Hicks’ art: Life portrayed with twists

- Gallery hours: M-F 8:30-5 p.m.; Sat 9:00-4 p.m.; Sun 12:00-4 p.m.
- Reception: Friday, Feb. 20, 6-8 p.m.
- For more information call 901-272-5100 or visit http://www.mca.edu/


“A Class of Hicks” art exhibit featuring different artists inspired and taught by Bill Hicks, a former Memphis Central High School art professor during the 1990s, was presented in the main upper and lower lobby of Rust Hall at the Memphis College of Arts.


Through Feb. 16-27, the public was allowed to view various paintings, jewelry and warped metal objects that brought success to Hicks and his students. Many of Hicks’ students achieved professional status later in life and are still able to draw people’s attention to their inspired works.


One of those works of art was Roger Cleaves’ 2008 “Spoiled Ass Brawts,” an ink on paper portrait. The bizarre human-like creatures wore Viking helmets with faces shaped like crescent-moons. They had limbs growing from unusual places on their body. The females flaunt large breast which arouses one male in the portrait.


“They all look like spawns of incest, being all deformed,” said Douglas Lloyd, 23, a senior art major at The University of Memphis. “They seem to be following one another. Maybe it portrays us as imperfect machines of society, all physically different but emotionally similar.”


A group of chattering people crowded Derek Forjour’s 1992 “Self Portrait,” an acrylic painting located at the opposite wall and almost same position. This was not an average self portrait, the artist added delightful colors that created more liveliness to him in the picture.


“At first glance, the facial features are shadowy and vague on the African-American male,” said Trey Hensley, 21, a junior art major at the Memphis College of Art. “Past the black and brown are more colorful shades expressed on his face like green, blue, yellow, red and pink. The colors add life to the painting.”


“Self Portrait” and “Spoiled Ass Brawts” are examples of the type of painting that were on hand at this exhibit. They all conveyed reality with twists of fantasy.


The big twist was Thomas Williams’ 2008 “Durian” that took the viewer and listener on a ride through a cyber tunnel synchronized with techno music. New to the collection, it was a point of interest for people to form a waiting line. People took turns listening to the headphones and facing the screen that mesmerized the person through a visual techno spiral twist.


“The digital art is new age and is more interesting than any painting,” said Megan Young, 24, a freshman English major at The University of Memphis. “It draws me in with the movement and the music, unlike having to stare at the paintings and wonder what they mean.”


Many spectators seemed to enjoy the art but for Brian Walker, 26, a senior biology major at The University of Memphis, it was bland. He only found one painting worth his positive praise.

The exceptional painting for Walker was “Bed Study” 2003, a canvas oil painting by Benin Ford. The life-like painting was 4-feet tall and 3-feet wide. Gazing at the painting, it seemed 3-D. The man sleeping in the bed protruded from the portrait. The man sleeps on the left side of the twin-size bed, and his false-teeth lay at his right hip as if placed an arm-lengths away.


“I enjoy art very much and attend plenty of exhibits. I don’t care for any of these paintings and their weirdness but “Bed Study” is normal. This painting reminds me of my grandparents and brings me happiness,” said Walker. “It makes me laugh too because my grandfather would take his false teeth out to show me before he went to sleep. Other than that I don’t think I’ll recommend this exhibit to a friend.”