Southern Faculty to exhibit art works

Southern University Visual Arts Department faculty art to be exhibited and department contributions to be honored at "Visual Arts Faculty: Past and Present" Art Exhibition.

The exhibit opens October 24 at 6p.m. with a reception and artist's market. The show is free and open to the public.

"It's an opportunity to experience art, learn about art and interact with art. We want everyone to have this memorable experience. Range of subject matter and range of medium I think it's an outstanding exhibition. Hope people leave inspired and motivated," said Robert Cox, SU Visual Arts Gallery Director.

Cox urges those who have never experienced an art exhibition to make SU Visual Arts gallery's opening the first you experience.

"You will see and experience something in a space unlike any other. The experience will be unlike any other. The environment, the atmosphere will be like no other. If you haven't seen an opening make this your first and you'll love it and want to attend others in the future," Cox said.

Art Department founding faculty member Frank Hayden's works will be in the exhibit in the company of pieces of 6 other former faculty and 4 current faculty members. The opening will honor some of the founding art faculty members.

"Hayden's piece ‘The Essay' is a piece about capital punishment. It was originally exhibited at Baton Rouge gallery. Made of Mahogany wood. Hayden was known for wood sculpture. He started at Southern in 1961 a founding faculty member of the department. This is an example of what he is well known for as terms of style and subject matter," Cox said.

Unitarian Church of Baton Rouge's minister Reverend Crump lent the work to the gallery. It is accompanied by ‘Profiles' another Hayden work lent to the gallery by his daughter. Cox was "Very pleased" that artists, their families, and elders lent pieces that they felt were important to be in the show.

"‘Profiles' has the male and female component, that balance and that unity. Shows the unity amongst man amongst humanity. I am very proud to have it and appreciative of Miss Hayden to allow us to show this piece. Gives a little insight of how diverse he was as an artist," Cox said.

Cox discussed how Hayden was diverse as an artist in his work and choices of materials to use to present his message.

"Hayden was very diverse in work, medium, material and subject matter. Usually his work had to do with religion and people. He took his belief seriously and always created works that were meaningful and had significance and substance," Cox said.

The diversity is evident in the medium, styles, and subject matter of the works present in the exhibition.

"Most paintings are acrylic on canvas, but we also have digital printing, mixed media, drawing with pastel and chalk, body casting, motif elements, and relief elements. Subject matter varies. A very interesting exhibit visually. 11 artists; seven former faculty members and four current faculty members. Three were from the 1960's; Frank Hayden, Jean Paul Hubbard, and Harold G. Cureau," Cox said.

Jean Paul Hubbard was an early member of the art department. Huel Perkins lent Hubbard's work to the gallery.

"Hubbard taught painting. Did a lot of local scenes of people fishing, shotgun houses and typical geographical scenes from this region. I'm really happy to have a work by him in the show I didn't want to do it without him," Cox said.

The exhibit opening will feature a reception with refreshments for attendees to enjoy donated by local sponsors.

"We have things for people to purchase in the artist's market from  prints to jewelry to drawings, etc. Proceeds are for the benefit of the students and the gallery. Food provided by our sponsors so people don't leave because they need something to eat," Cox said.

Due to the efforts to acquire works through artist's, their families, friends, and a artist discretion selection process Cox has confidence that this will be a networking and connecting opportunity for past and future alumni of the department.

"We will expect for a lot of them (artists, alumni and their families) to come out and see what's going on in the department that they probably haven't seen and continue that bond of connectivity between it's alumni, the community, and it's support," Cox said.

Most of the artists are expected to be at the opening to discuss their works with attendees.

Current Faculty Chair Addie Dawson-Euba, Robert Cox, Randell Henry, Anne Bigger, and returning adjunct Cheryl McKay Dixon are exhibiting work at the exhibit.

"The creativity and genius of artists to take something and transform it and give it new meaning. Visual art is about expressing yourself visually individuals express themselves with different visual expressions," Cox said.

Cox shows his creativity in his own complementary works exhibited in the show. ‘The Universe within me: Male' and ‘The Universe within in me: Female.'

Cox describes the art in this exhibition as "memorable" and "exciting."

"Our program is a gem and we want everyone to know we are here. Think of it like a good book. Sometimes you have to read it more than once to get the real gist of it. Gives you an idea of the talent that comes through Southern University art department," Cox said.