Geoffrey Holder - Swimmers II, 1986 && Boscoe Holder - Sitting Female Nude, n.d.
Coloured pencil on paper, 91.4 x 116.8 cm, 36 x 46 in, || Acrylic on board 45.4 x 35.2 cm 17.89 x 13.87 in
Thursdays are dedicated to honoring artists who have passed away but whose contributions to the art world remain significant. Their impact should never be forgotten
Today, I decided to feature two artists for the first time! Let's celebrate brothers Geoffrey and Boscoe Holder, who are both outstanding talents. You may recognize Geoffrey Holder from the movie Boomerang, in which he played Nelson, the mastermind behind the iconic ad for Strangé’s perfume (it stinks so good), portrayed by Grace Jones. (That scene still creeps me out to this day! She gave birth to perfume that smells like lady parts, lol.)
About the brothers
Dancer, choreographer, designer, actor, painter: brothers Boscoe Holder and Geoffrey Holder wore all of these hats as they carved parallel paths through art and performance across careers lasting more than a half-century. Born in Trinidad and Tobago in 1921 and 1930 and establishing themselves in London and New York, respectively, the siblings each drew inspiration from their rich heritage and the cultures of their adopted cities to develop robust interdisciplinary practices, mirrored across the Atlantic Ocean.
Both fiercely creative until the end, the Holder brothers built expansive, intertwining legacies, suggesting that, sometimes, artistry is innate. As if dancing separately to the same music, Boscoe and Geoffrey always painted in sync.
Around the web: Brothers Boscoe and Geoffrey Holder Left Kindred Legacies in Painting and Performance | ‘To represent blackness as beautiful was radical’: the astonishing art – and lives – of the Holder brothers
Boscoe Holder | Geoffrey Holder - Exhibition on view in London
Victoria Miro is delighted to present exhibitions by Boscoe Holder and Geoffrey Holder. Shown in tandem for the first time, exhibitions by Boscoe (1921–2007) and his younger brother Geoffrey (1930–2014) foreground the siblings as painters against the significance of their achievements in theatre, dance and film.
Exhibitions 1 June–27 July 2024
16 Wharf Road, London N1 7RW
Tuesday-Saturday: 10am–6pm
You learn something new every day. Had no idea that Boscoe had a brother, let alone one that was equally as talented. Thanks for writing this!