A Cast of Blues

Jan. 28–May 21, 2021
J. Wayne Stark Galleries | Memorial Student Center, MSC 1110

A Program of ExhibitsUSA, a national division of Mid-America Arts Alliance with The Texas Commission on the Arts and The National Endowment for the Arts.

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As one of America’s contributions to the world of music, the blues took root in the fertile soil of the Mississippi Delta, a flood plain covering 7,000 square miles between the Mississippi and Yazoo rivers. A celebration of Mississippi’s rich musical heritage, A Cast of Blues features 15 resin-cast masks of blues legends created by artist Sharon McConnell-Dickerson, as well as 15 color photographs of performers and of juke joints by acclaimed photographer Ken Murphy.

Artist Sharon McConnell-Dickerson has said, “a life cast is like a 3-D photograph to someone who is blind.” McConnell-Dickerson, who is visually impaired, continues, “It captures the flesh, muscle, bone, hair, and subtle expressions of emotion. I wanted to discover the faces behind the music I love, so I went to Mississippi to map out the visages of the real Delta blues men and women.”

Ken Murphy’s photographs are selected from the groundbreaking book “Mississippi: State of Blues” (published 2010 by Proteus/Ken Murphy Publishing). A longtime Mississippi resident, Murphy captures the essence of the blues through highly detailed, panoramic color pictures.

The exhibition’s compilation of casts and photos create a compelling portrait of the men and women who defined—and continue to shape—the tradition of Mississippi blues.

Photo Credit: Ken Murphy, B.B. King at his Homecoming Festival, Fletcher Park, Indianola, MS, January 27, 2010 (exhibition print 2014), archival ink jet print, 20 x 24 inches. © Ken Murphy

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