W&L’s Staniar Gallery Presents Stephen Towns’ ‘Loud as the Rolling Sea’ The solo exhibition will open Feb. 17 with an artist’s talk slated for March 4.
The Rice Workers, 2021, Natural and synthetic fabric, polyester and cotton thread, crystal glass beads, resin, metal and wooden buttons, 49.5” x 58”.Washington and Lee University’s Staniar Gallery is pleased to present “Loud as the Rolling Sea,” a solo exhibition by artist Stephen Towns. The exhibit will be on view from Feb. 17 through March 14. Towns will also give an artist’s talk on Tuesday, March 4 at 5:30 p.m. in Wilson Concert Hall in the Lenfest Center for the Arts, followed by a reception.
The exhibition and reception events are free and open to the public.
Born in Lincolnville, South Carolina, Towns trained as a painter, earning his BFA in studio art at the University of South Carolina, and developed a rigorous self-taught quilting practice. He currently lives and works in Baltimore, Maryland, and his first museum exhibition, “Stephen Towns: Rumination and a Reckoning,” premiered at the Baltimore Museum of Art in 2018.
Towns’ multimedia work examines the historical narratives of Black Americans, focusing on the everyday tasks of the “everyman,” and prompting viewers to contemplate individuals whose work and existence may have been forgotten. By asking “What is American history?,” Towns encourages reflection on overlooked people and contributions.
“Loud as the Rolling Sea” features Towns’ fiber works, which delve into quiet, contemplative moments to underscore the significance of Black American history.
Towns’ work has been featured in numerous publications, such as The New York Times, Artforum, the Washington Post, Hyperallergic, Cultured, Forbes, AFROPUNK and American Craft. His work is included in the permanent collections of many institutions including the Baltimore Museum of Art, the Boise Museum of Art, the City of Charleston, the Flint Institute of Arts, the Rockwell Museum, the National Museum of African American History and Culture and the National Portrait Gallery.
This exhibition is supported by the DeLaney Center, the Department of History and the Department of Sociology and Anthropology.
For more information about the 2024-25 exhibition and programming schedule, visit Staniar Gallery’s website.
Staniar Gallery is located on the second floor of Wilson Hall, in Washington and Lee University’s Lenfest Center for the Arts. When the campus is open to the public, gallery hours are Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. For more information, please call 540-458-8861.
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