The series of portraits, painted by Indianapolis artist Glizzy Gunning, was many painful years in the making. The majority of the pieces were created while Gunning was incarcerated. Although he was not a portrait artist when he entered prison, painting allowed him to read or envision the stories behind the glossy image presented in magazines. These articles and advertisements were the easiest to obtain and served as his only connection to the outside world.

He “met” many people, celebrity and otherwise, this way, and their stories helped draw Gunning outside of his own situation and environment. “Perseverance” is a contemplative exercise in perspective— familiar faces and the assumptions associated with them are repositioned from the magazine page to an up-close portrait, offering us a chance to see them as individuals with their own struggles and their own humanity.

Not all the faces featured in “Perseverance” are famous ones. Some are from advertisements or other media. They all, however, retain the polished veneer of posed editorial shoot. The photographer’s lens is visible even through Gunning’s use of oil pastels and acrylic. The images are presented to us in the way we expect to see them, as the branded version of a person, rather than the person themselves.

Celebrities, models, and entertainers often struggle with mental health issues from immense pressure and stress, not to mention the trials of life to which glamor does not make them immune. Gunning’s aim is to confront those expectations, limitations, really, that we place around the people we see but do not know.

Gunning has resolved to not let his experience with the justice system define him. Art became an outlet and a vehicle. It “saved his life,” allowing him to challenge the labels given him and define himself on his own terms. This exhibit represents him overcoming a difficult period in his life, showcasing the people who “accompanied” him on the journey. They, too, had difficulties to face. Like the tattoo across Gunning’s chest reads, they found “Perseverance.

mirror ball. Oil pastel/acrylic. 24 x 24.

“Perseverance” will be on display in the Harrison Center’s Hank and Dolly’s Gallery for the month of August. The exhibit can be viewed in-person by appointment and in our online gallery, where all pieces are available for purchase.