In the Studio with Artist Princeton Cangé

RISD MFA candidate Princeton Cangé, pictured in his studio. Photo by Michael Rose.

The semester is in full swing again at the Rhode Island School of Design in Providence and second year MFA candidate Prince Cangé is at work on new paintings. His sunlit studio, with two walls of expansive windows overlooking Providence, is filled with the reference and research materials he uses to create. An emerging painter with a non-stop mind and a rich creative practice, Cangé is an artist to know.

A second-generation Haitian American artist, Cangé was raised outside Philadelphia and completed his BFA at the Tyler School of Art in 2019. His work has been exhibited in a variety of galleries in Philadelphia as well as in Chicago, Tokyo, Providence, and Chautauqua, New York. In 2021 his The Battle of Vertières was on view at the Museum of Contemporary Art, Chicago. His work is held in private collections around the country and has been acquired for the permanent collection of The Fabric Workshop in Philadelphia as well.

Some of the many research notes, studies, and other material in Cangé’s studio. Photo by Michael Rose.

While Cangé is now studying painting at RISD, his undergraduate focus was in sculpture. In his studio, some of the props that appear in his current two-dimensional works are objects he crafted himself. A collection of faux axes and scythes that he sculpted hangs near a table where he constructs mixed media work. Inventive use of collaged figures on paper is another entry point through which he assembles his paintings.

Reflecting on how his earlier sculptural practice at Tyler School of Art informs the way he paints, Cangé says, “My sculpture background was very conceptual and I made very few actual sculptures. I sampled many different mediums while I was there and fell in love with printmaking. A couple things that informed my practice from that time is the graphic quality of woodcuts, and the scrappy attitude of sculpture that tells me to use the material in front of me. So much is thrown away here, it can lead to interesting work I would have never made otherwise.”

History, religion, and culture are just some of the points of reference that appear in Cangé’s work. The figure is a motif he also returns to regularly and newer paintings on his studio walls include nearly life sized characters. Working with models is something Cangé has begun to explore, inviting friends and peers into his space to have their photos taken in poses that he might then transfer into painted compositions.

Two small studies by Cangé reference contemporary and historical art. Photo by Michael Rose.

Asked about how working with models impacts his work, Cangé states, “I have only done this a handful of times so far, and the experience and dynamic is different every time. When someone comes to be drawn or painted from life, that is a much longer process where we get rather comfortable over the course of a few hours. When I have friends come to take pictures that I will eventually paint from, the dynamic is fast, lively, and playful.”

A maker with a curious mind, Cangé’s subjects range from family and friends to individuals from pop culture. His way of painting leverages trial, error, and experimentation. On a table in his studio he has in-progress studies after works from art history. This breadth of interests and flexibility in approach results in a practice that is experimental and exploratory.

A recent figurative painting by Princeton Cangé. Photo courtesy of the artist.

Considering his MFA experience so far, Cangé ponders what prospective students might want to know. He says, “Trust yourself. When it comes to the program, but also for the courses you take. At the end of the day, the curriculum is all made up so make sure to get what you need and eschew anything that you don't. My main goal is to continue building out my practice and process and graduate with an interesting and exciting body of work that can appeal to both painting nerds and regular, everyday people.”

Princeton Cangé is an all-encompassing artist whose skillset is not neatly categorized in one field be it painting or sculpture. An energetic talent, his approach to making work should not only inspire peers who are in or are considering graduate school. He is both an accomplished maker in his own right as well as a strong role model for any artist that hopes to enliven their own practice.

Learn more about Princeton Cangé at www.princetoncange.com.

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