Like many artists, Jim Neel aims to ask questions, create a dialogue, elicit a response
from the work he creates. But his knowledge and ability to layer and intertwine
a variety of subject areas into his work set him apart.
In his most recent and ongoing project Neel creates and defends a visual thesis
— questioning reasons and justification for war, specifically the war in Iraq. Whether
you agree with his point of view or not, you cannot help but be intrigued by the
cleverly- and carefully-constructed ways Neel challenges his viewers.
The ability and desire to look at the world from a variety angles comes quite naturally
for Neel. He was raised in a home where creativity and learning, having an informed
opinion and being able to defend it, were encouraged and expected.
When he came to Birmingham-Southern for his undergraduate degree, Neel was torn
between studying medicine or art. Though science and political science continue
to drive Neel’s artwork to this day, Neel says, “Art was just what I needed to do,
what I should do.”
For 29 years Neel served as the chairman of the art department for the Alabama School
of Fine Art and has served as a professor and director of the Durbin Gallery at
Birmingham-Southern since 2002.
While teaching, he also traveled to South America as a photojournalist and collaborated
with Dennis Covington to create Salvation on Sand Mountain which was nominated for
a National Book Award.
Neel’s recent work references ancient civilization, evolution, religion, current
politics and political history, family relationships — the list and layers seem
to be never ending — in order to present his ideas that, as he puts it, “We’re just
slow learners as a species.”
From a series of more than 30 collages of chimpanzees to massive sculptures such
as an 18-by-15-foot B52 bomber, Neel draws his audience in with familiar and sometimes
even humorous objects and images. Once examined up close the real questions and
meanings arise: “How far are we willing to go? What are we willing to sacrifice?
How honest are we being with our soldiers? How much longer are we going to continue
to bomb things as an answer?”
This fall, Neel will take a sabbatical and continue his work with a competitive
artist residency through the Kohler Arts/Industry Program. He will spend 11 weeks
working in the John Michael Kohler Arts Center in Sheboygan, Wis., creating a sculpture
installation entitled “Babel” consisting of 50 life-size chimpanzee soldiers made
of slip cast porcelain.
“I want people to respond,
says Neel. “Now I might never hear that response but
if they leave an exhibition of mine and leave seeing that work and they’re going,
‘Hmmm, you know I hadn’t thought about it in that way. I need to think about that
some more,’ then I’ve done my job.”
For more information and details about Neel’s upcoming shows, please visit
jimneel.com
