Feb. 23, 2017 (Charlotte, NC) – Imagine encountering Andy Warhol’s “Marilyn” outside a YMCA or emerging artist Jordan Casteel’s “Kevin The Kite Man” in the middle of a park. Charlotteans will be able to participate in this experience beginning in April when the Bechtler Museum of Modern Art and the Harvey B. Gantt Center for African-American Arts + Culture launch Inside|Out Charlotte. The Inside|Out Charlotte initiative is a part of the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation’s national effort to share collections and bring art into communities. This public exhibition and outreach program will reach into the greater Charlotte-Mecklenburg area to strengthen knowledge, understanding and appreciation for visual art. The program places framed, high-quality reproductions of artworks on display at the Bechtler Museum and Gantt Center for community members to encounter and enjoy programming specifically designed for each installation. Inside|Out Charlotte will launch in the spring highlighting artworks that reflect the diversity of the museums’ collections and broad interests in the communities.
The program started eight years ago at the Detroit Institute of Arts and now includes partners around the nation: the Philadelphia Museum of Art, Akron Art Museum and Perez Art Museum Miami.
Knight Foundation has funded the expansion to these additional cities including Charlotte.
“There’s something very powerful about seeing works of art in person. You become completely immersed. Inside|Out brings that experience to people, directly in their communities. And an amazing thing happens: entire neighborhoods, entire communities, start to talk about art,” said Victoria Rogers, vice president for arts at Knight Foundation.
Residents, families and friends in the participating communities will be able to walk through the park or hop on a bike and encounter art in unexpected places and enjoy each exciting outdoor exhibition.
The Bechtler and the Gantt Center in conjunction with the partner communities will plan educational opportunities and other fun activities, such as bicycle and walking tours, community discussions, musical performances and more.
Inside|Out Charlotte is now in the process of asking city and community representatives, development authorities and arts organizations interested in being part of the museums’ new program. Communities can choose one of two exhibition periods: spring, from April to July, or fall, from September to December. Selected communities will have the opportunity to host five to eight reproductions within walking or bike-riding distance from each other. In all, up to 60 reproduced artworks will be on display around Charlotte in the spring and an additional 80 works in the fall.
Communities and businesses that take part will be promoted through the Inside|Out Charlotte website, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and more. The museum installs the reproductions and can assist community leaders in developing educational programs that engage people and inspire them to visit the Bechtler and the Gantt Center. Visit the Inside|Out Charlotte website at: www.insideoutclt.org.
About the Bechtler Museum of Modern Art
The Bechtler Museum of Modern Art is dedicated to the exhibition of mid-20th-century modern art. It is named after the family of Andreas Bechtler who assembled and inherited a collection created by seminal figures of modernism. The museum is located at Levine Center for the Arts, 420 South Tryon Street, Charlotte 28202. Operating hours are Monday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday 10 a.m. – 5 p.m.; Sunday 12 p.m. – 5 p.m.; closed Tuesdays. For museum details visit bechtler.org.
About the Gantt Center
The Harvey B. Gantt Center for African-American Arts + Culture presents, preserves and celebrates excellence in the art, history and culture of African-Americans and those of African descent. The Center is located at Levine Center for the Arts 551 South Tryon Street, Charlotte, NC 28202. Operating hours are Sunday: 1 p.m. – 5 p.m. Monday: Closed, Tuesday-Saturday: 10 a.m. – 5 p.m.
About Knight Foundation
Knight Foundation is a national foundation with strong local roots. We invest in journalism, in the arts, and in the success of cities where brothers John S. and James L. Knight once published newspapers. Our goal is to foster informed and engaged communities, which we believe are essential for a healthy democracy.”
Contact:
Sharon Holm, Bechtler Museum of Modern Art Director of Marketing and Communications, at [email protected] / [email protected] or office 704.353.9204 / mobile 704.975.2363.