An exhibition of recent abstract paintings by Presbyterian College Art Department Art Alumnus Aaron Collier, ’01. Collier’s abstract paintings are inspired by a visit in 2017 to the ancient Palatine Hill archaeological site in Rome, called “the first nucleus of the Roman Empire.” Inspired by both the awe of the ruins and its fabled history, Collier’s use of a muted palette to ground his organic shapes within the canvas—like relics floating amidst themselves—provides the viewer with an inspired visual pathway akin to that of pure discovery and exploration.

Aaron Collier is a visual artist living in New Orleans. He teaches drawing and painting at Tulane University as an Assistant Professor. Solo exhibitions of his work have been presented at Octavia Gallery, Cole Pratt Gallery, and Staple Goods, an artist cooperative in the St. Claude Avenue Arts District. He has participated in recent group exhibitions at the Contemporary Arts Center and the Ogden Museum of Southern Art and has been featured in New American Paintings. Collier’s paintings are represented in such collections as the New Orleans Museum of Art, Iberia Bank, and the Boston Medical Center. He has enjoyed artist residencies at the Ragdale Foundation, the Virginia Center for the Creative Arts, the Joan Mitchell Center in New Orleans, ISCP in Brooklyn, and OAZO in Amsterdam.

The Harper Center Gallery is host to four exhibitions annually—two exhibitions of work from nationally/internationally recognized artists, the Senior Art Major Exhibition, and the Annual Student Exhibition. Gallery hours are Wednesday through Saturday from 12:00–5:00 pm; admission to the gallery is free