Marion Perkins (sculptor)
Script error: No such module "AfC submission catcheck". Marion Marche Perkins (1908-1961) was an American sculptor who taught and exhibited at Chicago's South Side Community Art Center and exhibited at the Art Institute of Chicago. Perkins is widely considered an important artist of the Chicago Renaissance.
Early life Marion Perkins was born in Arkansas in 1908 where he lived with his grandparents and parents. He relocated to Chicago at the age of 8. He was, however, raised by his aunt after the sudden death of both of his parents. Perkins attended Wendell Phillips Elementary and High School but did not graduate. His education is best defined as self-taught as he had only received basic instruction by Si Gordon from a local YMCA. Si Gordon also became a well known figure in the world of sculpting
Personal life During the depression, Perkins Perkins settled down with Eva Gillion – his new wife – and bought a house in the South Side known then as Bronzeville. He and Eva made great efforts to network and meet the great intellectuals and authors Chicago had to offer. He then had three sons, Robert, Toussaint, and Eugene with his wife Eva.
Philosophy, ideology, and beliefs Marion became known as an avid outspoken believer in social equality, inclusion, and black expression. He also writes about disparities and often compares to what he believes would be a better system: communism. Later in his life, he became known as a firm Marxist who detested the classist actions taken in art and was known to have spoken badly about other artists of the time who focused on art to please wealthy buyers. He was a critique of the abstract movement and wanted to represent art fairly with a socially political understanding of the time.
Major Works “Mask of Eva” (circa 1935)
“John Henry” (1942)
“Portrait of Eva” (circa 1947)
“Figure at Rest” (circa 1947)
“Seated Figure” (1947)
“Dying Soldier” (1952)
“Unknown Political Prisoner” (1953)
“Sancho Panza and Don Quixote” (circa 1955)
“Skywatchers” series (1948-1955)
Career Perkins purchased a newspaper stand in 1936 and started carving from discarded materials during the work day. However, he often struggled to support his family during the 1930s and 1940s so he took many odd jobs ranging from custodian to dishwasher to freight handler. Peter Pollack of the Works Progress Administration's Illinois Art Project and Southside Community Art Center noticed Perkins' work after passing the newsstand and soon introduced him to Simon Gordon, a sculptor who assisted Perkins with his formal training.
In 1938, Perkins received his first commission when hired by the Biltmore Hotel in South Haven, Michigan to create very large statues of children in Dutch attire. Perkins sold the newsstand and began working for the United States Postal Service because in 1940 around which time his sculptures were exhibited at Howard University and the International Negro Exhibition in Chicago.
Perkins entered and won a number of art competitions over the course of his career. He was awarded a $2,400 Rosenwald Fellowship Award in 1948 and received three awards from the Art Institute of Chicago between 1947 and 1952. The Institute purchased his work, Man of Sorrows, in 1951. He gained much state recognition but was scarcely mentioned outside of Chicago.
Perkins taught sculpture at the Southside Community Art Center and Jackson State University.
He continued to work and exhibit until his death in 1961.
References "Sculptor Marion Perkins". WTTW News. Retrieved 2019-02-23. "Marion Perkins Papers". www.chipublib.org. Retrieved 2019-02-23. "Selected Works - Marion Perkins (1908-1961) - Artists - Michael Rosenfeld Art". www.michaelrosenfeldart.com. Retrieved 2020-11-29. "Selected Works - Marion Perkins (1908-1961) - Artists - Michael Rosenfeld Art". www.michaelrosenfeldart.com. Retrieved 2020-11-29. "Marion Perkins Papers". www.chipublib.org. Retrieved 2020-11-29. "Selected Works - Marion Perkins (1908-1961) - Artists - Michael Rosenfeld Art". www.michaelrosenfeldart.com. Retrieved 2020-11-29. "Marion Perkins Papers". www.chipublib.org. Retrieved 2020-11-29. Margaret Burroughs and Marion Perkins: A Retrospective. National Gallery of Art Library: The Evans-Tibbs Collection. 1982. "Marion Perkins Papers". www.chipublib.org. Retrieved 2020-11-30. "Man of Sorrows". The Art Institute of Chicago. Retrieved 2019-02-23. "Selected Works - Marion Perkins (1908-1961) - Artists - Michael Rosenfeld Art". www.michaelrosenfeldart.com. Retrieved 2020-11-29. External links Man of Sorrows. Art Institute of Chicago. Michael Rosenfeld Gallery WTTW News
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