Permanent URI for this collection
This collection includes images of artwork owned by the Rhodes College. Some of it belongs to the Art Department.
Browse
Recent Submissions
Item Toilet Paper(Memphis, Tenn. : Art Department, Rhodes College, 2024)Toilet Paper was painted in 2015 by Olivia Knauss, who graduated from Rhodes College with a BA in Art and Art History in 2015. Her artist statement reads: "I explore the physicality of paint through pours, brushed on patterns and other additive materials. Each painting provides an uninhibited opportunity to play with mark making and color with no start or outcome in mind. It grows outwards from the first compositional mark, always being cognizant of the edges and the overall balance of forms. Through the work, I investigate the development of tension both in the formal making and the product."Item Untitled(Memphis, Tenn. : Art Department, Rhodes College, 2024)This oil painting by Tennessee Williams features a central yellow nude male figure, standing with raised hands and closed eyes. Two distinct horizontal yellow lines cross the figure's body"one across his torso and the other, longer line, just above his hips. These perhaps represent an object or window that the figure protrudes from. Surrounding the figure, brown and green foliage frames the scene, evoking a natural, almost meditative atmosphere. The painting is signed"T.W." in green paint in the bottom right corner. On the back, a handwritten note in French reads,"" Robert / Un souvenir de la [illegible] / de / Tennessee," which translates to"to Robert / A souvenir of the [illegible] / of / Tennessee," hinting at a personal dedication.Item Untitled(Memphis, Tenn. : Art Department, Rhodes College, 2024)This piece was painted by Tennessee Williams in 1977 using oil paint and pencil. A blond, nude figure with closed eyes reclines peacefully on his back, arms resting behind his head. The figure lies on vivid green grass beside a tranquil blue body of water. At the foot of the figure, green and pink foliage adds vibrancy to the scene, while two red flowers bloom in the bottom right corner. Metallic lettering beneath the figure spells out"A I OUS N REPOSE," though some of the letters have fallen off, leaving the phrase incomplete and mysterious. Signed"T.W." in the bottom right corner, the back of the painting contains a note in the top right corner that reads"[illegible], 1977 / Tennessee Williams / Key West." Additionally, a white sticker in the top left corner bears the numbers"4312 / 100/2," and an empty tag is attached to the hanging wire.Item Assignment #5: Obstructions(Memphis, Tenn. : Art Department, Rhodes College, 2024)This painting is by Taylor Jackson, who graduated from Rhodes College in 2015. Her artist statement reads: "I rummage through a treasure trove of memories and personal observations to create imagery that is critical of the heavily ingrained politics of skin color, beauty, and womanhood. My work questions the validity of dangerous 'beautifying' rituals such as skin lightening. The work has a crude and visceral appearance. The progression of time is a major component of my work, as it shows the devastating consequences of continued reliance on these rituals. I want to demonstrate stages of the destruction of natural beauty."Item Pearl(Memphis, Tenn. : Art Department, Rhodes College, 2024)This painting is by Erin Moore, class of 2026, as an assignment for self-portrait. Her artist statement reads: "My art focuses on bringing attention to things that often get overlooked, forgotten, or ignored, especially those that prompt self-reflection. In this painting, I bring attention to the question: 'Is my Black truly beautiful?' This is a question that every Black girl asks herself when growing up, but few say out loud. Therefore, making it a part of Black life that often goes unseen. Growing up, Black girls often hear praise for their Afrocentric features, like their hair, but they also see their mother straightening hers every weekend. People compliment their dark skin, yet none of the love interests in their favorite shows look like them. They hear love and praise, but they see something completely different. This leaves many Black girls wondering if their Black is truly beautiful or if it’s just something people say to make them feel better about themselves."Item Les Etoiles d'un Cirque Etrange(Memphis, Tenn. : Art Department, Rhodes College, 2024)This dynamic and surreal piece by Tennessee Williams features two yellow figures set against a bold red background. The piece was made using