The University of Alabama Department of Art and Art History presents the MA thesis exhibitions of Will Henry and Parker Hunt, March 2 – 9, 2022, in the Sella-Granata Art Gallery, Woods Hall, on UA campus. A reception for the artists will be held Thursday, March 3 in the gallery from 4:00-6:00 pm.
Will Henry, a graduate assistant in printmaking with a secondary concentration in photography, has produced an exhibition, primarily of ink drawings on paper, titled Heaven Sent…Hell Bound, Transmutations, A Heathen’s Heresy: Story of a Gritty Loser. Henry’s work reflects his experiences as a Black queer non-binary man reimagined through visual elements such as Black and queer cultural tropes and religious iconography, in order to examine themes of the constructed self, sexuality, intimacy, violence, culture and the human desire to be seen and heard. “Feelings of displacement, yearning and angst often emerge when living an intersectional reality in a binary world,” Henry writes in his artist statement. “Embracing and expressing every facet of my experience, I construct a non-linear narrative in hopes of personal reconciliation and a queer salvation.”
Henry, a second-year graduate student, received the BFA in studio art from the University of Montevallo in 2017 with concentrations in photography, graphic design and printmaking and a minor in art history. His design clients include University of Montevallo Spectrum Gender/Sexuality Alliance, University of Montevallo Phi Gamma Delta and the University of Montevallo Communications Department.
Parker Hunt, a graduate assistant in ceramics, has produced an exhibition of his clay works titled Renewal. Influenced by his training as a production potter, Hunt writes that he creates “abstract forms that I see as blank canvases for color exploration” and uses “surface and pattern designs to reminisce upon familiar moments.” About his technique, he writes, “I repeat a singular element over and over until I find a visual composition that works for each piece. Working in this way gives me a sense of play as I am able to add and/or subtract while the clay is still in its malleable state. This intuitive method of construction juxtaposes my formal training and frees me from the obligations associated with fine craft within the ceramic medium.”
Hunt is the professor of record for ART 212 and assists in ART 412. He taught ceramics and the history of ceramics at Gadsden State Community College in 2018 and ceramics at the K-12 level from 2014-2017. Hunt has exhibited in national and regional juried exhibitions and has served as an artist assistant at Arrowmont School of Arts and Crafts (Tenn.); visiting artist at Carlow University, Pittsburgh, Penn.; artist-in-residence at the Walnut Gallery, and at Mary G. Hardin Center of Cultural Arts, both in Gadsden. He received a BFA in ceramics and sculpture from the University of Montevallo and studied ceramics at Ball State University, the Federal University of Goiás, Brazil, and Gadsden State Community College. His website is here.
The SGAG is a vital learning resource for the department and an essential part of the education and development of UA students and our community. The gallery is run by a committee of faculty, staff and students, and supported by student workers. Visitors are not required but are encouraged to wear face coverings inside the gallery. Funding support for the gallery comes from the Department of Art and Art History and the College of Arts and Sciences. For more information, go to the gallery’s webpage.
Gallery hours are Monday 9:00 am – 7:00 pm; Tuesday 11:00 pm – 7:00 pm; Wednesday 9:00 am – 7:00 pm; Thursday 11:00-7:00 pm; and Friday 9:00 am – 1:00 pm, during the spring semester when school is in session.
Information about visitor parking is available on the UA parking services website. For more information, contact the gallery at (205) 348-1893.