{{Short description|British painter (1926–1985)}} {{Use dmy dates|date=November 2020}} {{Infobox artist | name = Edna Mann | image = Photo of Edna Mann.jpg | imagesize = | caption = Edna Mann, 1963 | birth_name = | birth_date = {{Birth date text|1926}} | birth_place = London, UK | death_date = {{Death year and age|1985|1926}} | death_place = | education = Dagenham School of Art,<ref name="BRG">{{cite web|title=Short Biography: Edna Mann|url=http://www1.lsbu.ac.uk/w2/boroughroadgallery/digital-archive/written-work/short-biography-edna-mann/|website=Borough Road Gallery|publisher=London South Bank University|access-date=14 October 2017|archive-date=15 October 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171015044515/http://www1.lsbu.ac.uk/w2/boroughroadgallery/digital-archive/written-work/short-biography-edna-mann/|url-status=dead}}</ref> South-East Essex Technical College and School of Art, Borough Polytechnic | field = Painting, Writing<ref name="BRG"/> | training = | movement = | works = | patrons = | awards = | spouse = }}
'''Edna Mann''' (1926 – 1985) was a British painter and co-founder of the Borough Group of artists.<ref name="mark-barrow">{{cite web|url=http://www.markbarrowfineart.com/mann_biog.htm |title=Edna Mann (1926–1985): Biography |access-date=20 April 2011 |website=markbarrowfineart.com|url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120322195551/http://www.markbarrowfineart.com/mann_biog.htm |archive-date=22 March 2012}}</ref>
== Early life and education == Edna Mann was born in London in 1926. She was educated at Romford County High School for Girls and then studied art at the South-East Essex Technical College and School of Art. In 1942, she met the artists David Bomberg (1890–1957), who was teaching there, and Dorothy Mead.<ref name="cliff-holden">{{cite web|url=http://www.cliffholden.co.uk/documents_2004_10.shtml | title=The History of the Borough Group | access-date=2015-12-20 | date=24 September 2005|website=cliffholden.co.uk}}</ref> Mead and Mann were initially sceptical of Bomberg's teaching style but were won over by his unconventional approach.<ref name=":1" /> She won a scholarship to the Royal College of Art in 1945, but left after a year because of opposition to Bomberg's ideas.<ref name="mark-barrow" />
Edna Mann and Dorothy Mead followed Bomberg to the City Literary Institute, where they met Cliff Holden,<ref name="cliff-holden" /> and then the Borough Polytechnic (now London South Bank University) from 1946.
== Career == She was a founding member of the Borough Group<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.borough.artonlinelimited.com/|title=The Borough Group|access-date=9 April 2011|website=artonlinelimited.com|archive-date=11 October 2008|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081011190246/http://www.borough.artonlinelimited.com/|url-status=dead}}</ref> a group of artists influenced by Bomberg at Borough Polytechnic, together with Cliff Holden (the first president),<ref name="lsbu2006">{{cite web|url=http://www.lsbu.ac.uk/about/documents/degreeCitations/2006/cliffHolden.pdf|title=Cliff Holden, FCSD | publisher=London South Bank University, UK|work=Honorary Awards 2006 |year=2006 | access-date=20 April 2011}}</ref> 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.<ref name=":1">{{Cite book|title=David Bomberg|last=Cork, Richard.|date=1987|publisher=Yale University Press|isbn=0-300-03827-5|location=New Haven|pages=259|oclc=14240729}}</ref> She exhibited with the group until she became pregnant, when Bomberg asked her to resign. He believed that it was impossible to be a serious artist while raising young children.<ref name="mark-barrow" />
Mann co-wrote a radio play with Frank Hitchcock, Nigel Graham and Anthony Hall entitled "The Leavers" that was performed on the BBC in February 1965.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://genome.ch.bbc.co.uk/8df8141bcb534da7a9b09f4838ec5a8f|title=Afternoon Theatre|date=1965-02-25|work=Radio Times|access-date=2019-11-22|issue=2155|pages=12|language=en-GB|issn=0033-8060}}{{dead link|date=September 2025|bot=medic}}{{cbignore|bot=medic}}</ref>
Mann was part of the Harlow Arts Festival<ref name="BRG" /> and also held her first solo exhibition at the Drian Gallery in 1965.<ref name="mark-barrow" />
A number of her works are held in the Sarah Rose Collection at London South Bank University and an exhibition of her works alongside those of Dorothy Mead took place at the Borough Road Gallery in early 2024.<ref>{{Cite web |last=University |first=London South Bank |date=2024-01-09 |title=Exhibition of lost paintings by ‘overlooked’ female artists |url=https://www.lsbu.ac.uk/about-us/news/exhibition-of-lost-paintings-by-overlooked-female-artists |access-date=2024-01-09 |website=London South Bank University |language=English}}</ref>
== Works ==
* ''Bent Figure,'' Charcoal on paper (c 1949) in the collection of Borough Road Gallery<ref name=":0">{{Cite web|url=http://www1.lsbu.ac.uk/w2/boroughroadgallery/edna-mann/|title=Edna Mann - Borough Road Gallery|website=www1.lsbu.ac.uk|access-date=2019-11-22|archive-date=16 September 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190916115851/http://www1.lsbu.ac.uk/w2/boroughroadgallery/edna-mann/|url-status=dead}}</ref> * ''Cityscape'' Charcoal and chalk on paper (c 1949) in the collection of Borough Road Gallery<ref name=":0" /> * ''Exterior of Westminster'' Abbey Charcoal on paper (1946) in the collection of Borough Road Gallery<ref name=":0" /> * ''Interior, St Paul’s Cathedral'' Charcoal on paper (1946) in the collection of Borough Road Gallery<ref name=":0" /> * ''Interior St Paul’s Cathedral'' Charcoal and blue wash (1946) in the collection of Borough Road Gallery<ref name=":0" /> * ''Interior St Paul’s Cathedral'' Charcoal and yellow wash (c 1949) in the collection of Borough Road Gallery<ref name=":0" />
== References == {{reflist}}
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Mann, Edna}} Category:1926 births Category:1985 deaths Category:20th-century English painters Category:20th-century English women artists Category:Alumni of the Royal College of Art Category:Alumni of London South Bank University Category:Borough Group Category:Painters from London Category:20th-century English women painters