Exit

David H. Becker

David Becker depicts a number of humans, groups and individuals, exiting wherever they had been, perhaps an institution; a group moves through a door, a trio are using stilts, two others are using ladders, and a three others move a chest. As the viewer examines each figure an individual story emerges - madness? insanity? refugees? The viewer writes the script, or turns away, if they wish.

To render the very finely detailed scene, Becker used both etching and engraving as well as a magnifying lens. Printmaker/author Warrington Colescott discussed Becker's work in the book Progressive Printmakers - Wisconsin Artists and the Print Renaissance, pages 145 - 158 and includes photos of Becker in his Detroit, Michigan studio using the lens to work the hard ground on a plate.

On page 150 Colescott quotes Becker regarding the public's responses to the content of his imagery: "Descriptions I have heard or read of the work, most of which either delight or offend me, are: allegorical, apocalyptic, provocative, prophetic, dream-like, surreal, fantastic, weird, frightening, disturbing, demanding, despairing, disgusting, irrelevant, inspiring, old, new-old, fascinating, morbid, medieval, bizarre, cathartic, mystery-plays (I like that), and well drawn." And, on page 148: "I never worried about that part; the narrative would take care of itself. I was told as a student 'If you want to tell a story, write a book'..."

David H. Becker was born on 16 August 1937 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. He studied at the Milwaukee State Teachers College, the Layton School of Art between 1956 and 1958, the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, and the University of Wisconsin-Madison where he enrolled in the science curriculum. After a chance meeting with Warrington Colescott, department chair of the art department, Becker decided on a career in art and received his BFA degree in 1961. After graduation he served for two years in the US Army and then entered a graduate studies program at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and earned his MFA in 1965.

Becker moved to Detroit after receiving his degree and joined the faculty at Wayne State University where he taught life drawing. In 1985 he left Detroit to join the faculty of the University of Wisconsin-Madison. He retired from teaching in 2006.