oil paint and pencil. On the left, the upper body of one figure hangs upside down, creating an unsettling and disorienting effect. To the right, a nude yellow figure with its back to the viewer dominates the composition, their limbs stretched across the canvas from the lower left to the upper right. Radiating from the figures head and limbs are bursts of yellow and orange gestural brushstrokes, adding an energetic sense of motion. Below the central figure, the French title "Les Etoiles d'un Cirque etrange (The Stars of a Strange Circus) hints at the bizarre and otherworldly nature of the scene. The painting is signed"T.W." in the bottom right corner. On the back, Williams" signature appears in red, alongside a"Pyramid" tag marking the piece as Lot No. 108C, Piece 3. A paper tag attached to the hanging wire reads"TL6.1994.1 / Robert Hines - Jack Fricks," further linking the work to its provenance.Item Give Her Her Flowers(Memphis, Tenn. : Art Department, Rhodes College, 2024)This is a painting by Charley Robinson, class of 2026, as an assignment for advanced painting. Her artist statement reads: "Throughout my career, the majority of my work has highlighted both the ancestral and societal isolation surrounding the African American subject. Despite this isolation, my work yearns to find comfort, connectivity, and themes of legacy within my lineage and the Black community. My work highlights the identity and mysticality of Black people, and it encompasses the experiences and overt feelings felt by Black individuals. The mediums that I have used so far in my artistic process include: collage on paper, acrylic on canvas, graphite on paper, colored pencil, and animation/video; throughout these processes, acrylic is most prominent. Painting is very important to my process as an artist because it allows me to have a thorough process of obscure marks that eventually transcribe into complex form in the latter stages of development. The utilities of color mixing, layering, blocking, and composing all allow me to be fully in control of how distinct imagery and meaning in my work is physically portrayed to my audience. For the remainder of my career, I hope to further develop my central goal to illustrate Black life through further experimenting with mediums and allowing myself to get out of my comfort zone, because then I can envision my work reaching heights that I never thought possible. The innate impulse to create has resided in my heart ever since I was little, so being an artist not only allows me to pay respect and homage to my past self, but to my ancestors whose stories deserve to be told. " She further describes this painting: "So, the piece is titled 'Give Her Her Flowers', and the artwork primarily highlights the misogyny and dominion concerning male members of The Black Panther Party in the 1960s. Pertaining to composition, the painting is mostly comprised of feminine aspects despite the two prominent faces in the piece being Black male figures: Eldridge Cleaver and Huey P. Newton. Symbols of femininity include fertility, female biology, corporeal diversity, etc. The further the viewer dissects the painting, the further the viewer realizes that this is a painting that highlights female subjugation in the Black Panther party. This painting ultimately challenges traditional societal paradigms of gender and serves as an homage to the Black women who contributed to the fight for equal rights. Lastly, it serves as a visual affirmation that their voice, strength, and presence is equally as valuable as their male counterparts."Item Assignment #5: Obstructions(Memphis, Tenn. : Art Department, Rhodes College, 2024)Assignment #5: Obstructions was painted by Olivia Knauss, who graduated from Rhodes College with a BA in Art and Art History in 2015. Her artist statement reads: "I explore the physicality of paint through pours, brushed on patterns and other additive materials. Each painting provides an uninhibited opportunity to play with mark making and color with no start or outcome in mind. It grows outwards from the first compositional mark, always being cognizant of the edges and the overall balance of forms. Through the work, I investigate the development of tension both in the formal making and the product."Item Le Beau Mec(Memphis, Tenn. : Art Department, Rhodes College, 2024)This painting, created by Tennessee Williams in 1980 using acrylic and pencil, features a nude, blond-haired, blue-eyed boy seated at the center of the composition in profile, his head turned toward the viewer, capturing a