W Galleries displays 30 years of artist work
“COLORED Paintings: Timothy Collins,” currently on display at The W Galleries, Summer Hall at Mississippi University for Women, takes the visitor through 30 years of the artist’s career. The artwork ranges from activist art to spiritual expressions, and from the appearance of outsider or folk art to a sophisticated interpretation of modern art, all with a singular voice. The exhibition will run until Feb. 3 with a reception on Jan. 19 from 5:30 – 7 pm.
The earliest painting in the exhibition, “L A Riot (Sentenced)” from 1992 conveys the angst of the street. Painted on a brick panel, the heads of four Black men are depicted in the upper register as if looking over a wall with a white skeleton lying twisted below. A small pile of blackened dowels in the upper left corner suggests the aftermath of violence.
Contrast this with his most recent series, “Green Pastures,” which was inspired by Psalm 23:2: “He makes me lie down in green pastures.” In this series, verdant landscapes are seen below serene, clear, blue skies.
Collins said, “My paintings are inspired by life, the world and my personal experience. They’re about the universal themes that connect all of us. My images come from all over, a photo, sketch, the streets, visions and memory.”
Some of the works in the exhibition demonstrate Collins’ interest in design issues, such as in his Jazz series in which geometric shapes suggest the rhythm and improvisation of the music genre.
Other works show his experiments with unconventional materials as in his Home Depot Flowers series, in which abstracted flowers are painted on surfaces, such as burlap or glued leaves.
Originally from Chicago, Collins spent many years in New York City and now resides in Gore Springs, Mississippi. He studied at Parsons School of Design at The New School in New York and at The School of the Art Institute of Chicago. In between Collins studied at Art Under One Roof in Florence, Italy.
His artwork has been in solo and group exhibitions nationally, primarily in Chicago and New York, and internationally in Madrid and Rome. Collins’ artwork is in the collections of the DuSable Museum of African American Art in Chicago and Copelouzos Family Art Museum in Athens, Greece.
This project is supported in part by funding from the Mississippi Arts Commission, a state agency and the National Endowment for the Arts, a federal agency.
Located in Summer Hall, The W Galleries are open Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. – 5 p.m. following the university calendar. The Galleries are free and open to the public.