Events

Greely Myatt was born in Mississippi in 1952. His earliest experiences with art were intuitive, improvised with everyday materials, and well outside the auspices of an educational institution. These formative experiences continue to drive his art-making approach. He is the Sculpture Program Coordinator for the Department of Art at the University of Memphis. Myatt holds an MFA from the University of Mississippi, Oxford, and a BFA from Delta State University, Cleveland, Mississippi.

In a way Not Again?! is a homecoming for Greely Myatt. His second solo exhibition took place at the Masur in 1979. Since then he and the Masur have grown a great deal. Not Again?! is also a fitting metaphor for thinking about Myatt’s studio practice. He is interested in the cyclical nature of life and symbols. Myatt often gives found objects and well worn cultural cues new life while making art. His subject matter varies drastically from a painstakingly realistic depiction of an ice cream cone dropped mid-lick to an esoteric examination of how the Underground Railroad used quilt patterns to communicate in code. As a result viewing this exhibition is like life itself and runs the gamut from humor to tragedy; sometimes simultaneously (if you like ice cream). Specific subject matter aside, Myatt is most interested in communication as the theme within his work. He constructs art much like an author writes a sentence. In a sense, his materials provide a vocabulary and the means of fabrication becomes the punctuation that holds his work together; giving it a particular emphasis or sensibility. His titles often convey specific ideas about a work of art’s intended meaning, but as with most things it is up for debate. When different elements of a particular work of art are examined, things can change.

Myatt has exhibited his art in many venues including the Alexandria Museum of Art, Alexandria, Louisiana; The Contemporary Art Center, Atlanta, Georgia; Frist Art Center, Nashville, Tennessee; Hunter College, New York, New York; Honolulu Academy of Art, Honolulu, Hawaii; Institute of Contemporary Art Boston, Boston, Massachusetts; Memphis Brooks Museum of Art, Memphis, Tennessee; Portland Contemporary Art Center, Portland, Oregon; The Running Horse Contemporary Art Space, Beirut, Lebanon; The University of Wisconsin – Milwaukee, Milwaukee, Wisconsin; and Van Abbemuseum, Eindhoven, The Netherlands.

The Masur Museum of Art’s Annual Juried Competition showcases contemporary artists throughout the United States of America working in any medium. This year’s Annual Juried Competition features 79 works of art from 30 states. This year’s Juror is Kelly Shindler, Associate Curator at the Contemporary Art Museum St. Louis. Exhibiting artists include, Paul Sisson, Arvada CO, Phillip Scarpone, Athens GA, Kristin Reeves, Muncie IN, Frank Hamrick, Ruston LA, Ricky Sikes, Downsville LA, Zachary McCauley, Ruston LA, Anna Maranise, Cordova TN, J.C. Lenochan, Orange NJ, Linda Wilson, South Bend IN, Jackie Branson, Pawling, NY, Kate Shannon, Mansfield OH, Will Holub, Groton CT, Russ White, Chicago IL, Greg Sand, Clarksville, TN, Jonathan Sherrill, Candler NC, Regina Loch-Elvert, Baton Rouge LA, Jimmy Salmon, Longview TX, Mary Margaret Morgan, Birmingham AL, Grant Newman, Lyons IL, Peter Everett, Provo UT, Peter Jones, Ruston LA, Zahra Nazari, New Paltz NY, Harriet Bellows, Wake Forest NC, Drew Nikonowicz, Saint Louis MO, Jason Nelson, Monroe LA, Anna Garner, Tucson AZ, David Howe & Anita Cruz-Eberhard, New York NY, Dianne Douglas, Ruston LA, Jenny Ellerbe, Monroe LA, Véronique Gambier, Brooklyn NY, Hannah Hiaasen, Baltimore MD, Sky Shineman, AL, Gregory Martin, Starkville MS, Keith Dull, Ashland OH, Julie Plasketes, Opelika AL, Linda LaBella, New York NY, Lucinda Cobley, Houston TX, Erin Elizabeth, Bloomington IL, Viviane Silvera, New York NY, Stanley Stalewski, Woodbury MN, Jane Ogren, Pittsburgh PA, Joe Ford, Jonesboro AR, Kalina Winska, Valdosta GA, William Tarnowski, Boston MA , Kendric Tonn, Wooster OH, Carole Loeffler, Philadelphia PA, Erin Fitzpatrick, Baltimore MD, Julie Crews, Ruston LA, Kathleen Thum, Liberty SC, Jong-un Choi, West Lafayette IN, Anna Valdez, San Rafael CA, Avery Falkner, Malibu CA, Carol John, Athens GA, Morgan Everhart, Denton TX, Shan Bryan-Hanson, Sturgeon Bay WI, Nadege Morey, New York NY, Rhenda Saporito, Metairie LA, Christina Renfer Vogel, Chattanooga TN, Aliza Morell, Highland Park NJ, Isabel Gouveia, Lake Worth FL, Randy Akers, Savannah GA, Chloë Feldman Emison, Lee NH, Joyce Pommer, New York NY, Echo Lew, Diamond Bar CA, John Baran, Santa Barbara CA, Jave Yoshimoto, Alva OK, Michele Taber, Hershey PA, Joshua Chambers, Bossier City LA, Grace Troxell, Harrisburg PA, Marcus Michels, Hattiesburg MS, Corey Escoto, Pittsburgh PA, Benny Melton, Oxford MI, SethThibodaux, Oxford MS, Benjamin Adelmann, Chatsworth CA, Nils Hasche-Vasquez, Brooklyn NY, Sasha Waters Freyer, Richmond VA, Anja Foerschner, Sherman Oaks CA, Taehee Kim, Conroe TX, Christopher Atkins, Minneapolis MN.

Biological Regionalism will feature paintings, videos, and objects created during and after artist Alberto Rey’s visit to Monroe in spring 2012. Rey strives to document the flora and fauna in the areas he visits for posterity’s sake and as a means of educating his audiences about the importance of conservation. While he does not directly portray human culture in his work, it is us that end on being on exhibition. Rey is a Distinguished Professor for Research and Creative Activity at SUNY Fredonia as well as an Orvis endorsed fly fishing guide. This exhibition will appeal to art enthusiasts and outdoorsmen alike.