moment of introspection. Surrounding the figure, vibrant yellow, blue, and pink brushstrokes within the frame of a white square create a sense of movement and vibrancy, while a thick black border frames the entire scene, intensifying the contrast between figure and space. Along the right side of the composition, the "Le Beau Mec" (The Handsome Guy) is painted in orange, adding a playful yet mysterious air to the portrait. Signed"T.W." in the top right corner, the back of the painting includes a note reading"Tennessee Williams / 'Le Beau Mec' / (acrylic) / 1980." Additionally, a paper tag attached to the hanging wire reads"TL4.1994.1 / Kenneth Holditch,"Item My Top and My Bottom, Dates I Expected Post Coming Out Series #3(Memphis, Tenn. : Art Department, Rhodes College, 2024)This is an acrylic painting by Gunner Smith, who graduated in 2021. Gunner Smith's creative practice encompasses animation, video, and painting. Hiswork in includes paintings which cohere a combination of processes including painting en plein air, painting from original and appropriated photographs, and painting from digital collage. His work evokes the history of painting while preserving an exploratory, narrative process that is strongly dependent on color and pattern. The paintings are flamboyant and celebratory in their use of material and color although the figures in the paintings often appear isolated or melancholy. Through this work, Gunner expresses the joy of everyday fantasies contrasted by contemporary anxieties about finding, or missing, intimate connections with lovers and friends.Item L'Apres Midi Chez L'Indio(Memphis, Tenn. : Art Department, Rhodes College, 2024)This piece was painted by Tennessee Williams in 1979 using oil paint and pencil. A figure with black hair, dressed in a red shirt and blue pants, sits with eyes closed at the center of the composition, against a white background. Above the figure float abstract elements: a yellow circle, blue brushstrokes, and geometric shapes in green, yellow, and orange. The figure is framed by green cacti against a brown-yellow background. The French title, "L'Apr"s-Midi Chez L'Indio" (Afternoon With The Indian), appears along the bottom center of the canvas, signed"T.W." in the lower right corner. On the back, it is signed"Tennessee Williams / [illegible] 1979". This piece was loaned by Kenneth Holditch to the Columbus State University in Georgia in 2018. https://allongeorgia.com/muscogee-lifestyle/painting-by-tennessee-williams-on-display-at-csus-schwob-library/Item Une Langue Perdue(Memphis, Tenn. : Art Department, Rhodes College, 2024)This piece was painted by Tennessee Williams in 1976 using oil paint and pencil. At the center of the composition, a blonde figure sits in a yellow chair, surrounded by green foliage. A golden sun shines in the upper right corner, while a light blue background fills the top two-thirds of the canvas, reminiscent of a clear sky. Below, a yellow and orange grid stands out against a white background. The French title, "Une Langue Perdue" (The Lost Language), is written in dark red along the bottom center, hinting at themes of forgotten or lost communication. Signed"T.W." in the lower right corner. The back of the painting contains a tag and a handwritten note confirming its sale. The tag reads"4312 / 100/2". In the top right corner, it is signed"Oil & Pencil / Tennessee Williams / 76". A note on the right side reads"March 2, 1976 / To: Richard T. Johnson / For: one original oil - work of art - by Tennessee Williams - - - - - - 1000.00 / Tax 40.00 / Total 1040.00 / Painting called -"La Langue Perdue" / [Marion Stevens signature] / Marion Stevens / Artists Unlimited / Key West, Fla.".Item La Tristesse Amoureuse(Memphis, Tenn. : Art Department, Rhodes College, 2024)This piece was painted by Tennessee Williams in 1978 using oil paint and pencil. Set against the backdrop of a serene beach at sunset, two nude figures"one male and one female"occupy the foreground. The female figure, positioned on the left, sits with her feet crossed, her hands covering her face. To the right, the male figure stands with his back to the viewer, hands on his hips, gazing toward the deep red sun sinking into the horizon, adding to the melancholic atmosphere. The ocean stretches out behind them, bathed in the warm glow of the fading light. The French title, "La Tristesse Amoureuse" (The Sad Lover), appears in the bottom right corner, where Williams also signed the piece as "T.W." On the reverse, the signature "Tennessee Williams / 1978" is marked in the top left