Teachers’ Workshop: Bob Trotman

Thursday, June 15^th | 10:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m. | UPTOWN

Free for K-12 Educators

Bob Trotman is a sculptor working in Western North Carolina, with work featured in State of the Art: Discovering American Art Now as well as the Mint’s contemporary art collection. Join him and Mint staff for a full-day workshop exploring themes of power, privilege, and pretense that shape the world we live in.

Stick around afterward for our Teacher Night at City Lights – click here for more information!

Image credit: Bob Trotman. Trumpeter, 2014, carved wood, fiberglass, audio, casein, wax. Collection of the artist. Photo courtesy of the artist.

Teachers’ Workshop: Jeff Whetstone

Thursday, August 10^th | 10:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m. | UPTOWN

Free for K-12 Educators; this workshop is geared towards Art and Science Teachers only.

Jeff Whetstone is a photographer currently based at Princeton University by way of The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, with degrees from Yale University and Duke University. His work questions stereotypes and explores the complicated bond between people and the landscape. Join him and Mint staff for a half-day workshop engaging these themes.

Stick around afterward for our Teacher Night at City Lights! Click here for more information.

Image credit: Jeff Whetstone (1968- ). Drawing E. Obsoleta, 2011, 16mm film transferred to digital video, duration: 8 minutes, 28 seconds. Courtesy Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art, Bentonville, Arkansas. Photo courtesy of Julie Saul Gallery, New York. © Jeff Whetstone.

Adult Workshop: Eyakem Gulilat

Thursday, July 20^th | 6:00 – 8:00 p.m. | UPTOWN

Admission: $20 / $15 for members

Originally from Ethiopia and now based out of Oklahoma, Eyakem Gulilat sees photography as an opportunity to immerse himself in others’ lives and formulating an American narrative. Join him for a hands-on photography project that explores your own environment.

Image credit: Eyakem Gulilat (1976- ). Untitled, 2011, archival pigment print. Courtesy Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art, Bentonville, Arkansas. Photo courtesy of the artist.

Calling all educators and art fans!

You are invited to meet and mingle at City Lights Rooftop, Charlotte’s biggest and best rooftop bar, with acclaimed North Carolina artist Bob Trotman, featured in the exhibition State of the Art: Discovering American Art Now (on view at Mint Museum Uptown through September 3). Enjoy sweeping skyline views, beverage specials, and great conversations about art!

Following the Mint’s Educator Workshop with Bob Trotman from 10 a.m.-4 p.m., you can make your way from Mint Museum Uptown to Le Meridien Hotel, the Mint’s “Unlock Art” partner, and enjoy the views and specials at City Lights! Not attending our workshop? That’s OK – you can join us at City Lights anyway!

City Lights Rooftop is a 15-minute walk or a quick drive with your own transportation (discounted parking rates will be available). Click here for directions, or Mint staff will direct at the conclusion of the workshop.

Drink Specials at City Lights are open to anyone who shows a Mint sticker! Note: You MUST visit the Mint first and obtain a sticker to receive these prices.

$6 special “Mint” Drink
$6 House Red or White Wine
$5 Beer

This event is also open to non-educators; anyone interested in meeting the artist and enjoying City Lights is welcome.

Join us again on August 10 for another Teacher Night at City Lights with Artist Jeff Whetstone!

About Le Méridien Charlotte

Le Méridien Charlotte, the newest hotel in Uptown, introduces a premier global brand with a blend of contemporary culture and European heritage to Charlotte. By creating a culturally-refined, meaningful and stimulating atmosphere, the hotel appeals to creative-minded guests seeking a new perspective in each destination they visit. The hotel recently completed a multi-million-dollar transformation, providing guests with the most up-to-date and luxurious rooms, spaces and amenities. As part of a dual-hotel complex, Le Méridien Charlotte’s guests benefit from an expansive area, which features 300 well-appointed guestrooms and suites, and over 55,000 square feet of flexible meeting space, including five ballrooms and 29 meeting rooms, ideal for business meetings and functions up to 1,800 guests. Whether looking for relaxation, activity or cuisine, the hotel is replete with options. Guests may enjoy Evoke, the hotel’s award-winning new-age steakhouse, and Longitude Bar, a full fitness facility with state-of-the-art equipment, as well as indoor and outdoor pools. For more information, please call 704.372.9610.

Calling all educators and art fans!

