Robert Wilbert (1929–2016) was a contemporary American figurative painter. He was born in Chicago and later relocated to Detroit, where he taught painting at Wayne State University for 38 years. Wilbert gained recognition as an influential figure within Detroit's

Cass Corridor The Cass Corridor is the name of the neighborhoods on the west end of Midtown Detroit. It includes the Cass Park Historic District, the Cass-Davenport Historic District and Old Chinatown. The corridor's main street, Cass Avenue, runs parallel wi ...

, alongside artists such as

Ellen Phelan Ellen Phelan (born 1943) is an American artist known especially as a painter of formalist abstractions, psychologically charged scenes enacted by dolls, and landscapes. Background and education Phelan was born in 1943 and raised in Detroit, Mi ...

, Gordon Newton, and Nancy Mitchnick. While the artist's work has been exhibited nationally, Wilbert's impact is primarily felt within Detroit's creative community. Most notably, his work is part of the permanent collection at the

Detroit Institute of Arts The Detroit Institute of Arts (DIA), located in Midtown Detroit, Michigan, has one of the largest and most significant art collections in the United States. With over 100 galleries, it covers with a major renovation and expansion project complet ...

. Wilbert also gained statewide attention in 1987 when he was commissioned by the state of Michigan to design the first commemorative state postage stamp, honoring the 150th anniversary of Michigan statehood. In 2010, his work was celebrated in a gallery opening at the

Scarab Club The Scarab Club (commonly referred to as ''Historic Scarab Club of Detroit'') is an artists' club, gallery, and studio in the Cultural Center Historic District of Detroit, Michigan, located at 217 Farnsworth Street, near the Detroit Institute ...

in Detroit, where he was invited to sign the famous second floor ceiling beam. Wilbert's work continues to be represented by the

Susanne Hilberry Susanne may refer to: *Susanne (given name), a feminine given name (including a list of people with the name) *, later USS ''SP-411'', a United States Navy patrol boat in commission from 1917 to 1919 *, the proposed name and designation for a vess ...

Gallery in Ferndale, MI. He is considered a seminal figure in the Detroit art community whose influence continues to be widely felt.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Wilbert, Robert 1929 births 2016 deaths American contemporary painters Painters from Chicago Wayne State University faculty Painters from Detroit 21st-century American painters 20th-century American painters

Further reading

References