Chicago Heights, IL–(ENEWSPF)– Race is a controversial topic often discussed amongst members of society and the subject of art for hundreds of years. An art exhibit coming to Prairie State College (PSC) will explore race through the eyes of one Chicago artist.
“We the People Who Are Blacker than Blue” featuring new works by Floyd Atkins, will be held from January 19 through February 19 in the college’s Christopher Art Gallery, 202 S. Halsted St., Chicago Heights. This exhibit is one of a number of events being held on campus to celebrate Black History Month. An artists’ reception will take place on Thursday, February 4 from 4:30-8:00 p.m. “Hopefully, this show with its extremely Black figures will show how common, everyday life is to a beautiful race of people, dispelling a warp and distorted psyche that has been with our country since its Constitution was written,” Atkins said.
Floyd Atkins, of Chicago, has been painting, drawing, and using various forms of mixed media for many years. Atkins is a former art educator in the Chicago Public School system where he proudly brought the creative process to our youth. A graduate of Clark University with a degree in Fine Art, Atkins studied under the renowned artist John Riddle. He also studied at the High Museum of Art in Atlanta and the Art Institute of Chicago, where he lectured on art history in the early eighties.
Born and raised on the south side of Chicago during the sixties, Atkins formed a desire to interpret and put in a tangible form the society around him that was molding his way of thinking. As Atkins has noted in the past, his desire is for his work to open a dialogue where exploring the “truth” is a thought provoking experience.
Hours for the Christopher Art Gallery are Monday through Thursday from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., and Wednesday and Thursday from 5 to 7 p.m. Visits can be made by appointment. For more information about the exhibit, or to make an appointment for a visit, contact the Prairie State College Foundation at (708) 709-3636.
