede Gallery, Los Angeles, California
  • 2004-2003: 4th Bienal de Pintura del Caribe y Centroamerica, Muséo de Arte Moderno, Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic
  • 2003: “Seventeen Bay Area Artists”, Joyce Gordon Gallery, Oakland, California
  • 2002: “Being There: 45 Oakland Artists” Museum of California, Oakland
  • 2001:  Art Faculty Exhibition, Kansas State University, Wamego, Kansas
  • 2000: 1st Bienal Argentina de Grafica Latinoamericaana, Muséo Nacional del Grabado, Argentina
  • 1999-2000: “Urban Life in the Caribbean”, Museum of the National Pantheon, Port-au-Prince, Haiti (Travelling exhibition)
  • 1999: Faculty of Art Practice, University of California at Berkeley
  • 1998: “Caribe: exclusion, fragmentacion y paraiso”, Muséo Extremoeno e Iberomericano de Arte Contemporaneo, Badajoz, Madrid,
  • 1998: XXXeme Festival International de Peinture, Cagnes-sur-Mer. France
  • 1998: XII Bienal de San Juan del Grabado Latinoamericano y del Caribe, Puerto Rico
  • 1997: V Salon of Drawing of Santo Dominigo, Dominican Republic
  • 1997: “Transforming the Crown:African, Asian and Caribbean Artists in Britain, 1966-1996: “Studio Museum of Harlem”, New York
  • 1997: “Caribe Entranable”, Ultimo Arte, Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic
  • 1997: Exhibition and auction of Contemporary Art for the SOS Children’s Villages in Greece, Thessaloniki, Greece
  • 1996: 23rd Bienal of Sao Paulo, Muséo de Arte Moderno, Sao Paulo, Brazil
  • 1996: 3rd Bienal de Pintura del Caribe y Centroamerica, Muséo de Arte Moderno, Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic
  • 1995: “Africa 95”, Prints and Photographs by Artists of African Descent, Victoria and Albert Museum, London
  • 1994: 2nd Bienal de Pintura del Caribe y Centroemerica, Muséo de Arte Moderno, Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic
  • 1994: 4th Bienal de Pinture de Cuenca, Modern Art Museum, Cuenca, Ecuador
  • 1994: “Indigo 94”, Pointe-a-Pitre, Guadeloupe
  • 1994: 4th Annual International Art Exhibition and Auction to benefit Very Special Arts, Sotheby’s, The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, Washington, DC.
  • 1993: St. Lucia National Trust Collection, Castries, St. Lucia
  • 1992: “Les Afros Americains et L’Europe”, Paris
  • 1991: Auction, Christie’s South Kensington, Modern and Contemporary Paintings, Watercolours, Drawings and Sculpture, London
  • 1991: “Recent Acquisitions of the Contemporary Art Society”, James Major Gallery, London
  • 1991: The Chelsea Arts Club Auction, 20th Century Paintings, Drawings and Sculpture, Sotheby’s London
  • 1986: “Artists of Promise and Renown”, University of Warwick, UK
  • 1982: Biennale de Paris, Musee d’Art Moderne, Paris
  • 1981: British Artists in Berlin, Goethe Institute, London
  • 1980: British School in Rome, South London Art Gallery, London
  • 1979: Modern International Graphix IX, Lubeck, Germany
  • 1978: Year of Child Traveling Exhibition, Poland, Holland, Mexico, Japan
  • 1977: 2nd World Festival of African Arts and Culture, Lagos, Nigeria
  • 1976: Terry Dintenfass Gallery, Summer Group Show, New York
  • 1976: Freie Berliner Kunstausstellung, Berlin
  • 1976: Kutztown State College, Pennsylvania, USA
  • 1976: Glassboro State College, New Jersey, USA
  • 1975: Ruth S. Schaffner Gallery, Los Angeles, USA
  • 1972: “Carifesta”, Georgetown, Guyana
  • 1971: 11th Bienal of Sao Paulo, Muséo de Arte Moderno, Sao Paulo, Brazil
  • 1971: Salon des Jeunes Peintures, Grand Palais, Paris
  • 1971: “Recent Acquisitions of the Contemporary Art Society”, Gubenkian Hall, Royal College of Art, London
  • 1971: “Caribbean Artists in England”, Commonwealth Institute, London
  • 1970: “Young British Painters”, UK Travelling Exhibition
  • 1970: “Young Generation of British Painters”, USA Traveling Exhibition
  • 1969: “Carifta Expo”, Grenada, West Indies
  • 1969: Exposition Contemporaire des Villes, Jumelles d’esch sur Alzette, France
  • 1969: “Young Artists from the Commonwealth”, Royal Commonwealth Society, London
  • 1969: National Arts Students Exhibition, Roundhouse, London
  • 1969: “London Group”, Royal Institute Galleries, London
  • 1967: : Art Colleges Exhibition”, FBA Galleries, London
  • 1966: University of London Union, London
  • 1966: Luton International Arts Council, Bedford, UK
  • 1966: White Chapel Library, London

