The University of Northern Iowa Gallery of Art will present an exhibition titled "Present / Tense: Sculpture, Paintings and Drawings by Tom & Malayka Gormally," which will be open to the public from Monday, August 23 through Saturday, September 25. Please note, the Gallery will be closed Monday, September 6 for Labor Day.

Seattle-based artists Tom and Malayka Gormally will present a public lecture on Thursday, September 23 at 6:00 p.m. in 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. Please be prepared to wear a mask and socially-distance while in the gallery. Hours are 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Friday and by appointment. The gallery is located on the main floor of KAB South.