Corrosion and Blue (Primary Title)
Benjamin Wigfall, American, 1930 - 2017 (Artist)
"There are a variety of colors in corrosion. How exciting and dull at the same time. There is also a reference to burning, and the blue functions as my red. . . . I was dealing with things that had no form; to avoid shape but have cohesion." —Benjamin Wigfall
Born in Richmond, Virginia, Wigfall attended Armstrong High School. He received VMFA fellowships in 1949 and 1951 while attending Hampton Institute (now Hampton University) and later studied in Iowa and at Yale University. Wigfalltaught at Hampton and the State University of New York at New Paltz, where he is currently professor emeritus. Corrosion and Blue represents Wigfall’s interest in abstraction, texture, and the varying stages of erosion and decay.
The Art of Ben Wigfall and the Story of Communications Village, The Samuel Dorsky Museum of Art, SUNY New Paltz, New Paltz, NY, September 10 - December 11, 2022
Exuberance: Dialogues in African American Abstract Painting, Duke Hall Gallery of Fine Art, James Madison University, Harrisonburg, VA October 26 - December 10, 2021
Some object records are not complete and do not reflect VMFA's full and current knowledge. VMFA makes routine updates as records are reviewed and enhanced.