On View—Beyond the Lens: Photorealist Perspectives on Looking, Seeing, and Painting

On view through February 5, 2024

Tickets: Museum Members $7, Non-Members $10 + general admission

Throughout the history of painting from the mid-19th century forward, artists have used an endless variety of approaches to record their world. Beyond the Lens: Photorealist Perspectives on Looking, Seeing, and Painting continues this thread,
off­ering an opportunity to explore a singular and still forceful aspect of American art. Photorealism shares many of the approaches of historical and modernist realism, with a twist. The use of the camera as a basic tool for organizing visual information in advance of painterly expression is now quite common, but Photorealists embraced the camera as the focal point in their creative process.

Beyond the Lens presents key works from the collection of Louis K. and Susan Pear Meisel, bringing together paintings and works on paper dating from the 1970s to the present to focus on this profoundly influential art movement. The exhibition includes work by highly acclaimed formative artists of the movement such as Charles Bell, Robert Bechtle, Tom Blackwell, Richard Estes, Audrey Flack, and Ralph Goings as well as paintings by the successive generations of Photorealist artists Anthony Brunelli, Davis Cone, Bertrand Meniel, Rod Penner, and Raphaella Spence.

Featured artworks in the exhibition include diverse subject matters, but the primary interiors focus is on the common and every day: urban scenes, “portraits” of cars, trucks, and motorcycles, still life compositions using toys, food, and candy wrappers. All provide opportunities for virtuoso studies in how light, reflection, and the camera as intermediary shapes our perception of the material world.

View Exhibition Page

An Evening Featuring Fun Activities, Tours and Lively Entertainment for Educators

FREE admission for Educators K-12, administrators, and teaching artists

Join us to unwind, socialize, and explore the Museum. Teachers of all grade levels and subject areas are invited to view the Museum’s current exhibitions, attend gallery talks, enjoy live music, create art in the studio, and learn more about the Asheville Art Museum’s resources for teachers.

Snacks and non-alcoholic beverages will be provided. The rooftop Perspective Café will be open until 9pm, where you may purchase a variety of sandwiches, local snacks, and beverages, including Poppy’s Popcorn, French Broad Chocolates, Asheville beers, organic coffee, wine, and cocktails. Artist Jenny Pickens will be leading an art activity in the third floor studio for the educators from 5-8pm.

Register now for your chance to win free door prizes, including an educator membership! Advanced online registration is encouraged not required to attend.

Any questions, email Susan Hendley, School & Teacher Programs Manager at [email protected]

Register

September’s Third Thursday Features a Virtual Conversation with Analia Saban and Live Jazz performance by the Pierson-Law Duo

A Virtual Conversation: Analia Saban

Thursday, September 21, 2023 •  6:30-7:30pm

Join artist Analia Saban for a virtual PowerPoint presentation exploring the relationship between painting, sculpture, imagery, and objecthood. Saban’s print GRACIAS GRACIAS GRACIAS THANK YOU THANK YOU is currently featured in the Museum’s special exhibition The Art of Food: From the Collections of Jordan D. Schnitzer and His Family Foundation, on view through October 22.

This virtual program will be presented in the Museum’s multipurpose space. Enjoy the talk at the Museum or in the comfort of your home. A Zoom link will be available on the event page one day prior to the program.

Learn More

Thursday Night Live Jazz Concert by the Pierson-Law Duo

Thursday, September 21, 2023 • 6-8pm

Enjoy an evening of live music in the Museum’s Windgate Foundation Atrium featuring the Pierson-Law duo. Consisting of Connor Law on upright bass and Taylor Pierson on piano, this duo plays an eclectic blend of jazz standards and recognizable songs crossing multiple eras. They strive for interactive improvisation to create a unique sound that can appeal to jazz fans as well as appreciators of music of all kinds. No reservations required.

Enjoy guided tours of The Art of Food and Intersections in American Art

Public Tour: The Art of Food
6-7pm

Thursday, September 14, 2023 &
Thursday, September 24, 2023

Enjoy a tour of the exhibition The Art of Food: From the Collections Jordan D. Schnitzer and His Family Foundation led by a Volunteer Educator.

Free for Museum Members or included with general admission; registration is not required.

Public Tour: Intersections in American Art
6-7pm

Thursday, September 21, 2023  

Take in the Museum’s Collection of American art of the 20th and 21st centuries, exploring the connection between art and artists of Western North Carolina / Southern Appalachia and the US at large.

Free for Museum Members or included with general admission; registration is not required.

Author Erica Abrams Locklear discusses her new book Appalachia on the Table

Book + Art
Wednesday, September 27, 2023 • Noon-1:15pm
Free for Members or included with Museum admission; registration not required.

Join guest speaker Erica Abrams Locklear for a conversation about her new book Appalachia on the Table: Representing Mountain Food and People. Following a book discussion, join our Learning & Engagement staff in the galleries for a conversation connecting themes within the book to selected works from the current exhibition The Art of Food: From the Collections of Jordan D. Schnitzer and His Family Foundation. Books are available for purchase at Malaprop’s Bookstore/Café for a 10% discount.

Save the Date—75th Anniversary Dance Party!

We're excited to announce a groovy event that you won't want to miss—the Asheville Art Museum's 75th Anniversary Dance Party! Mark your calendars for Saturday, November 4, 2023, from 7 to 11pm, as we celebrate three-quarters of a century of art and culture in style. The party promises to be a blast from the past, so get ready to don your best '70s attire and get your dancing shoes on.

But that's not all! We've lined up an array of treats to make this night truly unforgettable. Satisfy your taste buds with delectable delights from food trucks Bun Intended and El Kimchi, offering a mouthwatering fusion of flavors in the plaza outside. DJ Erik Mattox will be spinning all your favorite '70s dance tunes, ensuring the dance floor stays electric all night long. And for those looking to score some unique treasures, don't miss our silent auction, featuring incredible items that will make you want to bid with enthusiasm.

Tickets for this spectacular event go on sale starting September 15th, so be sure to snag yours early, as they're sure to be in high demand. Join us for a night of drinks, dancing, and nostalgia as we commemorate 75 years of artistic excellence at the Asheville Art Museum. Stay tuned for more updates as we gear up for this milestone celebration!

Work of the Week

Untitled by Kent Washburn, 1967

On view in the Museum’s SECU Collection Hall • Level 3

Kent Washburn took this photograph of "The Block" neighborhood in the late 1960s when he worked for the East Riverside Urban Renewal Project. The goal of this project was to provide more public housing around the city of Asheville. While the project seemed intended to help the public, it displaced around 4,000 residents, 96% of whom were Black. This photograph captures a neighborhood known to be the center of African American living, business, and community in the city, positioned close to Asheville City Hall and the Buncombe County Courthouse visible in the background. While these government buildings remain today, the houses and neighborhoods immortalized here were demolished in 1971. This area was one of many in Asheville deemed "hazardous" by government redlining and therefore seen as prime real estate, ripe for the taking.

While this is a historical photograph rather than an artistic one, one might still interpret analogies hidden within it. I imagine a message about the government looming over the underprivileged as if it were ready to pounce. The figure in the bottom left of the frame appears to be walking towards the camera, away from the center of the city. Were they leaving for work, or were they already being forced out of their homes ahead of demolition. — Adam Sorgi, University of North Carolina at Asheville, State Employees Credit Union (SECU) intern