This small ceramic plate created by Carroll Harris Simms is made from red clay with a white, bubbling glaze. It has slightly raised, curved edges. Simms worked alongside Dr. John T. Biggers to build Texas Southern's art department from the ground up. Simms' decorative artworks remain in high demand by collectors.
Askia’s drawing is a side portrait of a man looking into the distance. There is no background and only a sliver of his shirt is visible, implying the man is not confined to a specific time or setting. Many of Askia’s pieces are similar - drawn with pastel on paper, and placing the subjects outside of time and space.
Thomas’ mural depicts an abstracted circus scene. In the center, three clowns, perhaps self-portraits, dressed in collars and muted colors, look seriously towards the viewer. The figures’ contemplative expressions stand in sharp contrast to their dress and profession.
Like his other sculptures, Vital's maquette highlights hybridism, animal forms, and sexuality. Overall, the sculpture's form resembles a person sitting on a throne. On both sides of the top, a reptile creature sits above the shape of an open eye or breast. Towards the bottom, a phallic form is decorated with swirls, while a single claw-like structure supports the sculpture. The sculpture makes use of negative space in multiple sections.
Vital's maquette appears to portray an intersex human-chicken hybrid, which displays both male and female sex organs. The artist adorned the sculpture with swirl embellishments, a common motif in TSU terracottas. Vital would go on to make a full-scale version of this sculpture.
“Shrine #2,” by Harry Vital, features an intersex bird with both male and female features. This is a common theme found in Dogon sculptures originating from West Africa; these types of statues play a role in fertility rituals. The body has a smooth surface, while the wings and head are embellished with spiral designs.
This intricate work of a seated mother and child, possibly royalty, originates from the Senufo people of West Africa. Detailed body modifications and scars cover the mother's body as she calmly looks out. A child on her left leg is cradled close to her body. This piece is paired with a corresponding male figure.
Along with the paired woman and child figure, this male counterpart is heavily covered with facial and body markings as he is regally seated on a decorated stool. The man is holding a sword or spear. His postiche, or false metal beard, is prominent while his upright posture asserts his status. This piece originates from the Senufo people of West Africa
Williams' drawing is of a Senufo female carving. Texas Southern art students would often use the African Art collection on campus to create drawings like this. Dr. Biggers, the founder of the art department, would bring artwork from his travels to Africa back to Houston. This practice allowed students to get a glimpse of African customs and art, which was a key part of the Afrocentrist curriculum that Biggers worked to develop.
This unknown student’s bust was created during their time as an art student at TSU. Under the instruction of Professor Carroll Harris Simms, artists would create self-portraits embellished with decorations like spirals and accentuated crown pieces, like in this sculpture, which features a tortoise, a common symbol of longevity. These busts are inspired by Nok terracotta sculptures and Ife busts, which Simms saw during his travels to Western Africa.
This unknown student’s bust was created during their time as an art student at TSU. Under the instruction of Professor Carroll Harris Simms, artists would create self-portraits embellished with decorations like spirals and accentuated crown pieces, like in this sculpture. These busts are inspired by Nok terracotta sculptures and Ife busts, which Simms saw during his travels to Western Africa.
Elizabeth Montgomery Shelton’s “Self-portrait” is a bust of the artist herself, carrying her child on her back. Embellishments, including spirals, adorn her head in a faithful execution of Professor Carroll Harris Simms’ instruction. The artist had previously created a different self-portrait sculpture and was encouraged to create this piece by Biggers and Simms after the birth of her child.
This maquette is a largely realistic depiction of a sea lion. The sea lion is adorned with swirls, the most common visual motif used by Simms' students in their sculptures. The final, full-size version of the sculpture contains even more embellishments that the maquette lacks.
Rison-Isom’s print depicts a woman kneeling to clean wooden floors with a scrubber and bucket. The room appears worn and cracked, indicating age and heavy use. This work highlights the importance of Black women’s labor, which has too often been neglected. In the 19th and 20th centuries, huge numbers of Black women worked as domestic laborers.
Goffney's intricate mural suggests themes of scientific discovery, fluid energy, and mid-century lifestyles. Scenes of nightlife and a rural church are featured on the right. Goffney signed his last name as Goeenet, perhaps his artist name.
