Artist: Joe Thompson
Sculpture to Commemorate Josh White
GJ: How were you contacted to create this piece?
JT: I was contacted by the committee to commemorate [Greenville-born musician] Josh White, which consisted of Mary Duckett, David and Lind Vickery, Norman Belk and Dale Perry, to do the work. They had previously commissioned the Peg Leg Bates sculpture, which I did some years ago.
GJ: What materials did you use to create this piece?
JT: The entire project is made from bronze, including the frame.
GJ: How long did it take to create?
JT: I was actively working on this piece for three and a half years, beginning in September 2017.
GJ: What is your favorite part of the piece and why?
JT: My favorite aspect of the work is that it is so unusual. It is a free-standing relief sculpture, and I love the text on the back, which consists of excerpts from Josh White’s own testimony from the House Committee on Un-American Activities. White was blacklisted by the committee and had to testify in his own defense.
🎸🎵The City is honoring Greenville native and Blues musician, Josh White. Plus, the Visitor Center at Unity Park is getting a roof. Learn more about what’s happening in the City of Greenville, South Carolina by watching #GVLthisWeek. https://t.co/Nj6Izm5dxS pic.twitter.com/FzVVgWGprA
— City of Greenville (@CityGreenville) March 27, 2021
GJ: When was it completed?
JT: March 25, 2021.
It is located on the corner of Hammond Street and Falls Park Way in Greenville.
