Eleanor Harwood Gallery is pleased to present Hunter Saxony III’s third solo show with the gallery, Axis of Compassion. The exhibition will be on view from Saturday, September 6th, through October 18th, 2025. Please join us for the opening reception on Saturday, September 6th, from 5-7 pm.
Saxony III’s work, presented with a signature palette of red and black brush strokes paired with a confident mark-making identity, reflects the artist' lived experience, culminating in delicate and pivotal moments of reflection.Through many years as a self-taught artist he has mastered lettering, filigree, flourishes, the intricacies and technical sides of calligraphy. Here, Hunter Saxony III demonstrates technical mastery and a commitment to artistic inquiry and evolution.
The ink on pergamenata pieces such as "Step Mother," "Inkwell," "Penance," "Penitence," and "I Had to Learn the Hard Way..." invites the viewer into an open-ended dialogue that confronts the enduring legacy of his challenging upbringing. Saxony III also refers to the potential burdens of being raised with the mantra of Black Excellence within the familial unit. Raised by high-achieving academics, Black Excellence was driving doctrine within the family. Black Excellence means the demonstration of high achievement, brilliance, and success by black individuals and communities, often in spite of systemic barriers and discrimination. In these pieces, the artist articulates a journey from the initial pain of these formative experiences to a "destitute understanding” of his childhood and the influence of his parents.
In “Tudor Rose,” the artist utilizes the historic symbol of the Tudor Rose that represents the unification of two houses and an end to conflict. The distinct ornamental marks overlay one another, building layer upon layer, signifying harmony and a new beginning. Hunter Saxony III's line of inquiry into the human condition culminates in a resolution that transcends reconciliation, seeking an "unchained resolution" that suggests liberation from past grievances.
In "Holy Spirit," the artist takes a further departure from themes of familial disconnection by referencing inclusions of his chosen family in the exhibit. Including one work by Megan Wilson, the artist's life partner and acclaimed tattoo artist, introducing the idea of shared "familiars"—a term that encompasses deeply cherished companions. Including Wilson's work celebrates the idea of chosen familial connectivity. A piece by sculptor Lecia Wilson, Megan Wilson's mother, further underscores the exhibition's thematic core of compassion. Including both Wilson’s acts as a "toast to a life of art together,". In “Axis of Compassion,” the artist provides a vital reflection on familial disharmony, highlighting the importance of chosen family, artistic collaboration, and the enduring power of compassionate relationships.
