Upcoming Collaborative Exhibit in Asheville, April 29

Local Artists Announce Collaborative Exhibit

at Asheville YMI Cultural Center

Joan E. Gardner, multi-media artist and painter based in Catawba County, and image activist Alvin C. Jacobs, Jr. of Charlotte, announce their upcoming collaborative exhibit, Examine the Past, Create the Future. This exhibit brings dual perspectives to current pressing social issues. While Jacobs' and Gardner's experiences differ in many ways, male vs. female, black vs. white, young vs. old, and their media are very different, the problems they illuminate are the same and need to be addressed.

The exhibit will be on display April 30 through June 5, 2019, at the YMI Cultural Center, 39 S. Market Street, Asheville, NC. A public reception will be held May 3rd, 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. Center hours are Monday through Friday, 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Weekend viewing by appointment only.

The exhibit includes photographs from Jacobs' experiences with social uprisings and demonstrations from across the US. Gardner presents paintings and viewer participation pieces that question our life and death priorities. Several of the pieces combine Jacobs' photographic images with Gardner's painting. The work of both artists is both familiar and disturbing.

Gardner earned her MFA from UNC-Greensboro, has taught art at Central Piedmont Community College and East Lincoln Junior and Senior High Schools, and has shown exhibitions of her work in North Carolina, Tennessee, Georgia, West Virginia, Wisconsin, and Alabama. She was a member of the Catawba County Council of the Arts from 2010-16.

Jacobs, Jr. is a professional photographer and image activist, based in Charlotte, NC. He specializes in social documentary, professional sports, portrait, editorial, and fashion photo-graphic projects. Jacobs has been commissioned for and has collaborated on various projects across the nation - including stints with the NFL, NBA, NASCAR - and has contributed social commentary via interviews on CNN, HLN, and Fox News networks and various local outlets.

The Cultural Center is located at 20-44 Eagle St, Asheville, NC 28801. View Google Map.

Stay tuned for more info and additional links.