Gallery of Art | University of Northern Iowa

Present / Tense: Sculpture, Paintings and Drawings by Tom & Malayka Gormally

August 23, 2021 to September 25, 2021

Tom Gormally, “Witness,” cedar, poplar, oak, electric light, 2001, 90” x 72” x 96,” Photo Credit: Arthur Aubry.
Malayka Gormally, “Barriers,” Oil on canvas, 2017, 36” x 48,” Photo Credit: Malayka Gormally.
Tom Gormally, “Rising Tides,” carved & fabricated wood, plexiglass, rubber, porcelain, stain, paint, LED lights, 2020, 78” x 23”
Malayka Gormally, “Mother and Daughter, Applying for U.S. Citizenship,” ink, watercolor, gouache on handmade paper made in India

Seattle-based artists Tom and Malayka Gormally will present a public lecture on Thursday, September 23 at 6:00 p.m. in Kamerick Art Building (KAB) 111. A closing reception will follow.

"Present / Tense" is both a meditation on the extended family and an exploration of the contemporary challenges of human connection in this cultural moment of political division and environmental concerns. Tom's sculptures and Malayka's paintings in the main room celebrate deep familial roots in Iowa. In subsequent rooms, Tom's sculptures investigate the cultural/political divide affecting many families. Malayka's paintings of immigrants, some of whom are applying for United States citizenship, are juxtaposed with her oil paintings of anti-immigrant far-right Proud Boys at protests. Finally, Tom presents a series of sculptures and drawings on the dire absurdities of the oncoming calamity of climate change.

Tom Gormally was born and raised in Fort Dodge, IA (and later Minneapolis) and now resides in Seattle, WA. He has created sculptures for over 40 years, utilizing wood, found objects, and LED lighting to produce works with precision craftsmanship and luminous warmth. Some of his sculptures, such as his "Fox in the Henhouse" series, address cultural tensions with wit and absurdity, while other sculptures memorialize the indelible moments in the life of Tom's immediate family.

Malayka Gormally was born in Berkeley, CA to an immigrant father and a Jewish mother and raised during the civil rights era. She makes colorful, figurative paintings and drawings that reflect the complexities of intimacy and connection between generations and races. Malayka has created paintings inspired by Gormally family reunions in Iowa, as well as friends and family in Seattle. Her paintings of immigrants in the process of applying for United States citizenship, work in tandem with Tom's "Fox in the Henhouse" series to comment on the contemporary cultural zeitgeist.

All events are free and open to the public. Gallery Hours are 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Friday. Please be prepared to wear a mask and socially-distance while in the Gallery and KAB. Please note, the Gallery will be closed Monday, September 6 for Labor Day.