TSU Permanent Collection 2D Items

Items

• 
  Ghetto Visions

  Black divine figures shown morphing forms and moving around a city scene, with dry land and cracking ground, and simple wooden homes. Warm tones. Chunks missing from the wall.
• 
  Birth of the Expression

  Burley’s mural explores cycles of life and centers women. The left side conveys night, with a constellation of a woman stretching across the sky. The right side shows daytime, with natural imagery of a horse, corn, and cotton. A rainbow stretches across the whole mural, signifying unity and togetherness. This is reminiscent of Biggers’ "Web of Life."
• 
  [unknown]

  Egyptian themes, pyramid, sunrise, Nile River, various symbols/hieroglyphics, warm tones and bright colors. Slight damage.
• 
  Family Scene

  Sifuentes' shows multiple generations of a family, painted in a geometric style. The scene depicts parents and grandparents caring for children, with deceased ancestors (painted with angel wings) looking over them. Sifuentes borrows visual symbols from Dr. Biggers in this piece, including the tortoise (longevity) and the serpent (danger).
• 
  My Life After the Death of My Mother

  Samples’ mural unfolds like a dream, with each panel above the central figure (the artist himself), who is asleep on a table, revealing a constellation of scenes from the artists’ youth. Lower window panels evoke a harmonious existence with nature and animals, while upper panels reveal struggles with racism in the South and his mother’s death.
• 
  The Rape of Mother Nature

  Jones’ mural shows an image of Mother Nature being attacked by oil derricks, pollution, and industrialization. This piece was painted during an explosion of oil drilling expansion throughout Texas. Nature is essential to Jones’ artistic practice; nowadays he creates wood carvings with reclaimed lumber from trees that fall during storms.
• 
  [unknown]

  symmetrical imagery, birds, African masks, women holding children in traditional weaved baskets, magenta hues, pot - small damage
• 
  [unknown]

  opening of shotgun home, farmhouse, church, newborn child, dogs sleeping in front, farm land, cattle, family planting, sun rising to left, sun setting on right, rooster crowing, checkerboard pattern on bedding and rug - minimal damage
• 
  Revelations

  intricate pattern on fans, dancing woman, naked figure in background (man?), earth tones - chipped paint, partially destroyed 1975
• 
  Architecture

  Lacy’s mural illustrates houses from a variety of different civilizations and cultures. The center structure which appears to have a face is a depiction of the terracotta sculpture she created under the instruction of Professor Carroll Harris Simms. In the upper left there is a moon with a basket of eggs, symbolizing fertility and new life.
• 
  Drinking Gourd

  gray, black and blue color schemes, crosses, Jesus on cross, eggs on tree limb, preacher - small damage/graffiti
• 
  [unknown]

  sewer, rodents, baby holding onto wall, intentionally large head - no damage
• 
  Awakening

  Gordon’s mural shows the artist in various stages of her creative process, reflecting the influence of her TSU art professors. In the composition, she portrays herself sculpting a terracotta bison, throwing pottery at a wheel, weaving at a loom, and drawing at an easel. A wispy fabric runs through the mural, a motif in some of her other works.
• 
  [unknown]

  This mural by an unknown student artist reflects themes of emancipation and progress. The central figure of a shirtless Black man raises his fist, while broken chains dangle from his waist. Bales of cotton and chains signify slavery in the mural, while, on the right, Black men in various professions represent changes brought by emancipation.
• 
  [unknown]

  greyscale, protest scene, faceless, toppling column - damaged/graffiti (left side when ascending stairs)
• 
  [unknown]

  Alpha Kappa Alpha crest, young women, boutique - unfinished sketch (right when descending from third floor)
• 
  [unknown]

  US military, clock, large American flag, cross and Muslim crescent moon and star (hilal), wooden building, man’s legs morph into flag, turtle carrying embryos, unfinished - heavily damaged (right of door when ascending stairs from first floor)
• 
  [unknown]

  geometric patterns, fox, deer, and another animal in front of a tree, mountain in background - small scraping of paint
• 
  [unknown]

  red and turquoise hues, fluid ribbon throughout mural, sleeping or dead woman in middle, various figures with unseen faces - minimal damage
• 
  Holy Family

  pointillism, Jesus written in art, vibrant colors, use of negative space - partially destroyed, 1975; repainted, 1977
• 
  [unknown]

  “5S673 Alabama” written on tag, muted colors, hand in center reaching towards sword, arm concealed in newspaper - moderate damage
• 
  [unknown]

  war and death, family broken by war, sharp object with flag, Bobby Seale, Muhammad Ali - small chips
• 
  [unknown]

  skull behind globe, bubbles above layers, dark hues - small damage
• 
  Shrine of the Clowns

  different body styles, transparent bubble, boy holding torch, clown in center - minimal damage
• 
  [unknown]

  worker by railroad, workers waiting on train, church, kids sitting at desk, group at table eating bread - no damage