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Edna Mann (1926 – 1985) was a British painter and co-founder of the Borough Group of artists.[2]

Edna Mann
Edna Mann, 1963
Born	1926 (1926) London, UK
Died	1985 (aged 58–59)
Nationality	British
Education	Dagenham School of Art,[1] South-East Essex Technical College and School of Art, Borough Polytechnic
Known for	Painting, Writing[1]

Mann was educated at Romford County High School for Girls and then studied art at the South-East Essex Technical College and School of Art. Here in 1942, she met the artists David Bomberg (1890–1957), who was teaching there, and Dorothy Mead.[3] Mead and Mann were initially sceptical of Bomberg's teaching style but were won over by his unconventional approach.[4] She won a scholarship to the Royal College of Art in 1945, but left after a year because of opposition to Bomberg's ideas there.[2]

Edna Mann and Dorothy Mead followed Bomberg to the City Literary Institute, where they met Cliff Holden,[3] and then the Borough Polytechnic (now London South Bank University) from 1946. She was a founding member of the Borough Group[5] a group of artists influenced by Bomberg at Borough Polytechnic, together with Cliff Holden (the first president),[6] Dorothy Mead and Peter Richmond. The Borough Group's first exhibition was held in June 1947 at the Archer Gallery Edna Mann and the Borough Group had a group show at the Everyman Cinema, in Hampstead in December 1947. The exhibition included works by Cliff Holden, Dorothy Mead, Miles Richmond, Dinora and Leslie Marr and Lilian Holt.[4] She exhibited with the group until she became pregnant, when Bomberg asked her to resign. He believed that it was impossible be a serious artist while raising young children.[2] Mann co-wrote a radio play with Frank Hitchcock, Nigel Graham and Anthony Hall that titled "The Leavers" that was performed on BBC in February 1965.[7]

Mann was part of the Harlow Arts Festival[1] and also held her first solo exhibition at the Drian Gallery in 1965.[2]

Works

• Bent Figure, Charcoal on paper (c 1949) in the collection of Borough Road Gallery[8]
• Cityscape Charcoal and chalk on paper (c 1949) in the collection of Borough Road Gallery[8]
• Exterior of Westminster Abbey Charcoal on paper (1946) in the collection of Borough Road Gallery[8]
• Interior, St Paul’s Cathedral Charcoal on paper (1946) in the collection of Borough Road Gallery[8]
• Interior St Paul’s Cathedral Charcoal and blue wash (1946) in the collection of Borough Road Gallery[8]
• Interior St Paul’s Cathedral Charcoal and yellow wash (c 1949) in the collection of Borough Road Gallery[8]

References

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