Courtesy of Carol Knowles and L. Ross Gallery
Richard Knowles, "Ophelia," oil on canvas, 1986.
Courtesy of Rachel Langdon-Doyle
Steve Langdon, "Shiloh General," graphite and prismacolor.
Over three decades, Richard Knowles and Steve Langdon influenced art students at the University of Memphis, bringing different approaches in personality and creativity to their art and teaching.
Both retired as professors in 1999 but continued their art. Langdon died in 2002, Knowles in 2010. But their impact continues in artists today who were shaped by them.
And an exhibition opening this weekend at the Art Museum at the University of Memphis displays the diverse work that came from these two artists.
The exhibition curator, Lawrence Edwards, is professor emeritus and former chairman of the University's Department of Art. He knew both of them well.
As teachers, Edwards says, the two started something that has a continuing impact. "A lot of students from this area have gone to school here and majored in art and responded really well to the learning experience they provided," he says. "That's because of the variety of it. In some schools, there's only one right way to go, and that's not the best learning situation."
But the different approaches of Knowles and Langdon — often sought out by students — was golden. "You feel like you're really learning something with input from different points of view," Edwards says.
Knowles was outgoing, and his art is correspondingly large. "Knowles' work is gigantic, and you have to step back to see it," Edwards says. His 20 paintings in the exhibition are grounded in abstract expressionism, inspired by visuals as diverse as cliffs and mountains, but also people in shimmering swimming pools. They are from the Swimmers, Southwest and Forest series.
"Langdon's work is quite small," Edwards says, "and you have to go slowly in and look a long time to see an amazing array of marks that turn into funny objects or beautiful landscapes." Langdon's 36 ink and pencil drawings in the exhibition are from five series: Ritual Surgery, Cats in Trouble, Fireworks, Baseball Gloves and Angels.
Langdon was the quiet one who would sit in faculty meetings making small marks and dots on paper. And those would eventually turn into something arresting. "I'd tell students that Steve was quiet but knows more than anyone in the department," Edwards says. "I always listened and paid attention."
The exhibition is titled "Memories," although Edwards says it's not exactly sentimental. But museum officials expect people who studied with Knowles and Langdon to come and relive some memories of the two artist/professors with different styles and a big legacy.
'Memories: Richard Knowles & Steve Langdon'
The opening reception runs from 5 to 7:30 p.m. Friday at the Art Museum at the University of Memphis in room 142 of the Communication and Fine Arts Building. The exhibit runs through Jan. 7, 2012. Admission is free. For more information, call (901) 678-2224, or visit amum.memphis.edu.
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Comments » 1
AlwaysMemphis writes:
I remember when I was an Art Student at then Memphis State. I took early drawing from Langdon. The first thing he did was make us break our new pencils and rip the cover off our pads, so we would not be worrying about our new toys getting damaged. I understood why after a few weeks. He was unique and very good at what he did.
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