Mahler B. Ryder

Mahler Bessinger Ryder (July 7, 1937 – February 27, 1992) was an American visual artist, illustrator, and educator. He was also a self-taught jazz pianist, and a faculty member at the Rhode Island School of Design for many years. Ryder was a founding member of the Studio Museum in Harlem.

Biography Mahler Bessinger Ryder was born on July 7, 1937, in Columbus, Ohio. He attended the Columbus College of Art and Design; Ohio State University; the Art Students League of New York; and the School of Visual Arts in New York City. During the civil rights movement, Ryder was as an activist.

In the 1970s, Ryder created the bronze plaques for Edward Bannister's gravestone. In 2024, these bronze plaques were stolen off the gravestone at Providence's North Burial Ground cemetery.

Exhibitions

1967, Counterpoints 23, group exhibition, Lever House, New York City, New York; group exhibition included Mahler B. Ryder, Betty Blayton, Alvin C. Hollingsworth, Earl Miller, Faith Ringgold, Jack H. White 1968, Fifteen New Voices, group exhibition, American Greeting Card Gallery, New York City, New York; (March 12 – May 3, 1968): group exhibition included Emma Amos, Benny Andrews, Betty Blayton, Emilio Cruz, Avel De Knight, Melvin Edwards, Reginald Gammon, Alvin C. Hollingsworth, Tom Lloyd, William Majors, Earl Miller, Mahler B. Ryder, Raymond Saunders, Jack H. White, Jack Whitten. 1969, 30 Contemporary Black Artists, traveling group exhibition at six locations, including the Minneapolis Institute of Art (Mia), Minneapolis, Minnesota; and the San Francisco Museum of Art (now SFMoMA), San Francisco, California; group exhibition included Mahler B. Ryder, Jacob Lawrence, Raymond Saunders, Emma Amos, Benny Andrews, Romare Bearden, Betty Blayton, George Carter, Floyd Coleman, Emilio Cruz, James Denmark, Avel de Knight, Reginald Gammon, Sam Gilliam, Marvin Harden, Felrath Hines, Alvin C. Hollingsworth, Richard Hunt, Cliff Joseph, Norman Lewis, Tom Lloyd, Richard Mayhew, Earl Miller, Robert Reid, Betye Saar, Thomas Sills, Hughie Lee–Smith, Russ Thompson, Lloyd Toone, Ed Wilson, Jack H. White 1971, Rebuttal to Whitney Museum, group exhibition, Acts of Art Gallery, New York City, New York