Augustine Boyce Cummings, a native of Denver, Colorado, is an artist based in the city of New York. His dedication to his craft has earned him numerous accolades and recognitions. Cummings is a recipient of The esteemed Rome Prize and has been a Fellow of The American Academy in Rome since 2006 . In 2017 He was awarded a Fellowship from The Civitella Ranieri Foundation , which stands as a testament to his artistic endeavor.
Cummings has exhibited his work both nationally and internationally, with notable showcases including a 2000 square foot drawing and sculpture installation with SITE:LAB for Artprize in Grand Rapids Michigan, the New American Talent 19 exhibition held at ArtHouse Texas / The Jones Center. His artistic journey began at The School of The Art Institute of Chicago (SAIC), where he pursued his undergraduate studies as a Merit Scholar. He later achieved a Master's Degree in Fine Art (MFA) from The School of Visual Arts in New York City.
Throughout his career, Cummings has been the recipient of grants and awards from prestigious institutions such as The Rome Prize from The American Academy in Rome.
The Civitella Ranieri Foundation ,Umbria .
ARTISTSPACE in NYC and The Lower Manhattan Cultural Council. He was also recieved the Stacey S. Sussman traveling fellowship from the School of Visual Arts. Cummings's artwork has garnered recognition and can be found in notable public and private collections, including The Smithsonian National Portrait Gallery in Washington, D.C., and the personal collection of Agnes Gund, president emeritus of The Museum of Modern Art NY (MOMA).
In addition to his artistic pursuits, Augustine Boyce Cummings generously imparts his knowledge and passion to others as an instructor at The Art Students League of New York. There, he guides students in the realms of painting, contemporary art, and activism, nurturing generations of artists.
Furthermore, Cummings serves on the Board of Directors at Smack Mellon, a respected non-profit arts organization and exhibition space in Dumbo, Brooklyn. In this role, he supports emerging and under-recognized mid-career artists, fostering an environment that celebrates artistic growth and creativity.
Augustine Boyce Cummings's journey is marked by his unwavering dedication, profound talent, and commitment to the arts.
ARTIST STATEMENT
As an artist, I have always found solace and expression through my creative endeavors. The act of creating allows me to navigate and make sense of the world around me. For me, the message conveyed is just as significant as the medium through which it is communicated, perhaps even more so. My artistic vision draws inspiration from a diverse range of influences, including graffiti, science fiction, illustration, animation, and Renaissance painting. Visionaries such as Stan Lee, Andrew Wyeth, Bill Traylor, Barnett Newman, Basquiat, and Walt Disney have left their mark on my artistic language.
Within my work, I engage in a visual dialogue, utilizing symbols and imagery as a means of communication. Trumpets, ellipses, blue birds, skulls, telephone poles, stitching, animals, people, landscapes, and houses all find their place within my work. I recognize the inherent openness to interpretation that these symbols offer, leaving room for viewers to find their own interpretation and narrative within my pieces. It is this ambiguity that allows for a rich and varied engagement with my work.
Materials are important to me. Sculpting objects, employing twine for sewing, working with wood to construct, and exploring various surfaces, textures, and veneers. The freedom to utilize whatever materials I deem fitting enables me to fully realize my creative vision. My focus has shifted toward exploring modern themes. In this exploration, my artwork has come to reflect the chaos and strife that permeate our current world. It serves as a mirror, capturing the essence of our contemporary existence in all its complexity and turbulence.
Ultimately, my art is a reflection of my perspective on the world and a means of grappling with the realities of our time. Through my work, I invite viewers to join me on this on going journey of interpretation and introspection, where individual experiences merge with collective understanding. In this convergence, i hope to create space for new dialogues.
- Augustine Boyce Cummings
SELECTED ONE-PERSON EXHIBITIONS
2023- Dangerous Ground. MOSAIC artspace Long island City Queens NY.
2021 - Appearances. Bantam Arts Factory, Bantam, CT
2018 - An American Dream. Drawing installation. SITE:LAB. ARTPRIZE. Grand Rapids, MI (Curated by Paul Amenta)
2015 - Stubborn Truths. Projekt722 Gallery. Brooklyn, NY(Curated by Jeremiah Tiepan)
2007 - Fellow Exhibition. American Academy in Rome, Italy
2007 - Camouflage. Jonathan Shorr Gallery. NY, NY
2007 - Versus. Winkleman Gallery. NY, NY
2007 - Boyce Cummings. Jonathan Shorr Gallery. NY, NY
2006 - Boyce Cummings. Crosby Gallery. NY, NY
1999 - Boyce Cummings. Forsheim Gallery at Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY
SELECTED GROUP EXHIBITIONS
2024- Sky’s The Limit. The Billie Holiday Theatre, Gallery. Brooklyn , NY. Hollis Ellis Curator.
