Linda Hinson: Beings

Zambian Fab Four - © Linda Hinson

ON DISPLAY

December 1 - February 28, 2026

RECEPTION

December 4th  5:00-7:00

Eleven villagers from Zambia and eleven animals from all over the world comprise "Beings," Linda Hinson's new exhibit at the Montgomery Museum of Art & History.  According to Hinson's definition, a being is a living creature, but the term also refers to a state of existence, an activity, or an ongoing process.  The artist invites you to ask questions about the beings depicted in her art.

Linda Hinson traveled to Zambia in 2019 with Orphan Medical Network International (OMNI), and there she discovered the villagers that are the subjects of half the works in this exhibit.  All of the pieces are in charcoal and highly detailed.  These are large works that took weeks to produce.  Ask the subjects if they have suffered.  Did they have a harsh and cruel existence?  The artist says she chose to portray them not to exploit nor pity them, but to honor them and remind viewers that these are sentient beings who deserve our attention and care.

The other half of the collection depicts animals. If Hinson had not become an art teacher, she would have made a great biology teacher.  She is highly observant, reads about the animals she creates, and never misses an animal documentary on television. "The Lion's Gaze" refers to a Buddhist parable.  If you throw a stick at a dog, it will follow the stick, but if you throw a stick at a lion, it will stare back at the thrower.  A lot of deep philosophy is derived from this parable, and it is as relevant today as when it was written.  Juxtaposed with the lion is a foo dog which was inspired by a vitrine in the artist's home.  Foo dogs are actually lions and are often found in pairs at an entrance to a building, where they ward off evil spirits.

Some artists have trouble naming their works, but others like Linda Hinson come up with something both clever and appropriate.  A picture of crows is entitled, "Planning a Murder."  A   group of crows is a murder of crows, remember?   Another work features ravens but is named "Rave," a modern term that is more lighthearted.  "His Majesty" is an orange rooster, who struts proudly but also takes good care of his chickens and shares food with them.  The rooster is a born leader.  A great name for a portrait of a gorilla is "98%."  It reminds us that we are much more like the gorilla than we used to think.  Actually, we share 98% of our DNA.  When you look at its face, the intelligent creature stares back. 

Every animal depicted in this show makes and uses tools.  There was a time when scientists distinguished humans from other animals by our supposed exclusive use of tools.  How naive and pompous of us.  Humans and other animals share DNA and tools.  Hinson says, "We may not be firsthand witnesses to malnutrition, poverty, gender-based violence, species extinctions, or deforestation, but they still exist."  The subjects of these paintings share something else: they have all suffered.

All images © Linda Hinson