Artist George Dunbar speaks to the crowd during the opening of a retrospective of his artwork March 18 at the Slidell Cultural Center in Slidell.
- STAFF PHOTO BY SCOTT THRELKELD
George Dunbar at work recently near his Bayou Bonfouca home.
- PHOTO CONTRIBUTED BY RYAN GIANELLONI
Artist George Dunbar, 94, center, is applauded during the opening of a retrospective of his artwork Friday, March 18, 2022, at the Slidell Cultural Center in Slidell. Dunbar, whose work is in the collections of the British Museum of Art, the Museum of Modern Art, and the Whitney Museum, as well as prestigious galleries from New York to New Orleans, was instrumental in the founding of the arts community in Slidell. The retrospective is his first solo show in the city he's called home for decades. The exhibit includes quintessential works from his private collection, including rare pieces from his early decades and recent figurative works. 'Mr. Dunbar is a world-renowned artist and we are honored that he is displaying his works here in his hometown of Slidell,' said Slidell Mayor Greg Cromer. 'George was an integral part of creating the Slidell Commission on the Arts and the city's Cultural Affairs Department, designing the gallery for the original Slidell Cultural Center, and creating a rich cultural atmosphere here in Slidell. I know that our citizens are grateful for the numerous artistic contributions that he continues to make in our community.' (Staff photo by Scott Threlkeld, NOLA.com | The Times-Picayune | The New Orleans Advocate)
- STAFF PHOTO BY SCOTT THRELKELD
Artist Geoge Dunbar looks out the doorway of his studio which is a short walk from his house along Bayou Bonfouca near Slidell on Thursday, August 20, 2015. (Photo by Chris Granger, Nola.com | The Times-Picayune)
- CHRIS GRANGER
Artist George Dunbar works in his studio adjacent to his home near Slidell in August of 2015.
- FILE PHOTO BY CHRIS GRANGER
1 min to read
Gabriella Killett
Artist George Dunbar speaks to the crowd during the opening of a retrospective of his artwork March 18 at the Slidell Cultural Center in Slidell.
- STAFF PHOTO BY SCOTT THRELKELD
Artist George Dunbar, 94, center, is applauded during the opening of a retrospective of his artwork Friday, March 18, 2022, at the Slidell Cultural Center in Slidell. Dunbar, whose work is in the collections of the British Museum of Art, the Museum of Modern Art, and the Whitney Museum, as well as prestigious galleries from New York to New Orleans, was instrumental in the founding of the arts community in Slidell. The retrospective is his first solo show in the city he's called home for decades. The exhibit includes quintessential works from his private collection, including rare pieces from his early decades and recent figurative works. 'Mr. Dunbar is a world-renowned artist and we are honored that he is displaying his works here in his hometown of Slidell,' said Slidell Mayor Greg Cromer. 'George was an integral part of creating the Slidell Commission on the Arts and the city's Cultural Affairs Department, designing the gallery for the original Slidell Cultural Center, and creating a rich cultural atmosphere here in Slidell. I know that our citizens are grateful for the numerous artistic contributions that he continues to make in our community.' (Staff photo by Scott Threlkeld, NOLA.com | The Times-Picayune | The New Orleans Advocate)
- STAFF PHOTO BY SCOTT THRELKELD
Artist Geoge Dunbar looks out the doorway of his studio which is a short walk from his house along Bayou Bonfouca near Slidell on Thursday, August 20, 2015. (Photo by Chris Granger, Nola.com | The Times-Picayune)
- CHRIS GRANGER
George Dunbar, the world-renowned Slidell artist whose works were shown in New York's Museum of Modern Art and the British Museum of Art, died at his St. Tammany parish home on Friday. He was 96.
Dunbar's death was confirmed by the City of Slidell, andMayor Greg Comer said in a statement that the city has lost "a true American legend."
"Dunbar was not only a talented artist, he was a generous man who loved his family, friends and community," Cromer wrote. "I was honored to call him my friend."
Dunbar was known for his contemporary pieces and contribution to the expansion ofsoutheast Louisiana's arts community.The Whitney Museum of American Art has one of his collages in its permanent collection, and locally, two of Dunbar’s pieces are displayed in the entryway of the Four Seasons hotel.
Dunbar was born in New Orleans and fought in World War II. He returned to the states to attend Tyler School of Art in Philadelphia, where he learned from Jackson Pollock and Franz Kline. After a brief stint in New York City, he came home in the 1950s but not before earning a Bachelor of Fine Arts in painting from the Grande Chaumiere Academy in Paris in 1953.
Soon after his return to the south, Dunbar opened a gallery in the French Quarter and then expanded his career to include land development, moving his family to the northshore, where he became known for his contributions to the local arts scene and work as a community advocate. There, he also worked to develop rural property into lofty subdivisions.
All the while, he continued to create his art. In an interview with the Times-Picayune in 2022, he said: “I haven’t done my best work yet. I’m experimenting all the time. You should always be trying to do better.”
Officials dedicated a gallery at the Slidell Cultural Center to Dunbar, naming it the George Dunbar Gallery in 2022. Acitywide George Dunbar Day is celebrated every April 21.
"Our city is a better place because of all of Mr. Dunbar's contributions to our community," Comer said.
Check back for more on this developing story.
Email Gabriella Killett at gkillett@theadvocate.com.
Gabriella Killett
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