“I feel like it’s my time to influence, so . . . I can inspire someone.” Under the bustling Dining Hall, a display of legacy stands. Mitchell Rembert, the 2024 Mudge Fellow, aims to complete the career of his late father Winfred Rembert—an artist and civil rights activist himself. The elder Rembert, a witness of the devastating events that haunted the Jim Crow era, portrayed his experiences through the dynamic use of leather in his art.
Following in the footsteps of his father, Mr. Rembert’s Legacy in Leather shifts from an expression of the Jim Crow South to the modern day African American experience and those standing up for injustice, while keeping much of the essence of his father’s work. Both a nod to his father and the modernisation of a unique style, Mr. Rembert’s exhibition strives to achieve one main goal: inspire others.
Growing up in New Haven, Connecticut, Mr. Rembert said he would always stand up in protests when he thought something was wrong, which sparked his passion for art. He fell in love with creating and, attending boarding school, learned the craft of drawing and designing boats. “I really don’t see myself doing anything else,” he stated. Mr. Rembert wanted to start his career with something different from his father—unique to himself—but after seeing his father’s decline in health, Mr. Rembert was motivated to learn more about and honor his father through the craft of leather art that he was known for.
“We had [Rembert’s] father originally come in 2020, but only virtually,” said Acting Visual Arts Department Head Jennifer Ho. Inviting Mr. Rembert onto the Circle was “just another way to honor [the Rember family’s] legacy and give Mitchell the opportunity to not only show his work, but also work with students.” In this collaboration, their legacy extends beyond the confines of a mere exhibition—it becomes a living testament to artistic heritage passed from father to son.
The Mudge Fellowship was established in 1992 to encourage and promote visual arts at Groton. It gives the chance for students to “see what it’s like to interact with a professional artist,” Ms. Ho explained. Mr. Rembert was the first Mudge Fellow to interact with all students, not just those involved in the visual arts curriculum, and the exhibition has seen great success. Setting up shop in the lobby of the Dining Hall, Rembert enthusiastically guided all the students who took a seat through dying leather strips and etching drawings into them. Afterwards, the students were given the opportunity to display their artwork. When asked about the experience, Mr. Rembert noted, “I really enjoyed seeing other people doing craft that differs from my own through the same medium.” From the students’ perspective, Ms. Ho said that “they were really excited to display [their pieces].”
Mr. Rembert’s commitment to his craft extends beyond his personal accolades; rather, it is his means to impart a message to the world. To him, it is about sharing “what [he’s] grown to love with other people.” Other times, it is to “inspire the youth.” Ultimately, Rembert says, “I just want to make something beautiful for the sake of it being beautiful.”
