Peachy the Magazine September 2013 | Page 24

Contemporary Art Written by Kitty Garner in Charlotte in 2010, the museum made a simultaneous strategic commitment to contemporary art, and in furtherance of this mission brought on Brad Thomas as its Curator of Contemporary Art.  Prior to coming to the Mint, Thomas had been instrumental in developing the remarkable contemporary sculpture garden at nearby Davidson College. Outdoor sculptures by Jaume Plensa, Joel Shapiro, Antony Gormley and Magdalena Abakanowicz make this a A The Mint 24 PEACHY Institutions creating the buzz…The Mint, The Bechtler, and McColl Center A whirling Jennifer Steinkamp video depicting celestial mechanics, a colossal cobalt geometric wall painting by conceptual artist Sol LeWitt, a provocative Nick Cave soundsuit, and social practice in the Brightwalk community. Such is the vibrant and oh-so-current melange of Charlotte’s primary art centers: the Mint Museum, the Bechtler Museum of Modern Art, and the McColl Center for Visual Art. These institutions are proving to be fascinating venues for those seeking contemporary art in Charlotte, and they all are located, fortuitously for the patron, on the same street downtown—they stand like hip bookends to the thriving urban cultural scene in Charlotte. When the Mint Museum hired Kathleen Jameson as its new Executive Director and moved into its impressive Machado and Silvetti designed space downtown Mint Museum Uptown. Photo by Jeff Clare.