By Hazel Scott/ASU
Professor of Art and Department of Visual Arts Chairperson Nathaniel Allen is the featured artist in an art exhibit at the Johnson Center for Fine Arts in Troy, Alabama.
The exhibition, titled “Insequential Hits,” is a retrospective featuring almost 25 years of paintings, drawings, printmaking, and sculptures.
“It’s exciting and an honor to be offered an opportunity to show my artwork at a prestigious gallery such as the Johnson Center. I have had a few arts friends that have had shows there. I was really flattered when the Center invited me to have my own show,” Allen said. Three rooms of the gallery will display my artwork.”
His works will be at the Center through February 18. The exhibit is free and open to the public.
Allen is one of several local artists who have painted many murals across Montgomery. He recently helped paint a civil rights mural on King’s Canvass, a nonprofit gallery located in the Washington Park Community along the Selma to Montgomery National Historic Trail. He also created a mural on the side of an empty garage located in the same vicinity as the Nat King Cole mural in downtown Montgomery. The mural depicts diversity, kids, family and a happy community.
Allen uses his experience as a teaching tool for students.
“My work is not concentrated in one area. So, I’m able to talk about the different art forms with students who may have interests in one or more forms,” he said.
Allen’s next project is a display of artwork at the Montgomery Regional Airport in celebration of Black History Month. The exhibit is titled “Montgomery Diverse City” and is a collection of work from 10 artists working in and around Montgomery. The exhibit will run from Feb. 8 to March 8.
“I think it’s important to start promoting the arts in the airport because I see it at other airports that I go to. Montgomery was missing that. So, I reached out and now this will be the third art show there, the first two were in 2019 and 2020,” he said.
Allen said community outreach is a core function of ASU’s Department of Visual Arts.
“Both faculty and students support the local arts community by participating in exhibitions, workshops, artist talks and attending art receptions,” Allen said.