corner. A tag from"Dawson & Nye" auction house is attached to the hanging wire, which reads"Lot #448 / January 28th, 2009 / 4312-101 2pcs".Publication Iced Coffee Is Forever(Memphis, Tenn. : Art Department, Rhodes College, 2019) Aquila, BenBen Aquila (Class of 2020) painted this in 2019. It is acrylic paint on canvas. Two men in pink suits are entering a dark doorway. One man is reaching into the pants of the other. The doorway is against a striped rainbow background. There are two white columns on either side of the doors. To the right of the doorway there is a small table with two iced coffees and a framed mirror or blank image above the table. On the other side of the door, there is a chair and above that there is a framed image of an iced coffee.Publication Mango(Memphis, Tenn. : Art Department, Rhodes College, 2012) Craddock, Daisy"In the midst of this pandemic, I am a very fortunate transplanted New Yorker. Suddenly living full time in the beautiful Hudson Valley, I am surrounded by small farms and an endless supply of local produce. With time on my hands, I planted my first garden this spring, and it soon became a metaphor for these times. Despite cucumber wilt and tomato caterpillars, the lettuce from my garden has fed us for months and I am still drawing tomatoes." From Daisy Craddock's webpage https://www.daisycraddock.com/art/diptychs/daisy-craddock-harvest/ ; "Mango" by Daisy Craddock is a 15 1/2 × 29 inch Diptych in oil pastel and oil stick on paper. Created in 2012, this piece is one of a series of produce themed diptychs that Craddock began in 2005 and has continued to produce into 2020.Publication what are we?(Memphis, Tenn. : Art Department, Rhodes College, 2018-12) Hatfield, SarahThis self portrait was painted by Sarah Hatfield in 2018. The artist's statement about this piece reads: "Requiring adoration to foster confidence and security keeps me from ever truly knowing myself. I find affirmation in intimate moments, opening up to people in a physical way that I cannot express through words. My dependency on people I love becomes apparent when I can no longer see them as a separate entity. Layers of paint accumulate as I try to discern between what I know of myself and the people that I am dependent on. When one person fails me I adopt others into my support system, using the infatuation of one to compensate for the shortcomings of another. The physicality of painting mirrors the way that I try to express myself to partners. These convoluted paintings begin as identifiably figurative pieces that grow as I attempt to better understand how people relate to one another. I use paint to explore the tension and boundaries in relationships. Gradually, as the paint builds, resolute bodies begin to dissolve into more abstract notions toward bodily references and the distinction between individuals becomes less clear. An emphasis is placed on the spaces of connection. The way paint meets on canvas explores the interactions that we experience. Brushstrokes often mimic a dull panic we may feel when confronted with separation or loss. Whereas, linear marks reference distorted and unrecoverable figures that emerge as we struggle to confront the confusing and uncertain terrain of dependency. Colors blend as the paint works to construct a moment of representational self-portraiture within this study of vulnerability."Publication The Clearing(Memphis, Tenn. : Art Department, Rhodes College, 1969) Mueller, WinifredThe painting depicts a field and a path leading to a small house with a redbrick chimney. In the field are some trees with no leaves and a brown fence. The sky over the scene is blue and purple.Publication Shaw's Thistle(Memphis, Tenn. : Art Department, Rhodes College, 1969-04) Moorhead, JaneThis etching shows a dark figure steering a small sailboat over a body of water. The moon hangs in the sky behind him.Publication Untitled (Field with Tree)(Memphis, Tenn. : Art Department, Rhodes College, 2013) Sheldon, KennyThis is an acrylic painting by Kenny Sheldon, Rhodes College Class of 2013. It features a wave-like form of pink and purple rising over a soft pink and white landscape. The sky/background is a gradient from light to dark purple.Publication Untitled (Egg)(Memphis, Tenn. : Art Department, Rhodes College, 2013) Wolfe, JuliaThis is an abstract acrylic painting by Julia Wolfe, Rhodes College class of 2013.It features a roundish shape in pink and purple surrounded by the white canvas. Within the shape are spots of bright blue and turquoise that blend with the surrounding colors.