By; Daylon Bonner, Staff Writer
db14596@georgiasouthern.edu
The Fine Arts Gallery has been playing host to the Senior I Exhibition: Beyond the Surface. The trio of women showcasing their art are Mercedes Warren, Amanda Austin, and Tyeisha Jenkins.
The art created by these women is available for viewing from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. every day this week. The exhibition will continue before concluding with a gala Oct. 12 from 5:30 p.m. to 7 p.m.
With the theme of the exhibition being “Beyond the Surface,” each artist addressed the concept in their own way.
While the art created by Jenkins and Austin is more audience-friendly, Warren took a more confrontational approach with her creations.
Warren used her art to look beyond the surface of reported news. Each of the images she designed address a topic which may receive inadequate coverage in mainstream media.
One of the pieces of art Warren created depicting a young boy and girl is meant to invoke modern forms of slavery and the sex trade. Another portrait depicts a transgender person wearing a specific type of hat. This is meant to be synonymous with the banning of transgender people from the military.
Warren said that she consciously put minute details in her work in order to further elicit emotion from those viewing her creations. “I know some people will be uncomfortable with some of these pieces. But that is the intention. I want them to connect through emotions with these people.”
Austin used the theme to look within herself. She wanted to focus on internal emotions. Austin is adamant about pastels and the color blue. Her art reflects this.
She also uses various textures in her work. Each of her pieces contains some variance in texture. She even designed two creations solely based on their texture properties.
Another of Austin’s portraits, and this author’s personal favorite, is of her sister. She spoke of her sister presenting herself as a pillar of perfection for the outside world. The overall depiction of the face reflects that perceived perfection.
Austin made sure not to neglect herself when creating these portraits as she felt it would be hypocritical if she did not look internally as well as externally.
The art drawn by Jenkins is much more abstract than that of the art made by her classmates. She approached the theme by internally breaking through the surface to move away from the structure she normally creates with.
“I don’t start out with a plan for my abstract art” says Jenkins.
The art created by these women is available for viewing from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. every day this week. The exhibition will continue before concluding with a gala Oct. 12 from 5:30 p.m. to 7 p.m.
