Desmond Lewis

MFA in FINE ARTS

Desmond Lewis is a sculptor hailing from Brentwood, Tennessee. Desmond received his Bachelors of Science degree from Tennessee State University and his Associate of Arts degree from Bard College at Simon's Rock. He is currently working toward his Masters of Fine Arts degree at the University of Memphis. Desmond primarily uses mild steel in his work as he correlates the invisible appearance of structural steel in buildings with the concealed structural importance of African Americans in the United States. Through the creation of fabricated and forged sculptures, his work abstractly addresses the conversations of race, equality, and community uplift.

Desmond's work has been exhibited in local, regional, and national shows in: Tennessee, Kentucky, Arkansas, North Carolina, Missouri, Massachusetts, and Vermont. He attended the Winter Residency at Penland School of Crafts in January of 2016 as a guest of the school. Throughout his graduate school career, he has attended numerous conferences hosted by Midsouth Sculpture Alliance (Atlanta, GA), Sloss Furnaces (Birmingham, AL), and the Metal Museum (Memphis, TN). In early October of 2016, he will be attending the Tri State Sculptor's Conference to be held in Seagrove, North Carolina where he will have work exhibited in the Student and Outdoor Exhibitions. His work is held in the collections of Penland School of Crafts as well as the city of Hickory, North Carolina. Following graduate school, Desmond seeks to build large sculptures that provide community enrichment in developing and underserved areas.