Free and open to the public, the exhibit will run March 5 – 29 and will feature a collection of Cox’ photographs entitled Portraits of Jazz and a large canvas by Kelley entitled Captured by the Music.
The gallery is open Monday – Thursday 8 a.m. to 8 p.m., Saturday 10 a.m. to 8 p.m., and Sunday 1 p.m. to midnight. From March 19 – 23, a part of the university’s spring break, the exhibit will only be open from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Cox, a resident of Boston, Mass., has been professionally shooting fashion, portrait, and fine art images since 1992. The exhibit Portraits of Jazz showcases his favorite images from this collection, featuring such jazz greats as Sonny Rollins, Wynton Marsalis, Bobby McFerrin, Nancy Wilson, and David Sanborn.
“I have had the privilege of photographing jazz singers and musicians in jazz clubs and festivals across North American,“ said Cox. “I strive to create portraits that are hauntingly evocative of the joy, raw energy, and passion that is the jazz experience.”
Kelley, a Rhode Island native, has earned considerable attention from collectors and enthusiasts for his oil and acrylic canvas works. He has been recognized as a “painter to watch” by his peers for his use of unique juxtapositions of color and texture. His works, while offering an immediate embrace to the eyes, heart, and mind of contemporary collectors, provokes a sense of both unfamiliarity and reminiscence.
“There is a base connection which forms between works of art and the beholder,” Kelly said. “This is the connection I hope for, moments when my work sparks a dialogue, a personal conversation with those who get it.”
For more information, please contact Karen Ramsay at 401-874-4625 or karenr@uri.edu.