Press Release
Brick City Gallery, Missouri State University
Contact:
Brick City Gallery Director
Phone: 417-836-6794
Email: RLowe@missouristate.edu
The Road I Call Home: Portraits and Films by Randy Bacon. Stories by Our Homeless Friends
March 19-April 20, 2018.
SPRINGFIELD, MO. – Brick City Gallery, Department of Art+Design, Missouri State University, is exhibiting The Road I Call Home: Portraits and Films by Randy Bacon; Stories by Our Homeless Friends. March 19-April 20, 2018. Exhibition and related activities are free and open to the public.
Brick City Gallery is located at 215 West Mill Street, Springfield, MO. The gallery is open Monday through Friday, 11 a.m. to 6 p.m., and Saturday noon-4 p.m. Brick City Gallery is closed on all federal and university holidays. For more information or to confirm hours, call (417) 836-6794 or email BrickCityGalleries@MissouriState.edu
About the exhibit
The Road I Call Home is a series of simple, direct, casual studio portraits of homeless individuals, emphasizing the beauty, identity and integrity of each person. Accompanying each portrait is a panel outlining the subject’s circumstances in his or her own words.
The artist’s goal is to challenge viewers to recognize a common bond, consider intently and open their minds and hearts. Through his message of universal acceptance, understanding and love, he encourages inclusion and the embracing of our interrelationships with fellow human beings.
He views each person as a unique individual with a story that matters and considers these stories tools to help make the world a better place. The basis of his creative philosophy is “You were born an original,” and this is the seed that continues to grow his artistry.
Based on his work with the homeless community in Springfield, Bacon has been invited to work with and document the stories of homeless subjects in Oklahoma City, San Francisco, Kansas City, Missouri, and Oakland, California. His vision is to change the world — through people and their stories.
Exhibition reception
Brick City Gallery will host a public reception for Randy Bacon and friends. This event will be held from 6 to 9 p.m., Friday, April 6 at Brick City. This is a First Friday Art Walk event.
The reception will feature a pop-up sales gallery, sponsored by The Gathering Tree, with work created by artists who are homeless. All proceeds will go to the artists. Throughout the exhibition and reception, Brick City Gallery will accept donations of art supplies in support of The Gathering Tree art-making initiative for homeless friends. Boxes for cash donations supporting The Gathering Tree/Eden Village and Gathering Friends for the Homeless will also be available.
Public talk with the artist
Thursday, April 19, 2018, 6:30-8 p.m., Meyer Library Auditorium, Missouri State University. Randy Bacon will speak about his work and vision. Free and open to the public. Parking is available in Bear Park South parking garage and in Lots 19 and 20. Parking permits will not be required in these lots for lecture attendees on the day of the lecture. A printable parking map can be found at this link.
About the artist
Residing in Springfield, Missouri, Missouri State University alumnus and award-winning artist Randy Bacon has been a professional photographer since 1984. He is known for his portrait, commercial and documentary work.
Bacon maintains a large commercial studio in the downtown area and is co-founder and artist of the nonprofit, people-empowering movement 7 Billion Ones. His work has been published widely and has won numerous recognitions and awards. His editorial clients include Time magazine, Seventeen magazine, Barron’s magazine and 417 Magazine. He has worked with companies such as Nestlé, Pepperidge Farm, Gavina Coffee, CoxHealth, Forest Institute for Professional Psychology and Roche.
Stories about Bacon’s work have been featured in Professional Photographers of America magazine and on the “Today” show, as well as in other media outlets. His award recognition includes American Photo magazine’s Portrait Image of the Year and runner-up at the Breckenridge Festival of Film Audience Award for Best Picture.
As his work has evolved over three decades, Bacon has become increasingly interested in using it to pursue long-term projects that explore significant social concerns and issues.
Brick City Gallery
Brick City Gallery located within the Department of Art and Design complex at Brick City that features public exhibitions that change monthly during the academic year. Exhibitions feature individual and group shows by distinguished artists and designers known regionally, nationally and internationally. The gallery also hosts the BFA exhibitions of Missouri State University art and design graduating seniors and biennial shows featuring work from faculty members.
The Department of Art and Design Mission
The Department of Art and Design is the largest and one of the most varied publicly funded departments of art and design in Missouri. MSU A+D is dedicated to providing quality curricular and extra-curricular experiences to develop culturally aware, independently minded, and imaginative leaders by educating the next generation of creative thinkers in the visual and liberal arts, and to prepare individuals for careers in art, graphic design, illustration, art education, and art history. The Department is additionally dedicated to enhancing student and community understanding of and engagement with the visual dimensions of culture, serving the university and broader community through the Student Exhibition Center, the Brick City Gallery, and other public venues and collaborative service activities.