Royal’s mural illustrates the desegregation of public schools following Brown v. Board of Education (1954). In the center of the scene is attorney and future Supreme Court justice Thurgood Marshall, with Black students entering integrated schools. At the far left is Chief Justice Earl Warren.
Perkins’ landscape painting displays a rural scene featuring barns, farmhouses, and a sleeping cow. The landscape is divided with lush greenery and dry, brown land. The fence shows its age in its bent and leaning posts. Dr. John Biggers encouraged Texas Southern student artists to create art based on what they saw – perhaps this instruction inspired Perkins, who may have grown up in a rural environment similar to this one.
This is a brochure for Williams’ senior art exhibition. The culmination of the Texas Southern art curriculum is a senior exhibition where students showcase artwork created over the course of their undergraduate studies. The brochure features a portrait of Williams, a brief biography, a catalog of the artwork featured in the exhibition, and several photos of his paintings, designs, weavings, and sculptures.
Scott’s sculpture depicts a large rooster crowing. The artist uses multiple colors of clay in his piece. Like other sculptures created for classes that Professor Simms taught, “Rooster” features numerous embellishments throughout the work, including various nodules and swirls. Creating sculptures of this style requires multiple firings in the kiln.
In this interview, Texas Southern art alumnus Robert Pruitt discusses his time as an art student (1993-2000) and as an artist later on. During Pruitt’s time at TSU, he learned from Dr. Alvia J. Wardlaw and Professor Harvey Johnson, the latter of whom’s drawing classes were particularly influential on Pruitt and his practice. The artist also discusses his hopes for the future and his desire to create a body of work that speaks to the vitality of African Americans.
This mural was painted by one of the many Asian students who enrolled in Texas Southern during the 1980s. A wooden ship with sails is seen in contrast with a modern airplane on the right side. On the left, a tower suggestive of a pagoda imbues a sense of history and culture.
Moe's work displays a joyous religious gathering, featuring a preacher, dancers, musicians, and others. The group appears to be performing a ring shout, or praise break, a characteristic tradition of some Black churches in the Southern US involving dancing, stomping, and singing.
In this interview, Texas Southern art alumnus Richard "Sunnyside" Williams discusses his experiences as a student who graduated in 1994. He learned from faculty like Biggers, Simms, and Vital, and cites classmates and fellow alumni Roy Vinson Thomas and Karl Hall as influences. Williams taught at Worthing High School for years after graduating.
Simms’ ceramic vessel is hollow, with an opening at the top, and has a red and gray glaze. Carroll Harris Simms worked alongside Dr. John T. Biggers to establish the Texas Southern University Art Department. Simms taught sculpture, ceramics, and jewelry-making classes.
This work by Raheem Bellard is a self-portrait of the artist, with his face illuminated by the sun, wearing a green scarf. Cool colors are used throughout the piece, which enhances the tranquility of the composition.
“Queen Rabbit,” by Earl Jones, features a mythical female rabbit. The center of the body includes an oval-like opening with identical circular holes on the legs and feet, creating balance. The rabbit’s ears are constructed with a removable crown piece; the same technique is used in several busts created by other Texas Southern artists.
This is a publisher’s proof for Long’s piece Roma, which was created during his 1990-91 Prix de Rome fellowship. Featuring a blobby figure and colorful swirls, the composition is somewhat reminiscent of Da Vinci’s Vitruvian Man. Long rose to prominence as an “outsider artist” without formal training, later becoming one of the co-founders of Project Row Houses.
This is a publisher’s proof for Long’s print Post Rome, which was created during his 1990 Prix de Rome fellowship. At the center of the design is a large, oval-shaped eye. This is a frequently used motif in Long’s artwork, across many different mediums. The vertical and diagonal rays and bars draw attention towards the eye, which features a man’s face where the pupil would be.
Pruitt’s painting is based on a photo he took of the preacher of his childhood church. At the time this piece was painted, the artist was exploring different faiths and struggling with his religious beliefs. Pruitt cites Basquiat and Rauschenberg as stylistic inspirations that influenced this painting. The muddied brushstrokes used to create this piece reflect the internal struggle of the artist.
In this interview, Texas Southern art alumnus Prinston Nnanna discusses his experiences as a student in the class of 2016. He describes TSU's art building as the first place where he learned about living Black artists. He also cites Dr. Biggers as inspiring him to use symbolism in his artwork. Post-graduation, Nnanna teaches at the Pratt Institute.
