ARKADELPHIA, Ark. – Sculptor Matthew Tullis is presenting an art exhibit, “Alphabetic Reclamations,” in the Hammons Gallery at Ouachita Baptist University Oct. 4-28.
“My goal for the audience is to share my appreciation for, and devotion to, the disparate letterforms of this unusual alphabet,” Tullis said.
Tullis makes use of found materials in his artwork. His “Alternative Typestyles” are sculptural works that combine his interests in graphic design and typography with salvaged, natural and antique materials.
“Typography, the classic element of visual communication, bridges both the fine art and graphic design disciplines, and is the subject of my work,” Tullis said. “I strive to assemble typographic artifacts in an alphabetic gestalt, where the whole is more fluent than any individual piece.
“Each sculpture is informed by three factors: the natural decay of the original typographic specimen, the contextual history of the found-object letterform, and my own typographic sensibilities,” he added.
“Having Matt’s work in our gallery continues the discussions on art and design begun with ‘The Logo Show!’ and Rick Poynor’s visit,” explained Donnie Copeland, Ouachita assistant professor of visual arts, citing two other design-related events hosted on campus earlier this semester.
“When Rick Poynor was on campus a few weeks ago, he emphasized how graphic design and visual communication are connected to other art forms and can be a continuation of a movement like surrealism which has a strong presence in film, painting and architecture,” Copeland added. “In Matthew’s works, those connections are emphasized again, this time between sculpture and letterforms, assemblage and pastiche.”
Tullis, a professor of art at Western Kentucky University in Bowling Green, will speak to classes in Ouachita’s Department of Visual Arts in Moses-Provine room 203, on Thursday, Oct. 28, at 1 p.m.
Tullis was born in Idaho and grew up in the Pacific Northwest. He attended Oregon State University, where he studied graphic design. He moved to Philadelphia in 1989 and attended graduate school at Temple University. A few years later, he moved back to Eugene, Ore., and worked in a graphic design studio for about a decade before deciding to teach full time. That brought Tullis to Bowling Green, Ky., where he has been teaching at Western Kentucky University and making art since 2000. When he is not designing or creating sculptures, he enjoys skateboarding, cutting firewood, fishing and spending time with his family.
For more information, contact Donnie Copeland at copelandd@obu.edu or Matthew Tullis at matthew.tullis@wku.edu.
