“LITTLE GRAND CANYON YELLOW” by Howard Thomas
Howard Thomas’ “Little Grand Canyon Yellow,” from our permanent collection, is back on view just outside the exhibition “Southern/Modern,” on the Patsy Dud - ley Pate balcony. While it’s not a part of that show, it is in dialogue with it, and you can find other works by Thomas in the “Southern/Modern” galleries. Take note of what’s next to this work in the wall case. While it may appear to be just a bunch of dirt, it is actually a “marvelous collection of tiny jars of earth samples, all meticulously labeled” by Thomas in his “orderly” studio. He often used this earth in the cre- ation of his own pigments, especially after 1942.
“WELCOME” by Gregor Turk
“Welcome” is a new, long-term installation in the mu- seum’s lobby by Atlanta-based artist Gregor Turk, on view now through mid-June 2024. Made of 77 recycled security cameras, the work features the artist’s typical wit. The constellation of cameras train their lenses on lobby visitors, highlighting the tensions of surveillance within the public sphere and humorously pointing out the role of security in experiences of visual art — even in free, public-serving spaces like our own. Turk is well known for his public art installations, ceramic sculp- tures, photography and mixed-media constructions, which often respond directly and playfully to their surroundings. Past projects include a significant body of artwork produced after hiking and biking along a 1,270- mile section of the 49th parallel that defines the U.S.– Canadian border, and a photographic series featuring blank billboards along the fictitious Interstate 50.
In this painting, Thomas included earth that he collected at Providence Canyon. Commonly known to Georgians as “Little Grand Canyon,” Providence Canyon is a network of gorges caused by the erosion of soft, multicolored soils exposed by poor farming techniques in the early 1800s. The Little Grand Can- yon, in Stewart County in southwest Georgia, is one of the state’s Seven Natural Wonders. Take a close look at Thomas’ piece and you will see a little sparkle in the pigments from the mineral content of the dirt he used.
Gregor Turk (American, b. 1960), “Welcome,” 2023. Security cameras. Courtesy of the artist.
Howard Thomas (American, 1899 – 1971), “Little Grand Canyon Yellow,” 1964. Polyvinyl on canvas, 96 × 63 1/4 inches. Georgia Museum of Art, University of Georgia; University purchase. GMOA 1974.3195.
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