Nall at Troy: An Internationally Regarded Alabama Artist Comes Home

Troy, Alabama, is not the first place that comes to mind as a source of great art. It's probably not even the thousandth place. But it is the birthplace of Fred Nall Hollis, an internationally acclaimed and celebrated artist who works under the moniker Nall. In his large-scale mixed media collages and paintings, often featuring his own print work, Nall tackles the most difficult topics in art: death, religion, politics, sexuality, gender, and more. Truly an artist with a multicultural focus, the subject matter of Nall's work originates in his own story, shared in Nall at Troy.

After attending the University of Alabama during the turbulent 1960s, Nall boldly ventured to Europe and developed relationships with some of the West's most influential figures, including Salvador Dali, James Baldwin, Prince Albert of Monaco, and Ringo Starr. His career blossomed in Europe, but Nall began to feel a longing for his hometown of Troy and artists with which he might find a close kinship. Nall at Troy is an exploration of the artist's homecoming, his promotion of Alabama artists, and his establishing of unique relationships with students and faculty at Troy University. Nall's contributions to the town, such as the creation of an international art center and the Nall Museum, have caused the community to have a great affinity for the artist. Nall at Troy is an opportunity for the city of Troy and its excellent university to share one of Alabama's best-kept secrets with the world.


About the Author
Nall: - Nall is an internationally renowned multi-media artist. As a child in Troy, Alabama, Nall began drawing at a local park. At twenty-two, he attended the legendary Ecole des Beaux-Arts in Paris and was mentored by Salvador Dali. He continued to travel around the world before returning to his roots in Alabama by taking artist-in-residence positions at The University of Alabama and Troy University, the latter awarding him an honorary doctorate. Today Nall operates out of his private studio in Fairhope, Alabama.Head, Albert B.: - Albert B. Head has played a major role in the Southern art community for over forty years. Head served as the executive director of the Stephen Foster Folklife Center, then the Louisiana Division of the Arts, and finally the Alabama State Council on the Arts. Today he sits on the Alabama Humanities Foundation Board and the Advisory Board of the Alabama Department of Tourism. A graduate of Troy University, Head collaborated with fellow Troy native Nall on an exhibition entitled Alabama Art 2000 and traveled with the artist to France, Italy, and Monaco on art exchange missions.