Opening reception for new museum exhibits on tap for First Friday on April 7

Greg Bailey, The Gadsden Times
·2 min read

An opening reception for three new exhibits at the Gadsden Museum of Art is scheduled for 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. April 7, in conjunction with First Friday activities downtown.

The exhibits in question will be on display through May, according to a news release from the City of Gadsden.

“Pulling Edges” features large-scale minimalist sculptures by Jason Tanner Young, associate professor of art and director of the University of Montevallo’s sculpture concentration.

"Groundbreaking" is part of Jason Tanner Young's "Pulling Edges" exhibit that debuts April 7 at the Gadsden Museum of Art.
"Groundbreaking" is part of Jason Tanner Young's "Pulling Edges" exhibit that debuts April 7 at the Gadsden Museum of Art.

According to the release, his work “addresses the relationship between object and memory. Often acting as a marker for experiences, objects offer a method by which to navigate by serving as internal landmarks.”

Another associate professor of art at Montevallo, Michael Willett, will offer “Walking Through a Daydream.” It’s an exhibit of mixed-media paintings featuring a combination of collage, acrylic and drawing media, according to the release.

This painting is part of Michael Willett's "Walking Through a Daydream" exhibit that debuts April 7 at the Gadsden Museum of Art.
This painting is part of Michael Willett's "Walking Through a Daydream" exhibit that debuts April 7 at the Gadsden Museum of Art.

The release describes the Birmingham-based artist’s work: “...  Reproductions of other artists’ works are dissected and reconfigured into repetitive patterns and alternating rhythms. Symbols of flowers, skulls, trees, entangled with abstract marks and geometric structures, suggest places for contemplation of self, life cycles and the divine.”

“Rebuilding” is an exhibition of paintings by Alex McClurg, lead preparator at the Birmingham Museum of Art. The release describes his work as “informed by the artist’s attraction to geometric illustrations from book covers created in the 1960s and 1970s, quilt patterns and the idea of displacement.”

"Appreciation" is part of Alex McClurg's "Rebuilding" exhibit that debuts April 7 at the Gadsden Museum of Art.
"Appreciation" is part of Alex McClurg's "Rebuilding" exhibit that debuts April 7 at the Gadsden Museum of Art.

It describes his patterns as “intuitive and are generated in the moment, similar to the traditional way of designing a quilt."

Light refreshments will be served at the reception.

The museum is open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesday through Friday, and 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Saturday. For more information about the GMA and upcoming artists, visit gadsdenmuseum.com or follow the museum on Facebook or Instagram.

This article originally appeared on The Gadsden Times: Reception planned for new GMA exhibits