| For more information about this article or gallery, please call the gallery phone number listed in the last line of the article, "For more info..." |
January Issue 2006
Mint Museum of Craft + Design in Charlotte, NC, Presents Major Exhibition of North Carolina Artists
From scooters and books to textiles and paintings, Crosscurrents: Art, Craft, and Design in North Carolina displays the diverse work of 24 North Carolina artists. An experimental venture growing out of statewide juried exhibitions at both The Mint Museums and the North Carolina Museum of Art (NCMA) in Raleigh, NC, has resulted in a collaborative exhibition of contemporary art, craft and design. The exhibition, presented at the Mint Museum of Craft + Design, in Charlotte, NC, opens on Jan. 28 and continues through Aug. 6, 2006.
The 67 works in the exhibition vary in medium and size and exemplify the broad range of works currently being created across North Carolina. Many artists use their work for political and social commentary; others critique modern culture. Of the 550 artists who applied to be in the exhibition, these 24 artists were chosen for the variety and breadth of their work, which includes works on paper, paintings, photography, ceramics, video installations and books. Some works are newly created for the show, including a video installation that explores the intersection of consumerism and art and a photo collage that comments on the confluence of art and politics.
"Working on this exhibition has been a wonderful experience," said co-curator Carla M. Hanzal, The Mint Museums' Curator of Contemporary Art. "The process of organizing an exhibition like this working collegially with the staff of another museum, visiting artists' studios during the selection process, and finally selecting the works for the show was enlightening."
The project is an innovative undertaking: it marks the first time the two museums have collaborated to present such an exhibition. In the past both museums hosted exhibitions that featured contemporary works by North Carolina artists. The Mint Museums have presented some version of a statewide show since 1958, and the NCMA's North Carolina Artists Exhibition began in 1937.
"The variety and quality of the work make for a fascinating and thought-provoking exhibition," said co-curator Huston Paschal, Curator of Modern Art, of the NCMA. "Crosscurrents explores the artistic achievements of artists residing in the state. We enjoyed discovering the work of artists who were new to us and also seeing how the work of more familiar artists was developing."
Exhibition co-curators Carla M. Hanzel, Huston Paschal, Melissa G. Post, Curator of Mint Museum of Craft + Design, and Linda Johnson Dougherty, Curator of Contemporary Art of the NCMA, evaluated and selected works for the exhibition.
In June 2004, curators from the NCMA and the Mint issued a call for entries from artists working in the state. From 550 artists who submitted work, 23 individual artists and one collaborative group of five (called EAT) were chosen to participate in Crosscurrents.
Artists participating in the exhibition include:
Christopher Curtin of Boone; Julia Elsas and Marguerite J. Gignoux,
both of Carrboro; elin o'Hara slavick of Chapel Hill; Susan Brenner,
David B. Brodeur, Maja Godlewska, Marek Ranis, and Greg Scott,
all of Charlotte; Jeff Whetstone of Durham; Nikki Blair of Greensboro;
Michael Schultz of Kernersville; Jimmy O'Neal of Marshall; Gwen
Bigham of Matthews; Jennie Bireline, EAT (Pat FitzGerald, Ted
FitzGerald, David Millsaps, Dana Raymond and Amanda Robertson),
and Stacey L. Kirby, all of Raleigh; Ron Rozzelle of Saxapahaw;
Lauren F. Adams of Snow Hill; Jack Ketner of Swansboro; and David
Finn, Page H. Laughlin, and Anne Kesler Shields, all of Winston-Salem.
The exhibit is sponsored by BellSouth and First Citizens Bank.
This exhibition is also supported in part by an award from the
National Endowment for the Arts, which believes that a great nation
deserves great art.
The exhibition will be accompanied by an illustrated catalogue.
Also on view through Apr. 2, 2006, is the exhibition, Thirties Glamour and the Allure of Bakelite. The advent of Bakelite jewelry infused the bleak Depression era with innovative, colorful and complementary fashion accessories such as bracelets, rings, pins and neckpieces.
For further information check our NC Institutional
Gallery listings, call the Museum at 704/337-2000 or at (www.mintmuseum.org).
Carolina Arts is published monthly by Shoestring Publishing
Company, a subsidiary of PSMG, Inc.
Copyright© 2006 by PSMG, Inc., which published Charleston
Arts from July 1987 - Dec. 1994 and South Carolina Arts
from Jan. 1995 - Dec. 1996. It also publishes Carolina Arts
Online, Copyright© 2006 by PSMG, Inc. All rights reserved
by PSMG, Inc. or by the authors of articles. Reproduction or use
without written permission is strictly prohibited. Carolina
Arts is available throughout North & South Carolina.