MTSU art professor James S. Gibson with one of his sculptures, Bird Icon, made of welded steel, in this November 1983 photo
The MTSU Department of Art and Design will host an exhibition of selected works by celebrated former professor emeritus James S. Gibson.
James Gibson: A Life in Sculpture, A Retrospective is a decade-by-decade memoriam of his lifetime’s work. Scheduled March 14–April 2, in the Todd Art Gallery, Todd Hall, Room 224A, the exhibition is an homage to the artist’s ingenuity, humility and national renown.
Further, it offers art collectors the opportunity to purchase Gibson’s work while also supporting students with financial aid afforded them through the department’s James S. Gibson Scholarship in Sculpture.
Gibson’s artwork has a lasting legacy on MTSU’s campus. He created a sculpture entitled Rite of Passage for MTSU’s diamond anniversary which was dedicated on Nov. 25, 1986. The installation calls for reflection, celebration and anticipation—three key components of both that 75th celebration year and aspirations for students who walk past the sculpture every day.
Gibson, originally from Charleston, West Virginia, earned two bachelor’s degrees from the University of Charleston and a Master’s of Fine Arts in sculpture from Ohio University before teaching at MTSU from 1970 to 1999. The artist created more than 500 pieces of artwork during his lifetime.
The artist welding
“My interest in the human figure and mythology affected my continued development of a personal shape and color vocabulary. However, the key to the existence of aesthetic content is the uniqueness and idiosyncrasies that I demonstrated in selecting and using materials, art elements and tools to formulate my ideas,” the sculptor said. “My work is abstract and materialized in either welded metal or carved or constructed wood; often, the two are combined. So, it fluctuates from small-scale to 12 feet.”
Hell on Wheels, by James Gibson
Todd Art Gallery will host the exhibit’s opening reception at 2 p.m. Saturday, March 19, with a 3 p.m. talk by the Gibson family on James’ work and achievements.
To purchase art or contribute to the James S. Gibson Scholarship or for parking, directions or other questions, call 615-898-5532 or email eric.snyder@mtsu.edu.
