#AppalachiaNow curated by Jason Andrew opens the newly renovated Asheville Art Museum
Installation View: Andrew Scott Ross, Gallery of the Thieves, 2019, Acrylic paint, charcoal, mud, paper, and wood. Photo: Andrew Scott Ross
Curated by guest curator Jason Andrew, Appalachia Now! An Interdisciplinary Survey of Contemporary Art in Southern Appalachia is the inaugural exhibition of the newly renovated Asheville Art Museum. The exhibition provides a regional snapshot of the art of our time—a collective survey of contemporary Southern Appalachian culture.
This exhibition explores the amalgamation of tradition and present-day perspectives extant in contemporary artistic representations of life in this region. Appalachia Now! situates artists within a regional and national dialogue that spans time and socio-economic status. Whether works are bio-bibliographical, or address larger, universal themes, this cross-disciplinary exhibition invites visitors to participate in the individual experiences that make this part of the world so unique. It will celebrate contemporary artists living and working in Southern Appalachia, focusing on Asheville as a nucleus of creativity within the broader area of its adjacent states of Georgia, South Carolina, Tennessee, and Virginia.
Formerly isolated by geography, and sometimes intentionally so, Appalachia remains culturally rich and yet is more globally connected than ever before. Whereas past community and cultural exchanges took place through face-to-face, physical interaction, it is now possible to connect and access the world digitally. What was once a day’s journey from one town to the next has been replaced by the swipe and tap of a mobile phone. The diversity and magnitude of art-making in the region expands our understanding of the world today from the perspective of Southern Appalachia. Appalachia, while its roots are deep, has outlived its regionalism and is deserving of a new nuance of narrative. — Jason Andrew, curator
Appalachia Now! builds upon the Museum’s mission of collecting and interpreting 20th- and 21st-century American art in all media relevant to/produced in the Southeast and WNC. Inclusive and ambitious in scope, the exhibition will present a survey of works by emerging and established artists selected by Jason Andrew, a curator and juror of national renown. Andrew and Curatorial Assistant Lola Clairmont drove over 40 hours around the Southeast and made 54 studio visits with artists. In order to promote underrecognized and emerging artists, Appalachia Now! will feature artists whose work is not yet represented in the Museum’s Collection.
I am excited to share the many stylistic approaches and concerns of artists in this exhibition—their ages varied, their origins diverse. — Jason Andrew, curator
The following 50 artists have been selected through recommendations from regional museums, curators, and art organizations and through an open submission process. The overwhelming regional interest in this exhibition was demonstrated in the participation of artists in the free, public open call; over 400 artists applied through the call. Overall, the Museum and Andrew researched over 700 artists for consideration in the exhibition. The selected artists represent all media, including painting, sculpture, new media, dance, and film.
RELATED PRESS:
ARTSY.
Amy Beth Wright. “Artists of Appalachia Push Back on Regional Stereotypes.” Nov 22, 2019
Metropolis.
Joanne O’Sullivan. “Appalachia Makers Tell Their Own Story in New Exhibition.” Nov 22, 2019
HiFructose.
Andy Smith. “Asheville Art Museum Opens New Building in North Carolina.” Nov 18, 2019
Citizen Times.
Paul Moon. “Asheville Art Museum reopening highlights Madison County’s past, present and future.” Nov 12, 2019
Mountain Xpress.
Arnold Wengrow. “Asheville Art Museum readies for its grand reopening.” Oct 11, 2019
American Craft (Dec-Jan 2020)
”Appalachia Now! An Interdisciplinary Survey of Contemporary Art in Southern Appalachia.”
And these spotlights:
WMYA TV40.
John Le. “Man who one guarded Asheville Art Museum now has a piece on display there.” Nov 18, 2019
The Museum would like to thank the donors that make this exhibition possible: the John & Robyn Horn Foundation, The Community Foundation of Western North Carolina, Parsec Financial, The Chaddick Foundation, the Elizabeth Firestone Graham Foundation, Hollis Taggart, the Maurer Family Foundation, and the Judy Appleton Memorial Fund. This project is also supported in part by an award from the National Endowment for the Arts.
The Museum would like to extend a special thanks to local partners Blue Ridge Printing, Asheville Color & Imaging, Mountain Paint & Decorating, and The Old Wood Co.
The Museum also thanks the following individuals for their support of this project: Jason Andrew, Chris Brooks, Lola Clairmont, Jenine Culligan, Emma-Leigh Evors, Beccy Hamm, Chesnee Klein, Nandini Makrandi, Jolene Mechanic, Amy G. Moorefield, Susan Rhew, and Stephen C. Wicks.
Your support helps the Asheville Art Museum develop community-driven programming and exhibitions. To contribute to Appalachia Now!, please visit our Donations page, select Upcoming Exhibitions, and type “Appalachia Now” in the Notes.