Individual Exhibitions

  • 2004: Alliance Française, San Francisco, California
  • 2003: Alliance Française, Los Angles, California
  • 2001: Willard Hall, Kansas State University, Kansas
  • 2000: Alliance Française, San Francisco, California
  • 1999: Townsend Center for the Humanities, University of California at Berkeley
  • 1998: “150th Anniversary of the Abolition of Slavery in the French Antilles”, Alliance Française Castries, St. Lucia
  • 1997: Clink Wharf Gallery, London
  • 1996: Dunnottar School, Castries, St. Lucia
  • 1994: Belize Arts Council, Belize
  • 1994: Department of Museums, Belmopan, Belize
  • 1994: Alliance Française, Roseau, Dominica, West Indies
  • 1994: Sir Arthur Lewis Community, College, Castries. St. :Lucia
  • 1993: National Commercial Bank, Castries, St. Lucia
  • 1992: Alliance Française, Castries, St. Lucia
  • 1987: Jersey Arts Council, Bernie Gallery, Channel Isles
  • 1985: Artist’s Open Studio, Whitfield Place, London
  • 1984: Joanna Lonsdale, London
  • 1983: Lady Marabelle Kelly, Carlyle Square, London
  • 1977: Hoschcule der Kunst, Berlin
  • 1976: Gallerie Richter, Berlin
  • 1975: Terry Dintenfass Gallery, New York
  • 1973: Fisk University, Carl van Vechten Gallery, Nashville, Tennessee
  • 1969: Winston Branch with Felix Topolski, St Martin-in-the-Fields, London
  • 1967: Arts Lab, Drury Lane, London

Public Collections

  • Tate Britain Collection
  • Alliance Française, Castries, St. Lucia, West Indies
  • Arts council of Great Britain
  • Atlantic Bank, Belize City, Belize Belize
  • Arts Council
  • Berkeley Art Museum, Berkeley, California
  • Boise Collection, University College London
  • The British Museum, LondonThe Brooklyn Museum, New York
  • Center for Black & African Arts & Civilization, Nigeria
  • La Cheneviere, Port en Bessin, Normandy, France
  • Contemporary Art Society, London
  • Department of Museums, Belize
  • Fundacao de Bienal de Sao Paulo, Brazil
  • Her Britannic Majesty’s Military Government, Berlin
  • Hewamorra International Airport, St. Lucia
  • The Herbert Art Gallery, Coventry, UK
  • ICI Limited, UK
  • Kunsthalle, Hamburg, Germany
  • Leicestershire Education Authorities, UK
  • Museé des Beaux Arts, Algiers
  • Museum Art Gallery, Rugby, UK
  • Museum of Modern Art, Sao Paulo, Brazil
  • National Museum of Wales, UK
  • National Trust of St. Lucia
  • Neuer Berliner Kunstverein, Berlin
  • Price Waterhouse, Castries, St. Lucia
  • Sandals Resorts International, St. Lucia
  • The Schomburg Collection, New York
  • Sinclair Research Limited, UK
  • The Sprint Head Office, Kansas, USA
  • Unilever Limited, London Victoria and Albert Museum, London
  • University of Warwick Art Collection, UK

