Joseph B. Thompson to exhibit at Castelli Gallery this fall

Click image to view full flyer

Joseph B. Thompson will exhibit sculptures in Leo Castelli Gallery this fall alongside some of his late father’s work.

Birds of a Feather will be on display throughout the fall. An opening reception and artist talk will be held from 5-7 p.m. on Thursday, Oct. 22. The reception is free and open to the public; the exhibit can be viewed during the gallery’s regular hours.

Thompson began his career as a woodworker and carpenter, and eventually went back to school for sculpture after teaching elementary art. He earned his Master of Fine Arts from Clemson University and his undergraduate degree from the University of Georgia. He has taught and chaired the Visual Arts Department at the South Carolina Governor’s School for the Arts and Humanities for 22 years. Additionally, he has served as a visiting professor with the University of Georgia’s Studies Abroad Program in Cortona, Italy. 

Joseph Thompson is the son of prolific sculptor William J. Thompson. Many of the elder Thompson’s work is in Brenau’s permanent collection, donated by the estate of his widow, Claire, following her death in 2022. Birds of a Feather brings the sculptures of Joseph B. Thompson into an intimate visual and conceptual dialogue with selected works from his father’s collection.

“Family, traditions, heritage, all of these things can profoundly impact an artist, whether they are looking to do something different or whether they are trying to connect with something on a spiritual level,” Brenau Galleries Director Lybi Cucurullo said. “The juxtaposition of father and son in one exhibit is not something we get to see very often. Joseph’s sculptures are unique to him and his experiences, but there are imprints of his family life. I encourage visitors to take a little extra time with this exhibit and think about their alignment with their own families.”

Birds of a Feather invites viewers to explore this shared lineage. Together, father and son emerge as true “birds of a feather”— two artists linked by blood, history, and a continuous exploration of the human experience through sculptural form.