Winfred Rembert's Documentary "All Me" Tracks A Painful Past Translated Into Beautiful Art (VIDEO)

From The Cotton Fields To The Art Gallery

When most artists were in art school, Winfred Rembert was working on a chain gang. He was serving time in a Georgia prison after being arrested at a civil rights rally. When an artist might explain his works with hip conceptual jargon, Rembert presents his with "I was there." Rembert's unbelievable life story sounds like more like a legend, filled with unimaginable pain.

Rembert's mother left when he was just three months old, and he spent his childhood doing hard labor picking cotton alongside his aunt in the fields. As an adult, Rembert is receiving critical acclaim for his artwork; his solo show at New York's Adelson Gallery and his work at Yale are just two examples. His works use dye on tooled leather to craft folk tales that tell true stories richer than most fables. Rembert revives moments from his past, from a chain gang to a bustling school bus. The works are a testament to Rembert's personal triumphs and the incredible power of folk art.

The documentary "All Me: The Life & Times of Winfred Rembert" gives a look back on Rembert's astounding history. It is hard to believe how recently the hardships he endured occurred, that stories like his are still being told firsthand today. Yet Rembert's example represents an inspirational victory, representing our hopes for a better future. Hear the unbelievable stories as told through Rembert and as seen in his artwork.

If you're in New York, Rembert's work is being shown at the Hudson River Museum in Yonkers until May 5, 2012. For upcoming screenings, of "All Me," check the website here.

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