Govs on the Go: APSU alumnus Khari Turner talks artistry ahead of Nashville exhibition
By: Ethan Steinquest August 15, 2023
CLARKSVILLE, Tenn. - Austin Peay State University alumnus Khari Turner (’19), a Wisconsin native and accomplished artist who first ventured to Clarksville to bring the iconic Gov mascot to life, is taking center stage once again on Thursday, Aug. 17 for this week’s Govs on the Go podcast.
Turner graduated from the Department of Art + Design in May 2019 and went on to attend graduate school at Columbia University. His work has been featured in many exhibitions, juried shows and residencies, and he was recently interviewed about his accomplishments on “The Kelly Clarkson Show.”
“Right now, [my] work is about history [and] the body as a body of water,” Turner said. “It doesn’t matter who you are – you’re mostly water, regardless of skin, gender or identity.”
Those concepts are reflected in Turner’s upcoming exhibition, “Resonance,” which will be hosted from Sept. 2-30 at The Red Arrow Gallery in Nashville in collaboration with artist Donté K. Hayes. He is currently working to build his artwork into a narrative about those who died in the Middle Passage, a stage of the Atlantic slave trade, surviving as beings made entirely of water.
Turner’s artwork has also been showcased on the cover of Austin Peay’s Zone 3 literary journal, as part of Hulu’s 2020 Woke Art Fest and in publications from InStyle to Forbes. He credits his time at Austin Peay with putting him on the path to professional success.
“I needed all of those opportunities [at Austin Peay] to be able to lead me up to what I’m doing right now,” Turner said. “I was meant to do this, and I knew I was meant to do this, so I’m going to keep doing it and try to make it even better.”
More about Govs on the Go:
Govs on the Go is the official podcast of Austin Peay State University’s College of Arts and Letters, hosted by Dean William “Buzz” Hoon.
Every week, Dr. Hoon interviews a notable alumni or faculty member from the College of Arts and Letters - celebrating the stories of the college’s graduates and highlighting faculty accomplishments.
Govs on the Go is available through all major podcast platforms, including Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Audible, Pandora, iHeartRadio and YouTube.