"Blind Leading the Blind" University Series silkscreen by Bill Featherston
William (Bill) Featherston (Canadian 1927 - 2009) silkscreen university series "Blind Leading the Blind" from an edition of 50, 1972.
A critical statement on the university system, this silkscreen depicts figures of Adam and Eve in the lower right (presumably having already eaten from the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil), tumbling scholars in the middle left, the library at the University of Victoria in the background.
This print can be purchased unframed 22” x 28” for $250, or in a custom white frame, as seen here, 25.25" x 31.25" for $475.
William Featherston (1927 - 2009) was a Canadian artist who never shied away from using his art to criticize or shine a light on social issues. Originally from Toronto, Featherston forged a birth certificate in order to join the navy during WWII and served in both the Atlantic and the Pacific. He returned home in 1946, a (self-admitted) uneducated boy of 19. After acquiring a BA through night classes, Featherston attended the Ontario College of Art and became a high school teacher. It is said that although he taught at many major art schools and universities, he never let that interfere with his own work. In the meantime, his primary interests became political, the peace movements and social justice. A socialist teacher friend he made during that time, one John Jones from Liverpool, convinced him to travel (1958) to Britain to teach, which he did, first in Ireland.
'... I followed up with a trip to England which lasted for 12 years. I had shown in Canada (two solo exhibitions with Jack Pollack in Toronto) but England was the real beginning of my art career. I settled in St. Ives, Cornwall and was soon immersed in a fabulous art community. I associated with artists working at that time: Francis BACON, Patrick HERON, Barbara HEPWORTH, poets and playwrights: W.S. Graham, John Antrobus…. among many others.
I began a sculpture career showing in St. Ives, Penzance and eventually London, Edinburgh and the continent. My work was fundamentally abstract but contained references to architecture and hints of configuration.' (excerpt from his biography at http://williamfeatherston.com/)
In 1971 he returned to Canada. He died in 2009.
Featherston’s work is held in the collections of the Canada Council, Ottawa Art Bank, B.C. Art Bank, University of Buffalo, Leeds Art Gallery in England, Corcoran Gallery of Art in Washington, D.C., and the University of Glasgow in Scotland, among others.
William (Bill) Featherston (Canadian 1927 - 2009) silkscreen university series "Blind Leading the Blind" from an edition of 50, 1972.
A critical statement on the university system, this silkscreen depicts figures of Adam and Eve in the lower right (presumably having already eaten from the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil), tumbling scholars in the middle left, the library at the University of Victoria in the background.
This print can be purchased unframed 22” x 28” for $250, or in a custom white frame, as seen here, 25.25" x 31.25" for $475.
William Featherston (1927 - 2009) was a Canadian artist who never shied away from using his art to criticize or shine a light on social issues. Originally from Toronto, Featherston forged a birth certificate in order to join the navy during WWII and served in both the Atlantic and the Pacific. He returned home in 1946, a (self-admitted) uneducated boy of 19. After acquiring a BA through night classes, Featherston attended the Ontario College of Art and became a high school teacher. It is said that although he taught at many major art schools and universities, he never let that interfere with his own work. In the meantime, his primary interests became political, the peace movements and social justice. A socialist teacher friend he made during that time, one John Jones from Liverpool, convinced him to travel (1958) to Britain to teach, which he did, first in Ireland.
'... I followed up with a trip to England which lasted for 12 years. I had shown in Canada (two solo exhibitions with Jack Pollack in Toronto) but England was the real beginning of my art career. I settled in St. Ives, Cornwall and was soon immersed in a fabulous art community. I associated with artists working at that time: Francis BACON, Patrick HERON, Barbara HEPWORTH, poets and playwrights: W.S. Graham, John Antrobus…. among many others.
I began a sculpture career showing in St. Ives, Penzance and eventually London, Edinburgh and the continent. My work was fundamentally abstract but contained references to architecture and hints of configuration.' (excerpt from his biography at http://williamfeatherston.com/)
In 1971 he returned to Canada. He died in 2009.
Featherston’s work is held in the collections of the Canada Council, Ottawa Art Bank, B.C. Art Bank, University of Buffalo, Leeds Art Gallery in England, Corcoran Gallery of Art in Washington, D.C., and the University of Glasgow in Scotland, among others.
William (Bill) Featherston (Canadian 1927 - 2009) silkscreen university series "Blind Leading the Blind" from an edition of 50, 1972.
A critical statement on the university system, this silkscreen depicts figures of Adam and Eve in the lower right (presumably having already eaten from the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil), tumbling scholars in the middle left, the library at the University of Victoria in the background.
This print can be purchased unframed 22” x 28” for $250, or in a custom white frame, as seen here, 25.25" x 31.25" for $475.
William Featherston (1927 - 2009) was a Canadian artist who never shied away from using his art to criticize or shine a light on social issues. Originally from Toronto, Featherston forged a birth certificate in order to join the navy during WWII and served in both the Atlantic and the Pacific. He returned home in 1946, a (self-admitted) uneducated boy of 19. After acquiring a BA through night classes, Featherston attended the Ontario College of Art and became a high school teacher. It is said that although he taught at many major art schools and universities, he never let that interfere with his own work. In the meantime, his primary interests became political, the peace movements and social justice. A socialist teacher friend he made during that time, one John Jones from Liverpool, convinced him to travel (1958) to Britain to teach, which he did, first in Ireland.
'... I followed up with a trip to England which lasted for 12 years. I had shown in Canada (two solo exhibitions with Jack Pollack in Toronto) but England was the real beginning of my art career. I settled in St. Ives, Cornwall and was soon immersed in a fabulous art community. I associated with artists working at that time: Francis BACON, Patrick HERON, Barbara HEPWORTH, poets and playwrights: W.S. Graham, John Antrobus…. among many others.
I began a sculpture career showing in St. Ives, Penzance and eventually London, Edinburgh and the continent. My work was fundamentally abstract but contained references to architecture and hints of configuration.' (excerpt from his biography at http://williamfeatherston.com/)
In 1971 he returned to Canada. He died in 2009.
Featherston’s work is held in the collections of the Canada Council, Ottawa Art Bank, B.C. Art Bank, University of Buffalo, Leeds Art Gallery in England, Corcoran Gallery of Art in Washington, D.C., and the University of Glasgow in Scotland, among others.
