MAINSITE Contemporary Art~ George Hughes

Artist Statement

My works are a diary of introspection and a residue of self-analysis. They are also an investigation into awareness in relation to the unknown, the familiar, and the essence of being. They are layered with multiple cultural and poetic undertones that defy singular interpretation. Plural themes and the ambiguous use of pictorial space evident in these works reveal the contradictions of reality.

The works are mostly executed in mixed media: acrylics, oils, spray paint, polyurethane enamels, fabric paint, photographs, blueprints, and manuscripts on supports such as camvas, wood, and found objects. My process involves no premeditation. It is an attempt to capture my reactions to inner sensations by replicating the subliminal nuances that captivate the artistic disposition. When creating a piece, I experience a psychic filtration of ideas and the the most significant or dominant image takes precedence and determines the ultimate outcome of the work. These mixed media constructs often reveal cosmopolitan subject matter such as human heads and motorized vehicles transformed within fragmented picture planes.

The works reflect my experience with numerous cultures - African, European, and American - which gives me the opportunity, in the range of creative hypothesis available, for consideration and exploration.

- George O. Hughes
http://www.gohughes.com

Education:

* 2001 Bowling Green State University, Bowling Green, Oh. U.S.A.
Master of Fine Arts, Painting/ Drawing Minor.
* 1992 Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, Ghana.
Master of Arts, Art Education.
* 1990 Postgraduate Diploma, Art Education.
* 1989 Bachelor of Arts, Painting/ Drawing Minor.

Awards:

* 2002 Outstanding Faculty, Student’s Choice (OU School of Art).
* 1998 Featured in ‘New American Paintings’, Mid-western edition Vol. 17.
* 1996 First Award, The Toledo Museum of Art, OH, U.S.A.
* 1996 Best of Show, Roots of Diversity, Toledo, OH, U.S.A.
* 1995 Grumbacher Award for Excellence in Painting, U.S.A.
* 1994 Award of Distinction, Spectrum Gallery, Toledo, OH, U.S.A.
* 1989 First Class Honors, Bachelor of Arts, U.S.T. College of Art, Ghana.
* 1989 Mobil Award for Best Overall Student, Mobil Oil Company, Ghana.

Solo Exhibitions:

* 2006 Retrospective Mabee Gerrer Museum of Art, Shawnee, OK, U.S.A.
* 2006 Identity, Culture and Beyond, Humboldt University, Berlin, Germany.
* 2005 Metaphysics Carter Arts Center Gallery, Kansas City, MO, U.S.A.
* 2005 Chronic Dreams Park-Art Gallery, NY, NY, U.S.A.
* 2005 Skin and Essence Living Arts of Tulsa, Tulsa, OK, U.S.A.
* 2003 Cosmopolitan Artists Alliance Gallery, Accra, Ghana.
* 2002 Symbols and Metaphors, Mainsite Gallery, Norman, OK, U.S.A.
* 2001 Lineage, Living Stone Gallery, The Hague, The Netherlands.
* 2000 Von Ghana nach Amerika, Galerie Xenios, Frankfurt, Germany.
* 1999 20 North Gallery, Toledo, OH, U.S.A.
* 1998 Artist Alliance Gallery, Accra, Ghana.
* 1998 Angelwood Gallery, Grand Rapids, OH, U.S.A.
* 1994 Artist Alliance Gallery, Accra, Ghana.
* 1992 Paintings by George Hughes African Center, London, England

Group Exhibitions:

* 2006 Diagne Chanel & George Hughes, Artco, Herzogenrath, Germany.
* 2006 New Work, Mainsite Contemporary Art, Norman, OK.
* 2005 Real Compared to what? Gallery 128, NY, NY, U.S.A.
* 2005 Leading Lights Dorothy Uber Bryan Gallery, Bowling Green, U.S.A.
* 2005 Extremes Institute of New Media, Frankfurt am Main, Germany.
* 2005 Multiple Oneness Park Art Gallery, NYC, NY, U.S.A.
* 2004 Art, Fred Jones Museum of Art, Norman, OK, U.S.A.
* 2004 Transition, LO/FTF, Copenhagen, Denmark.
* 2004 Field of Vision: New York, Lab Gallery, NY, NY, U.S.A.
* 2004 Under The Influence, Eleanor Kirkpatrick Gallery, OKC, OK, U.S.A.
* 2003 Simply Sublime, Eleanor Kirkpatrick Gallery, O.K.C, OK, U.S.A
* 2002 Third National Juried Competition, Loveladies, NJ, U.S.A.
* 2002 Shades of Blues, Eleanor Kirkpatrick Gallery, OKC, OK, U.S.A.
* 2001 The Old Theatre, The Hague, The Netherlands.
* 2001 Gemeente Museum, The Hague, The Netherlands.
* 2001 Menschenbilder Gesellschaft fur Technische Zusammenarbeit, Eschborn, Germany.
* 2001 U vraagt ..Wij draaien?!?, Artoteek Zuidoost, Amsterdam, The Netherland.
* 2000 The Butler Institute of American Art, Youngstown, OH, U.S.A.
* 2000 Museum voor Zuid, Goes, The Netherlands
* 1999 Galerie Xenios, Frankfurt, Germany.
* 1999 Cirkel Galerie, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
* 1998 Dorothy Uber Bryan Gallery, Bowling Green, OH, U.S.A.
* 1998 Toledo Museum of Art, Toledo, OH, U.S.A.
* 1998 Maison Descartes, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
* 1996 The Toledo Museum of Art,Toledo, OH, U.S.A.
* 1996 Aboriginal Abstract Paintings Filli Gallery, Chicago, IL, U.S.A.
* 1996 Roots of Diversity Art Show, Toledo, OH, U.S.A.
* 1995 The Toledo Museum of Art, Toledo, OH, U.S.A.
* 1993 Dynamic Structure and Form Gagliardi Gallery, Chelsea, England.
* 1993 Commonwealth Museum, Bristol, England.

