Archive Mode. Call 56th Annual Montgomery Art Guild Regions Bank Exhibition ended on 8/25/22, 11:59 PM. Call settings are read only. See Current Open Calls
The painting features several sections representing homeless ("unsheltered") individuals who walk the streets in America's cities including Montgomery, Alabama. The medium is primarily acrylic. However, there are elements of vintage quilt scraps, twigs, cardboard, and fiber. Also, bits of metal found on the streets of Montgomery. Some of these are wrapped in what the artist calls, "Wisdom Bundles" which represent the ingenuity and wisdom street people glean in order to survive. We can also observe the throw away items the homeless off carry in shopping carts and bags. We see a figure who bravely gazes out with direct eyes, a woman holding her pet dog, mentally ill person, and a man bravely holding a sign displaying his humanity. In the lower part of the painting the observer may notice a small picture-within-a-picture of a foot washing. This is a Christian symbol of humility and service to others--sometimes referred to as "the least of these". The artist has spent many years working as a therapist in public agencies, hospitals, non profits, and shelters which make up the vast industry of caring for those struggling in a powerful, wealthy nation. In this work, the artist is acting as a witness to the many often unseen among us. Their beauty and resilience shines despite the trials of their lives.
