Ouachita Stories

The Rosemary Gossett Adams Department of Art & Design at Ouachita Baptist University will host an exhibit titled "Journey to the Unknown" by Oluwatobi Adewumi beginning Tuesday, Jan. 14, through Wednesday, Feb. 26, in Moses-Provine Hall’s Adams Galleries. Admission is free.

“Journey to the Unknown” includes mixed media collage, charcoal drawings and installation pieces that explore Adewumi’s experience as a Nigerian immigrant to the United States and the resilience of the human spirit.

“I first saw Oluwatobi’s art at the South Arkansas Arts Center in El Dorado last year, and the work really had an impact on me,” said Donnie Copeland, professor and department chair. “The portraits are exquisite. Some bring back memories of my time living in Nigeria. ‘Carriers of Hope,’ Oluwatobi’s large installation of suitcases set out as though they are waiting in line at an airport, really stands out to me. I remember travelling like that, going to Nigeria with my family. We had some of the very same cases ourselves. The piece really takes me back to another time.”

Adewumi has exhibited his work internationally and has won the People’s Choice Award for the Derwent Art Prize, based in the United Kingdom. A featured speaker and workshop leader for organizations including the Mid-America Arts Alliance and the Arts Exchange Program, he lives in McNeil, Ark. Read more about his work at tobiadewumi.com.

"Journey to the Unknown" is available to Ouachita students for Arts Engagement credit. The Adams Galleries are open Monday – Thursday from 9 a.m.–5 p.m. and Friday from 9 a.m.–3 p.m. For more information about the exhibit, contact Donnie Copeland at [email protected] or (870) 245-5559.

The Rosemary Adams Department of Art & Design regularly exhibits the work of professional artists in addition to the work of its students. Offering degrees in art education, graphic design and studio art, the department provides an environment devoted to nurturing creative and critical thinking skills, individual artistic expression, and spiritual growth within the framework of a Christian-based liberal arts program that balances tradition and innovation. Learn more at obu.edu/art-design.

Lead photo by Carey Roberson

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• Art and Design
• School of Humanities