Contemporary Art in Charlotte As one considers what the Center is asking of its artists in the realm of Spheres of Impact, it becomes clear that the Center’s mission has evolved over time. The Center may have initially been content that its artists were making innovative art, but rather quickly many of its artists were, through their art, either raising social consciousness or crossing formerly rigid boundaries separating art forms. For example, Sonya Clark, a textile artist who often uses human hair in her work, just completed a series of works relating to the sesquicentennial of the Emancipation Proclamation, exploring where we were as a nation in 1863, and where we are now. One piece, a $5 bill with an afro stitched onto President Abraham Lincoln’s head, ties the notion of Lincoln as emancipator with the afro, a symbol of African-American liberation.
Nick Cave, Sound Suit. 2000 Artist-in-Residence. Photo courtesy of McColl Center for Visual Art. And then there is renowned Center alum Nick Cave, who conflates artistic media—he is an Alvin Ailey trained dancer and a sculptor who uses fabric to make his provocative Soundsuits. He is also a performance artist who dons his own Soundsuits for his performance pieces which touch on themes of physical and spiritual transformation. Contrast Clark and Cave’s works, which are truly innovative but nonetheless collectible with the art which will make up the Brightwalk project for which the Center just received a $400,000 ArtPlace America grant. As described on the Center’s website, “In partnership with the CharlotteMecklenburg Housing Partnership, the Center will use the funding to bring national and international artists to
Sonya Clark. afro abe ii (peacock). 2011 Knight Artist-in-Residence. Photo courtesy of McColl Center for Visual Art.
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