"Reaching Towards the Sun: Works by Chris Clark"

The FAMU Foster-Tanner Fine Arts Gallery is excited to announce our upcoming exhibition, Reaching Towards the Sun, a solo exhibition of Chris Clark’s paintings and multi-media works. Clark is a self-taught visual artist, illustrator, and muralist living and working in Jacksonville, Florida. “Reaching Towards the Sun” will be on view from September 12th until December 6th.

Clark’s current series in Reaching Towards the Sun, reflects his younger self— he states his of his series as, “an emotional dialogue reassuring that it’s okay to stand out.” These works are like letters to little me, attesting to the importance of being different and celebrating one’s uniqueness.

Clark states, “As an artist, my work is deeply rooted in personal experience and cultural heritage. Growing up, I was the only kid in school with dreadlocks, a significant part of my identity shaped by my early introduction to the Rastafarian lifestyle.” He also states they are a symbol of his journey and individuality.

When it comes to Clark selecting subject-matter, he says, “My portraits often feature composite characters born from mixing features of various individuals, along with those of family and friends.” Clark also utilizes family photos and people he encounters daily. It is his lived experiences and interactions that largely shape the faces and stories in his current work.

Clark’s artwork has been shown in exhibitions around the U.S. and abroad, including his recent solo exhibition, New Growth at Kent Gallery FSCJ in Jacksonville, FL and Through Our Eyes: Journey to South Africa at the Nelson Mandela Metropolitan Art Museum in Port Elizabeth, South Africa. He has received multiple art awards and grants for his work. Clark was chosen to participate in the House of Sedulo Artist Residency in London, UK and the Chateau Orquevaux Artist Residency in Champagne-Ardenne, France in 2022-2023. Most recently he completed his first artist fellowship the DEAR (Digital Evolution Artist Retention) fellowship through the Caribbean Cultural Center African Diaspora Institute in New York, New York.

Reaching Towards the Sun will be on view from September 9 – December 6, 2024 at the Foster-Tanner Fine Arts Gallery. Gallery hours are Monday through Friday, 10 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. The opening reception will be held Thursday, September 12th from 5:00 – 7:00 p.m. Admission is free and open to the public. For more information about the exhibition, contact the Gallery Director at aja.roache@famu.edu Metered parking is available on Wahnish Way between Gamble and Osceola streets.