Last updated on November 1, 2021
By Kristin Goodman
Volunteer State Community College’s Gallatin campus art gallery is displaying art by Alex Lockwood until Nov. 26. The display is free to students and staff.
According to Alex Lockwood’s website, he is a self-taught artist from Seattle, Washington. He makes abstract sculptures from colorful recycled materials. He shows in his work the, “power and beauty in presenting commonplace material on an uncommon scale.”
“I hope students take a few things away from this show. First, I hope they are interested and entertained – by the story, by my use of familiar objects to create sculpture. I always want my work to be visually exciting. I also hope they leave with some interest in Tennessee Cedar Glades. These are magical and disappearing ecosystems filled with outrageous beauty,” said Lockwood.
According to the campus event page, the art show is about the Central Basin of Middle Tennessee. The page explained it “is home to a globally unique desert-like ecosystem known as the Cedar Glade. Surrounded by Eastern Red Cedars, these clearings are made of limestone rock formed 500 million years ago during the Ordovician geological period. The exhibition “A Future Field” is a depiction of a Tennessee Limestone Cedar Glade in the distant future.”
“Lockwood’s exhibition is essentially one large-scale piece that makes a powerful statement about our society and the waste we continue to generate as human beings. The “ecosystem” that Lockwood has created in the space is a post-human Earth that, according to Lockwood, ‘has been permanently altered by the plastic garbage we relentlessly generated. Over time our waste has broken down and infused itself into every fiber of the natural world – reworking all flora and fauna into plasticized versions of their original forms.’ I believe he portrays this beautifully with this installation. It is my hope that students truly grasp the magnitude of what Lockwood is trying to talk about in his work,” said Art Gallery Manager Jacob Lascu.
The exhibition is located on the first floor of the Steinhauer-Rogan-Black building. Visitation hours are Monday through Thursday from 8 a.m. – 6 p.m.; Friday, 8 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.; and Saturday from 10 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.
Lascu explained how he found Lockwood and why he chose him for this art show.
“I tend to gravitate toward artwork that is bold, graphic, and figurative in nature. Additionally, I appreciate work that tackles difficult subject matter and encourages viewers to reinvestigate and reflect on their own beliefs and ideals. I meet Lockwood in 2013 when his work was included in a show at Cumberland Gallery. At the time, I was the Head Preparator at the gallery,” Lascu said.
Students may contact Lascu via email to learn more about current and future exhibitions.
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