In conjunction with an evening reception celebrating the Library exhibition An Artist at Home in America: Michael Mardikes’ Photographs of Thomas Hart Benton, the late Mardikes’ wife, Myrtia Mardikes, and his fellow photographer and nephew, Nick Vedros, discuss Mardikes’ time with Benton in 1956. The photos that resulted from their sessions offer a rare glimpse into the famed painter's workspace and home.  

Of the 1,080 photos Mardikes captured, only four ever were published. Many chronicle Benton’s work on “Trading at Westport Landing,” a 50-by-89-inch egg tempera on canvas mural commissioned by the River Club in 1955. Mardikes made a point of closely observing Benton at work rather than questioning him about technique, but his images serve as a study in artistic process.   

An Artist at Home in America is sponsored by the Richard J. Stern Foundation for the Arts and runs through May 15, 2022.

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