Selected Bibliography

  • 2004: Peter Selz, Ronald Alley, Alliance Française, San Francisco, California. March 27
  • 2002: “Being There: 45 Oakland Artists” Museum of California, Oakland
  • 2000: Marianne de Tolentino, Art Nexus, “Urban Life in the Caribe” Muséo del Pantéon National, May 2000, #36
  • 2000: Jan Biles, Lawrence Journal-World, “Inner Vision Drives Artist”, November 9, 2000
  • 2000: Jennifer Detweiler, The Manhattan Mercury, Arts & Leisure, “Sharing His Art”, Sunday, October 8, 2000
  • 1999: Wendy Martin, Women’s Studies, “A Matter of Survival – Portrait of Winston Branch” No. 3, Volume 28, ISSN0049-7878
  • 1999: Julia Sommer, Berkeleyan, “Painter Winston Branch – Visiting Artist Shares His ‘Great Love’ for Painting & education”, August, 1999, ISSN 0885-3142
  • 1998: Ronald Alley, 30th Festival International de La Peinture, Cagnes-Sur-Mer” Cat. 1988-1999 France.
  • 1998: Maria Lluisa Borras & Antonio Zaya, Casa de America, “Caribe Insular, Exclusion, Fragmentaçion y Paraiso”, Madrid, Spain, Cat. 1998
  • 1998: Vlad, ”, Frances-Antilles Magazine,: Arts Plastiques, “Winston Branch ou les Métaphores de la Liberté, Saturday May 30 – June 5, 1998
  • 1997: Holland Cotter, The New York Times, “This Realm of Newcomer, This England”, Oct. 24, 1997
  • 1997: Mora Beauchamp Byrd, “Transforming the Crown”, ISBN 09654082-0-5
  • 1996: André Chahot, 23rd Bienal International Sao Paulo, “The Inner Landscape”, Cat. 1996 Caroline Popovic, B.W.I.A. Caribbean Beat, “The Precarious Life of Art”
  • 1995: November – December 1995
  • 1994: André Chapot, Alliance Française de Roseau, Dominica
  • 1993: Winston Branch, Evening Standard UK, “In Search of the Green Banana”, January 27, 1993
  • 1992: Anne Walhsley, New Beacon Books, “The Caribbean Art Movement: 1966-1972”, ISBN-18726101
  • 1992: Ferdinand Dennis, BBC Radio Forum – Work Talk, “Ferdinand Dennis in Conversation with Winston Branch”, November 1992
  • 1992: Michael Fabre, Paris: Galerie d’Art Noir Contemporain,“Los Afro Americains et L’Europe”- (catalogue)
  • 1988: This is London, “Artist Opens City Studio”, No. 1708, June 30, 1988
  • 1987: Rod McLoughlin, Jersey Evening Post, “Exploring the Depths”, Friday May 8, 1987
  • 1982: Carlos Diaz Sosa, 12th Biennale de Paris, “The Light in the Colors”, Museé de Art Moderne de la Ville de Paris, Cat. 1982
  • 1981: Goethe Institute, “Two Decades of the DAAD’s British Artists in Berlin”, London, November, 1981
  • 1978: David Simolke, Black Art International Quarterly, “Winston Branch – A Study in Contrast”, Volume 2, No. 2, 1978
  • 1978: Bernd Lubowski, Berliner Morgenpost, “Ich Lasse Mich von Kimt der Stadt beein Flussen”, December 3, 1978, #282/81. JAHRG
  • 1977: Jules Walter, “Winston Branch Painting 1976-77, DAAD: Hochschule der Kunst, Berlin, 1977
  • 1977: Peter Hans Gopfert, Die Welt, “Malerische Dialoge Zwischen Kalkul und Phantasie”, Tuesday July 12, 1977-B NR 159/28W
  • 1976: Was ist Wann?, “Winston Branch: Guest of Berlin DAAD”, #6, Vol. 15.5 – 15.8, 1976
  • 1973: Dr. David C. Driskell, “The Recent Paintings of Winston Branch”, The Carl Van Vechten Gallery, Department of Art, Fisk University, Nashville, Tennessee, October, 1973
  • 1973: Clara Hieronymus, The Tennesseen, “Major Show At Fisk”, Sunday, October 14, 1973