2023- Instructors Exhibition. Phyllis Harriman Mason Gallery. The Art Students League of New York. NY, NY
2022 - Instructors Exhibition. Phyllis Harriman Mason Gallery. The Art Students League of New York. NY, NY
2022 - Gravity Racers. Smack Mellon. Brooklyn, NY
2020 - Cicatrix, curated by Eun Young Choi and Sewon Oh. Cindy Rucker Gallery. NY, NY
2019 - Instructors Exhibition. Phyllis Harriman Mason Gallery. The Art Students League of New York. NY, NY
2019 - Heaven and Hell. 3-person exhibition, Julian Calderon curator. Juvenal Reis Gallery LIC, Queens, NY
2019 - Life on an Island. 19 “Castaways” cycle 1. School of Visual Arts alumni exhibition. Mark Ramos curator. Governors Island, NY
2018 - Instructors Exhibition. Phyllis Harriman Mason Gallery. The Art Students League of New York. NY, NY
2017 - Fellows Exhibition. Augustine Boyce Cummings, Jackie Saccocio, Milton Momen, Carl D’Alva. Civitella Ranieri Foundation. Umbertide province of Perugia, Italy
2015 - Small Works. Projekt722 Gallery. Brooklyn, NY
2014 - Ten. Cindy Rucker Gallery. NY, NY
2013 - Groundswell 17th Annual exhibition and auction. Christie’s Auction House. NY, NY
2013 - Summer Selections. Denise Bibro Fine Art. NY, NY
2012 - Art and Social Activism. Nicholas Cohn Art Projects. Qns, NY
2011 - GAGA Arts Center. Garnersville, NY
2011 - Provisions. Nathan Cummings Foundation. NY, NY
2010 - Art Stars of The 21st Century. GAGA Arts Center. Garnersville, NY
2010 - Escape From New York. Olympia Lampert curator. Paterson Arts Council. Paterson, NJ
2009 - Two Degrees Of Separation. Gallery Satori. NY, NY
2009 - Gone To The Dogs. Denise Bibro Gallery. NY, NY
2009 - Aspiration Inspiration. The Wassaic Project. Wassaic, NY (Curated by Nicholas Cohn)
2009 - Lover. On Stellar Rays Gallery. NY, NY (Curated by Candace Madey)
2009 - Double Dutch. GAGA Arts Center. Garnersville, NY (Curated by Jon Shorr)
2008 - Fountain Art Fair. Jonathan Shorr Gallery. Miami, FL
2008 - Animus Botanica. Denise Bibro Gallery. NY, NY
2008 - Flight of the Mechanical Bee. Korean Cultural Center. NY, NY (Curated by Eun Young Choi)
2008 - White on White. Number 35 Gallery. NY, NY
2008 - Art Futures, New Talent. Gallery Camino Real. Boca Raton, FL
2007 - Delicatessen. Florida Atlantic University. Boca Raton, FL (Curated by Dianna Sphungin; chaired panel, lecturer)
2006 - Aqua Art Fair. Aqua Hotel, Winkleman Gallery. Miami, FL
2006 - Year 06 Art Fair. Winkleman Gallery. London, England, UK
2005 - Theory. Jonathan Shorr Gallery. NY, NY
2005 - Group Show. Air Space. NY, NY
2004 - Americano’s. Arcaute Arte Contemporaneo. Monterrey, Mexico
2004 - Graphic. Fredericks Freiser Gallery. NY, NY
2004 - Slice and Dice. Visual Arts Gallery. NY, NY
2004 - The Truck Stops Here. Plus Ultra Gallery. Brooklyn, NY
2004 - TRANSMOTION. Semi Tractor Trailor. 48 ft flatbed semi-truck mobile kinetic sculpture, NYC mobile installation with Alois Kronshlaeger, Kate Gilmore, Diane Carr, Tom Lendvai, Elaine Chow, Chris Rieger, Robyn Winston
2003-2007 - NEW AMERICAN TALENT #19. Curated by Jerry Saltz. ArtHouse Texas. The Jones Center for the Arts. Austin, TX
2003 - Lost Dog Found. 526 Gallery. NY, NY
2003 - “Open” Group exhibition. “Pop-up” gallery. ARTISTSPACE independent project. Long Island City, NY
2002 - Just Add Water. Wooster Gallery. NY, NY (Juried)
2001 - Synthetic Dystopia. Curated by Loren Madsen. Wooster Gallery. NY, NY
2001 - Floors and Walls. Visual Arts Gallery. NY, NY (Juried)
ART TALKS
2024- Hudson College -Hudson County NJ.
2020- Cindy Rucker Gallery - Cicitrix exhibition. NY.NY
2019 - The Art Students League of New York. Instructor Lectures
2017 - Civitella Ranieri Foundation. Umbertide province of Perugia, Italy. Fellow Presentation
2015 - Nassau College. Garden City, NY. Artist Guest lecturer
2009 - School of Visual Arts, MFA program. NY, NY. Alumni Artist, Guest lecturer
2007 - The American Academy in Rome. Rome, Italy. Artist Fellow Presentation
2007 - Florida Atlantic University. Boca Raton, FL. Exhibiting Artist; Guest lecturer and Panelist
2006 - Temple University (abroad). Rome, Italy. Guest Lecturer and MFA critiques
1999 - Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Forsheim Gallery. Bronx, NY. Exhibiting Artist
Note: The above information represents a selection of Augustine Boyce Cummings’s exhibitions and lectures.
