College of Engineering alumna, Joan Facey, ’58, has generously donated three Gershon Benjamin paintings to Drexel University.
Facey is currently the president and chair of The Gershon Benjamin Foundation and executor of the Benjamin estate and art collection. The three paintings are from a collection that had been on exhibit in Drexel’s Rincliffe Gallery from April through August, 2015 and include At the Moma #1; Turner Exhibition, Spectators at the Moma #3; and New York Rooftops.
These three paintings are representative of Benjamin’s best known work. The first two are gouache on black paper. Benjamin explored the use of black construction paper for the gouaches starting in the 1930s, which allowed for a looser style and vivid colors, allowing the works to become more about line and color. New York Rooftops is one of Benjamin's several paintings of the New York cityscape, a favorite subject of his throughout his life. His shift in the art department at The Sun in New York began at midnight and went until dawn, so his experience of New York, coming and going from work, was often deserted, full of mystery and oddly calm. His cityscapes would capture these feelings and were often devoid of people and cars. He also loved the juxtaposition of the different shapes created by the city skyline which followed his interest in the use of line and color to depict scenes.
The paintings may be viewed in Drexel’s Curator’s Office in the Main Building and the College of Engineering’s Dean’s Suite in the CAT Building.