Underground Railroad 2015: Works by Mark Priest

In the United States of America many slaves were safely carried to freedom. This monumental undertaking that has virtually gone unnoticed, has been the subject of my work over the past eleven years.  My current focus is on Frederick Douglass, Slavery in Maryland, and Underground Railroad (UGRR) Conductor, Harriet Tubman.

Each painting helps to memorialize a dangerous occupation that played a crucial role in the development of American society. In an ever-changing era these artworks are chronicles of an almost silent part of history. The viewer will find no noted heroes of the traditional kind. Those who play the role of hero and heroine in these works are the men and women who risked their lives and the lives of their families to preserve the UGRR.  

I began my research in 2003 and in May of 2004 following the routes on which Tubman took passengers to freedom. Many events have been recounted to me by noted historians, genealogists and descendants during my travels through Maryland, Delaware, New York, and Canada; retracing the steps of many who went before me on this route to freedom.  The wealth of personal experiences and detailed information I obtained is the foundation of this series of artworks.

The life of freedom seekers and those involved with the Underground Railroad was one of uncertainty. They carried on undaunted and these are the ideas that I strive to portray in this series. Figures are tugging and heaving, hoisting and dragging.  Figures depict the mental, emotional, and physical prowess needed to succeed on the UGRR.  Every muscle is strained to the limit.  

Vibrant color and light are used to lead your eye through the composition. I want the viewer to share both the positive and negative experiences of freedom seekers, their families, masters and various passengers on the UGRR.  My aim, as I think they would have liked it to be, is not to glorify them, but to acknowledge their fortitude, love of family and neighbor, and celebrate the value of all human life. In thus doing I hope to candidly portray the enormous effort that changed the tide of history for the African-American.

http://www.courier-journal.com/story/entertainment/arts/visual/2015/02/10/artist-paints-vivid-scenes-slavery/23183983/