{"id":14673,"date":"2016-01-26T13:18:31","date_gmt":"2016-01-26T18:18:31","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blogarchive.utc.edu\/news\/?p=14673"},"modified":"2016-05-24T09:27:25","modified_gmt":"2016-05-24T13:27:25","slug":"guest-artists-haunting-portrait-of-americas-death-row","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogarchive.utc.edu\/news\/2016\/01\/guest-artists-haunting-portrait-of-americas-death-row\/","title":{"rendered":"Guest Artist\u2019s Haunting Portrait of America\u2019s Death Row"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"Artist<\/a>

Amy Elkins at the Houston Center of Photography 2015.<\/p><\/div>\n

Due to the weather close on Tues. Feb 09, Amy Elkins’s lecture has been rescheduled to Thursday Feb 11<\/span><\/span>, at Derthick Hall, down the street from the Fine Arts Center, 5:30 p.m<\/span><\/span>, followed by the opening reception.
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As part of the <\/span>Diane Marek Visiting Artist series<\/span><\/a>, the Cress Gallery will exhibit award winning artist Amy Elkins\u2019 art February 9 – March 24. Cress Gallery is free and open to the public 9:30 a.m. – 7:30 p.m. Monday-Friday and 10 a.m. – 4 p.m. Saturday-Sunday. Click <\/span>here<\/span><\/a> for more information about visitor parking.<\/span><\/p>\n

Elkins will present a public lecture in UTC\u2019s Derthick Hall room 101 at 5:30 p.m. on Tuesday, February 9. The public is also invited to join Elkins and the Art Department for a reception in the lobby of the Fine Arts Center following the lecture. <\/span><\/p>\n

The visiting artist began her project featuring death row inmates after stumbling on calls for penpals online. With her curiosity piqued she began conversations, some that would continue for years with inmates through letters.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThe men I wrote with spent an average of 22-1\/2 hours a day in solitary cells roughly 6\u2019x9\u2019; not only facing their own mortality, but doing so in total isolation. \u00a0I often wondered how that would impact one\u2019s notion of reality, of self-identity or even of their own memories outside of such an environment? \u00a0Did they embrace the mind of a dreamer, the mind of a thinker or succumb to their bleak environment and allow mental, physical and emotional collapse? \u00a0Did their violent impulses land them in an infinite state of vulnerability?\u201d Elkins said.<\/span><\/p>\n

\"AmyHer correspondence with seven individuals inspired a portfolio of works ranging from landscapes of memories and places as described by the inmates, portraits of the individuals altered to\u00a0represent their years spent in the system, and a haunting collection of executed inmates\u2019 mugshots infused with their last words.<\/span><\/p>\n

Ruth Grover<\/span><\/a>, Director and Curator, Cress Gallery and Collections explained, \u201cThe faculty are excited to have her here on campus with our students because she\u2019s out there doing this herself.\u201d <\/span><\/p>\n

The guest artist\u2019s inspiring work introduces students to the life of an artist who is independently creating a successful career pursuing her passions. \u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

For more information about Amy Elkins visit her website <\/span>here<\/span><\/a> or check out Houston Center for Photography\u2019s interview with her <\/span>here<\/span><\/a>. Check out the video of Elkins’ public lecture below.<\/span><\/p>\n