‘Stand Up and Be Counted: Art and Poetry Inspired by Muhammad Ali’ at Brenda Tuxford Gallery Until February 21

This is a press release from the Ink People Center for the Arts:

   Ink People Center for the Arts [kicked] off the 2022 exhibition season at Brenda Tuxford Gallery [on] Friday, Jan. 14, with “Stand Up and Be Counted: art and poetry inspired by Muhammad Ali.” ⁠

   Muhammad Ali was known as “The Greatest” — a world champion fighter, humanist, mentor, poet, and activist who changed the world. “Stand Up and Be Counted,” co-sponsored by KEET-TV: PBS of Northern California, Word Humboldt, and Ink People Center for the Arts, has been organized in conjunction with “Muhammad Ali,” a PBS documentary series directed by Ken Burns, Sarah Burns, and David McMahon, which premiered on KEET-TV last fall. Sarah Burns wrote in a statement: “Ali is rightly celebrated for his athleticism in the ring, but he was equally heroic in his willingness to stand up for what he believed was right.” 

     Showcased paintings, drawings, and poems draw inspiration from Ali’s activism and from the six core principles that guided his life: confidence, conviction, dedication, giving, ⁠respect, and spirituality. ⁠Featured writers and artists include Tim Ayres, Michael Woods, October Mintey, Rosalie Thomson, Brett Mungo, James F. Woglom, Heather Quarles, Dylan Collins, Mark Heathcote, Tania Fonseca, Traci Neal, Sarah Brooks, and Michael Bickford. ⁠

     At the Brenda Tuxford Gallery, printed poems line the walls of one exhibition space, while drawings and paintings are displayed next door. The exhibition will be accessible to viewers in person by appointment, as well as online. “Dedication,” a photorealistic watercolor portrait by Humboldt State University art education professor James F. Woglom, uses hot colors and a tight crop to capture Ali’s intensity in the ring. “Float Like a Butterfly,” a pen and ink drawing by 13-year-old Humboldt artist October Mintey, uses mixed media to emphasize duality in the fighter’s public persona. “Ignoring protocols, Ali moved freely among the people, saying Allah would protect him,”  Tim Ayres wrote regarding his surreal digital photomontage, “ALI – A LIVING ROCKWELL.”  “Like a Norman Rockwell painting, the faces in the crowds Ali drew told the story of America.”

     Several featured writers assess Ali’s cultural significance in terms of identity and personal history. “Muhammed Ali and boxing are integral to my relationship with my father,” said Michael Bickford, who writes with the Lost Coast Writers’ Cooperative. “The Creator’s Hands,” by Heather Quarles — writer, teacher, and founder of the Unbound Writing Center in Arcata — proposes: “Like Clay, / lean into the way / you were formed. / Born to be what you are / but, shaped too.” 

  

     “This exhibit reflects personal insights into what Ali has meant to each artist and poet, and the effect his legacy has left on them,” said Katie Whiteside, Director of Community Engagement at KEET-TV, who organized the exhibition. “The PBS series unveils multiple sides of this icon, beyond boxing. Ali had to fight for his beliefs, civil rights, and social justice. He challenged white supremacy and the racism he faced in this country, which continues to challenge us today.”

   “Stand Up and Be Counted” can be viewed online at inkpeople.org/tuxfordgallery and in person by appointment at the Brenda Tuxford Gallery, 627 3rd St., Eureka, Jan. 14-Feb. 21. Appointments for individuals and small groups are available Tuesdays through Fridays from 9 a.m. to 5  p.m., with masking and social distancing restrictions in effect. Call (707) 442-8413 to schedule a visit.

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beetlejuice
Member
2 years ago

“float like a butterfly, sting like a bee”. The man is one of my heroes.

1A80FFA0-BE31-48C7-9B4E-3EBDA6D5517F.jpeg
Wally
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Wally
2 years ago

Muhammad Ali on Racial Integration

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HqiWFLsgVi4

Back when you could say something like this and have the audience applaud you for the honesty. If somebody said these same exact words today the audience would gasp and would be afraid to clap out of fear of being judged by their peers.

“I don’t hate nobody, but I love my own.” – Powerful
This guy is just an absolute genius.. a proud black man, loves his culture, loves his people.. and understands the world.. God bless you RIP..

Last edited 2 years ago
brian
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brian
2 years ago

Ali would have never taken the damn kill shot. That’s for sure.