Over the next six weeks, public art organization Flux Projects will present three virtual projects by contemporary artist William Downs, curated by Floyd Hall.
As part of its ongoing Virtual Art Series, Flux Projects will share three digital ink wash drawing animations by Downs, released two weeks apart, on Wednesday, July 15; Wednesday, July 29; and Wednesday, August 12. The projects are free and will premiere on Flux Projects social media (Instagram + Facebook) in addition to FluxProjects.org.
Downs is known for his focus on the intersections between drawing, painting, installation, and printmaking, but the digital nature of the Virtual Art Series offers an opportunity to explore a new medium.
“The figures in this new work, short animation, defy straightforward interpretation,” said Downs. “They are in motion yet suspended in precise compositions. Androgynous, sensual, and elusive, with the characters that populate my work…the goal is to find balance on a fine line that intersects figure study and psychological allegory.”
With this latest installment, Hall worked closely with Downs to link his elusive artwork with the organization’s mission to share public art that connects and grows artists and audiences in Atlanta through the creative power of place. The result is a series of projects that reinforce the idea of art for public appreciation.
“There’s a depth and openness to William Downs’ work that challenges the viewer’s notions of reality and personal assumptions,” said Hall. “You bring your own ideas to the work, and then experience the space to question those ideas. I’m excited to connect with William as he further incorporates video into his practice.”
About William Downs
Born and raised in Greenville, South Carolina, William Downs works in a range of mediums, but focuses primarily on drawing. He received a Multidisciplinary M.F.A. from the Mount Royal School of Art at the Maryland Institute College of Art, Baltimore and a B.F.A. in Painting and Printmaking from the Atlanta College of Art and Design. Downs taught Foundation Drawing at the Maryland Institute College of Art from 2002 through 2010. He taught Advanced Drawing at Parsons The New School for Design, Foundation Drawing at The Cooper Union and Tulane University.
His work has been presented at numerous venues in the United States and abroad. Downs was represented by Moti Haasn Gallery 2007—2009, Slag Gallery 2009—2010, both New York Galleries and Parker Jones Gallery in LA 2009—2010. His work was part of “Monster Drawing” at the High Museum of Art, and “On Paper” at Field Work Gallery in Pittsburgh, PA. He was recently included in a group exhibition “Art AIDS America” at The Zuckerman Museum of Art in Kennesaw. Downs is currently a Drawing and Painting Lecturer at Georgia State University.
http://www.sandlerhudson.com/william-downs
https://williamedowns.com/home.html
About Floyd Hall:
Floyd Hall is a media strategist, cultural producer, writer and documentarian from Atlanta, Georgia. His professional work often relates to the intersection of art, media and technology as platforms. As an artist he is interested in the process of how we come to define and design ourselves, and is passionate about how history, culture and art blend together to construct narratives of place.
Floyd counts the experiences of his Atlanta upbringing, childhood summers spent in Augusta, Georgia and living in New York City as an adult as the primary influences on his life. Time spent in these locations gave him moments of clarity and insight about regional perspectives, the immigrant experience, how spaces influence patterns of life, and the imagination and ingenuity of different cultures.
He has also produced over 800 podcast episodes covering Art, Pop Culture, Fashion, Sports, Music, and Technology, including projects for National Public Radio (NPR) Station WABE 90.1 FM, Flux Projects, Woodruff Arts Center/High Museum, City of Atlanta and Central Atlanta Progress, the Spelman College Museum of Fine Art, and The Creatives Project.
Floyd is a 2020 Idea Capital artist grant recipient, a Hambidge Creative Residency Fellow and has presented as a guest lecturer at Savannah College of Art and Design (SCAD), Spelman College, Spelman College Museum of Fine Art, and the Hudgens Center for Art and Learning; he is a past media contributor to ArtsATL, Number, Inc, ART PAPERS, and Americans for the Arts.
https://floydcreates.com/
