The Dirty Spoon Cafe
Folk and Self-Taught Art

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The Dirty Spoon Cafe
Artwork Details
Artist/Maker
Winfred Rembert
born 1945
born 1945
Date
2002
Medium
Dye on carved and tooled leather
Accession #
2016.2
Dimensions
50 3/4 x 37 inches
Location
Currently Not on View
Description
The Dirty Spoon Cafe depicts Winfred Rembert’s childhood memory of a lively juke joint in his hometown of Cuthbert, Georgia. From afar, the interlocking bodies that fill this scene with high style and dynamic movement appear to be painted on a flat surface. A closer look reveals that Rembert carved every detail—from buttonholes and pinstripes to strands of hair—in leather. Upon completing his intricate composition, Rembert painted it with dye that saturated the leather’s surface, contributing to the work’s smooth finish and rich color.