PINE BLUFF, Ark. — The next exhibition at The Arts & Science Center for Southeast Arkansas (ASC) showcases the work of noted Memphis-based artist Madai Taylor.
“An Elegy to America in Black and White II: The Artwork of Madai Taylor” features 18 pieces, which build upon Taylor’s 2018 body of work. The exhibition opens Friday, Oct. 28, 2022, and will be on view in the William H. Kennedy Jr. Gallery through Friday, Feb. 24, 2023.
An opening reception and artist talk will be held from 5-7 p.m. Friday, Oct. 28.
The exhibition is supported in part by a grant from the Arkansas Humanities Council and the National Endowment for the Humanities.
“An Elegy to America in Black & White II: The Artwork of Madai Taylor” is a poignant and provocative exhibition of non-subjective works of art with accompanying poetic writings.
These poetic writings, according to Taylor’s artist statement, “detail the reason for the pain and suffering of Black folk brought by ship and sold into bondage, as it relates to Biblical prophecy, against the backdrop of American History, as exacted by the American Spirit.”
Taylor’s unique use of Iowa earth as his primary medium gives his work a deep, rich tone. The soil is complemented by vibrant flashes of red markings signifying the sparks of passion, blood, love, and at times, hate.
Taylor began experimenting with using soil as a medium after graduating college. It started as a combination of it being an economical choice and also his desire to find alternative mediums to express himself.
“Today I use earth as my primary medium to give voice to my artistic visual expressions, in conjunction with ordinary objects taken from my environment,” explains Taylor. “This soulish medieval material has given me a visual vocabulary to express myself as an artist, yielding with its remarkable tone, nuances, gradation, and texture.”
ASC Curator Kevin Haynie notes, “Every aspect meticulously applied to the works demands attention, and carries a gravity that serves to reel you in deeper. After you’ve become visually ensnared, the transition into an equally intense period of reflection takes root as you find yourself sifting through the physical and spiritual layers Madai Taylor has crafted to captivate the viewer.”
Taylor was born in Lake Village, Arkansas. After receiving a degree in art from Buena Vista University and studying at the Chicago Academy of Art, he settled in Fort Dodge, Iowa, and established himself as an active artist. His works are featured in private and public collections across the United States. Taylor has exhibited across the country in numerous national museums and major cities, including New York City and Chicago.
In 2021, Taylor was a recipient of the Tanne Award, which recognizes outstanding achievement and is an expression of gratitude to artists for their passion and commitment to their work.
Dr. Kelly Houston Jones, assistant professor of history at Arkansas Tech University, is serving as the humanities scholar for Taylor’s exhibition. Jones’s research focuses on American slavery and Southern history. Her essay for Taylor’s exhibition catalog contextualizes the artist’s work within the history of slavery and Jim Crow. Dr. Jones will be present at the Oct. 28 reception to introduce Taylor’s work and be available for discussion.
For more information about Taylor and his work, visit madaitaylor.com. For more information or questions about the exhibition, please contact ASC Curator Kevin Haynie at khaynie@asc701.org, or call 870-536-3375.
Top photo: “The Spirit of Jim Crow Lives in the Trees” is one of the works in “An Elegy to America in Black & White II: The Artwork of Madai Taylor,” opening Oct. 28, 2022, at The Arts & Science Center for Southeast Arkansas (ASC). ASC will host a free, public reception and artist talk from 5-7 p.m. Friday, Oct. 28, 2022, at 701 S. Main St., in downtown Pine Bluff.