George Dunbar (American/New Orleans, 1927–2024), Coin du Lestin, 1996. Silver leaf, pigment, and clay. Gift of Richard Johnson. © George B. Dunbar.
Early in George Dunbar's career, the Louisiana native studied art in Philadelphia and often frequented the New York School haunts of Franz Kline, Jackson Pollock, and Willem de Kooning. Upon his return to his home state, George solidified his exploration of geometric abstraction, while also highlighting the distinctive, lush landscapes of South Louisiana through his choice of color, materials, and a complex visual vocabulary uniquely his own. His work bridged local, national, and international artistic inquiry around the role of modern art, always true to his fundamental commitment to abstraction.