Bert Gallery

Providence, Rhode Island has long been known as a fertile yet competitive arena for visual artists. How does a museum such as Rhode Island School of Design (RISD) serve that local community of artists and still remain at the national forefront generating important academic exhibitions. This is a challenge for all American museums, so from 1940 - 1948, while war dominated the national and international scene, RISD balanced those two agendas by offering an Annual Exhibition of Rhode Island Artists. They brought in national jurors such as Max Weber and Yasuo Kuniyoshi to select the best local artists for exhibit at the museum.

As the art world shifted from Paris to New York it was convulsing with ideas and trends. Examining the Rhode Island artists in this exhibit provides a window into some of the national trends and ideas. Who were some of the prominent jurors? Who was selected for the exhibits? Did these artists go onto fame and fortune in the national arena? In the local arena?

Visit the exhibit and explore who were the “up and coming” artists in the 1940’s Rhode Island art scene.

All of the research for this exhibit is based upon documents in the Rhode Island School of Design Archives.