Former director to exhibit work at TCC Visual Arts Center

The exhibition “Ed Gibbs: A 35-year Retrospective” will open at Tidewater Community College’s Visual Arts Center on Sept. 14. The opening reception will be Sept. 13 at 7 p.m. with an informal gallery talk preceding the event at 6:30 p.m. Events are free and open to the public. The exhibition continues until Nov. 6.

Doll hand pressing on doll head — **“Oppression” by Ed Gibbs**

Former director and recently retired photography professor Ed Gibbs will present artwork distinct for its originality and humor. His ongoing theme about sex and death will be depicted in a variety of media, including drawing, photography, painting, printmaking and multimedia.

Interested in visual systems, particularly Western grid patterns, Gibbs used toys, food and found objects to communicate universal mathematical references; he has used the Eastern mandala for its meditative qualities. Using various imaging technologies from chemical to digital, much of his latest work has been done on a flatbed scanner, allowing him to create still lifes with striking light quality.

Russian authors, French existentialists, illustrator Saul Steinberg and actor/director Woody Allen influenced the Norfolk artist. Additionally, he has explored religious beliefs and how they affect the human condition. Whether tragic or comic, these concepts are repeated frequently in Gibbs’ work.

The Visual Arts Center is located at 340 High St., in Portsmouth. For information, call Shelley Brooks at 757-822-1878.