Teaching Experience:

* 2006-pres. Asst. Prof., Visual Studies, SUNY at Buffalo, NY, U.S.A.
* 2001- 2006 Asst. Prof., Painting, University of Oklahoma, Norman, Ok, U.S.A.
* 1999-00 Asst. Prof., part-time, Drawing, Bowling Green University, U.S.A.
* 1997-01 Instructor, Drawing / 2D Design, The University of Toledo, U.S.A
* 1995 Instructor, Young Artist at Work, Arts Commission, Toledo. U.S.A.
* 1984-85 Teacher, Art, St. John’s Secondary School, Sekondi, Ghana.

Related Experience:

* 2005 Visiting Assistant Professor, Bowling Green State University, OH. U.S.A.
* 2004 Visiting Artist and Instructor, Quartz Mountain, Lone Wolf, OK. U.S.A.
* 2003 Visiting Artist and Instructor, Quartz Mountain, Lone Wolf, OK. U.S.A.
* 2002 Wrote review on Visual Art of Ghana for Africa Server (Netherlands)
* 2002 Visiting Artist, Quartz Mountain, Lone Wolf, OK, U.S.A.
* 2000 Juror, “Open Summer Show” Spectrum Gallery, Toledo, OH, U.S.A.
* 2000 Visiting Artist, Elmhurst Elementary School, Toledo, OH, U.S.A.
* 1999 Juror, “Black Swamp Arts Festival,” Bowling Green, OH, U.S.A.
* 1999 Juror, “Multicultural Undergraduate Art Contest”, Bowling Green, OH, U.S.A.
* 1999 Visiting Artist, Athena Art Society, Toledo, OH, U.S.A.
* 1998 Visiting Artist, Bowling Green State University, Bowling Green, OH, U.S.A.
* 1997 Juror, “Focus ’97 Art Exhibition,” Toledo, OH, U.S.A.
* 1996 Juror, “Annual Congressional Exhibition,” Toledo, OH, U.S.A.
* 1996 Visiting Artist, Riverside Elementary School, Toledo, OH, U.S.A.
* 1995 Collaborated in painting mural at Warren School, Toledo, OH, U.S.A.

Affiliations:

* Artco Kunstagentur GmbH, Herzogenrath, Germany.
* Artists Alliance Gallery, Accra, Ghana.
* Mainsite Gallery, Norman, OK, U.S.A.

Bibliography:

* The Pitch by Rebecca Bravenman (12/9/2005)
* Tulsa World by James D. Watts Jr. (5/5/2005)
* Pop by Charles Martin. (7/1/2005)
* The Norman Transcript (11/28/2005)
* Norman Living magazine by Susan Owen Atkinson. (8/2004)
* OU Arts magazine. (2003 in review)
* ‘Galleries’ magazine. (Fall Edition 2002).
* ‘The Oklahoman Daily’ by Christopher Krug. (9/10/02)
* ‘The Daily Oklahoman’ by John Brandenburg. (9/20/02)
* ‘Norman Living magazine’ by Tom Toperzer. (9/02)
* ‘African Arts’ magazine. (Volume XXXIV. Number 1) 2001.
* ‘Documentary film’ by Doran Ross, Fowler Museum, (2001).
* ‘Museum Paper’ by Franz Kaiser. (9/29/01).
* ‘Documentary film’ by Dawn Burgraff and Cassie Seimet (2001).
* ‘Espectaculos magazine’, (10/31/01).
* ‘Programma magazine’ by Nico Belo. (11/01).
* ‘Entwicklungs – Politik magazine’. (D 30687 D) 11/12/01.
* ‘Abbildung Katalog’ by Katarina Deloglu. (6/29/01).
* ‘Frankfurter Ruudschau’ by Jorg Kuropatwa. (7/10/2001).
* ‘Exposicion Binacional’ by Felix Avarez. (2001).
* ‘Deutsche Gesellschaft fur Technische Zusammenarbeit (2000).
* ‘New American Paintings’ juried exhibition (8/98)
* ‘The Weekend Statesman’ by Nii Laryea Korley. (8/21/98).
* ‘On The Road: Art Cars’ by Jackie Nathan (10/9/98).
* ‘New Music And Art Festival’ Open Forum at Toledo Museum with
John Williams (composer) and David Best (artist).
* ‘Toledo City Paper’ by Jennifer Shirk. (6/96).
* ‘The Collegian’ by Andrew G. Rower. (2/6/97).
* ‘Toledo City Paper’ by Andrea Wortham. (2/6/97).
* ‘The Blade’ by Sally Vallongo. (2/9/97).
* ‘The Blade’ by Sally Vallongo. (2/2/96).
* ‘Dynamic Structure & Form’ by Gagliardi Gallery. (1993).
* ‘West Africa magazine’ (7/20/92).
* ‘BBC Interview’ by James Sasse. (7/1992).
* ‘BBC Interview’ by Network Africa (7/1992).