You are invited to meet and mingle at City Lights Rooftop, Charlotte’s biggest and best rooftop bar, with acclaimed artist Jeff Whetstone, featured in the exhibition State of the Art: Discovering American Art Now (on view at Mint Museum Uptown through September 3). Enjoy sweeping skyline views, beverage specials, and great conversations about art!

Following the Mint’s Educator Workshop with Jeff Whetstone from 10 a.m.-4 p.m., you can make your way from Mint Museum Uptown to Le Meridien Hotel, the Mint’s “Unlock Art” partner, and enjoy the views and specials at City Lights! Not attending our workshop? That’s OK – you can join us at City Lights anyway!

Drink Specials at City Lights are open to anyone who shows a Mint sticker! Note: You MUST visit the Mint first and obtain a sticker to receive these prices.

$6 special “Mint” Drink
$6 House Red or White Wine
$5 Beer

This event is also open to non-educators; anyone interested in meeting the artist and enjoying City Lights is welcome.

About Le Méridien Charlotte

Mint, Bechtler, Gantt Center, Knight Theater invite the public to free event

The public is invited to Levine Center for the Arts on Saturday, June 3, 2017. African dancing. A portrait paint-off. Drums. Art-making. Aerial dancing. Jazz. Food trucks. T-shirt screen printing. Hip Hop Orchestrated. Cuban dance. And FREE museum access all day.

The arts come alive at the second annual #LongLiveArts Festival, hosted by the four member institutions of Levine Center for the Arts – the Bechtler Museum of Modern Art, the John S. and James L. Knight Theater, the Harvey B. Gantt Center for African-American Arts + Culture, and Mint Museum Uptown. The public is invited to the 500 block of South Tryon Street between 11 a.m. and 4 p.m. for the festival. Interactive art-making workshops for all ages begin on Saturday morning at 11 a.m., with a main stage set up on Levine Avenue of the Arts and emceed by Emmy Award-winning poet and author Boris “Bluz” Rogers.

Community artists are invited to join a #LongLiveArts Festival Multi-Artist Paint-Off, sponsored by Binders Art Supplies and Frames, where local artists compete in a live painting competition. The artwork will then be auctioned off with proceeds going to support the Levine Center for the Arts.

Other performers and activities scheduled as part of Saturday’s activities include Caroline Calouche’s aerial dancers; Drums4Life; Cuban Jazz by Charlotte Repertory Dance Theatre; Roving Puppetry by Drew Nowlins; an art class with Cathay Dawkins; salsa dancing demonstration, as well as interactive art-making activities led by the education staffs of the three member museums. Docents from the three museums will lead free 30-minute “ArtBreak” tours inside each museum at noon, 1 p.m., and 2 p.m.

For a complete schedule, click here or visit our facebook page.

WHAT: #LongLiveArts Community Festival

WHEN: Saturday, June 3

11 a.m.-4 p.m.

WHERE: Levine Center for the Arts, 500 block of South Tryon Street, including Bechtler Museum of Modern Art, John S. and James L. Knight Theater, Harvey B. Gantt Center for African-American Arts + Culture, and Mint Museum Uptown

ABOUT LEVINE CENTER FOR THE ARTS

Levine Center for the Arts is one of Charlotte’s major cultural destinations, home to Bechtler Museum of Modern Art, Harvey B. Gantt Center for African-American Arts + Culture, John S. and James L. Knight Theater, and Mint Museum Uptown. The Center was made possible through the support of the City of Charlotte, Mecklenburg County, Campaign for Cultural Facilities, and The Leon Levine Foundation, one of the country’s largest and most impactful philanthropic organizations, along with the generosity of Bank of America Foundation, Wells Fargo Foundation, and Duke Energy Foundation, among many others.

A generous grant from the THRIVE Fund is enabling the four institutions to work more closely together than ever before to increase visibility and access to the unified center. The $250,000 award from the THRIVE Fund over two years is making possible the center’s first-ever joint marketing campaign, as well as free monthly lunchtime tours and a free community festival. The THRIVE Fund was established in 2013 to provide financial stability for Charlotte’s cultural sector under the leadership of Hugh McColl, former Bank of America chairman and CEO, and is currently administered by the Foundation For The Carolinas. The Mint Museum spearheaded the grant and is managing the project in collaboration with the other institutions. More information at levinecenterarts.org.

Exhibition from Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art to remain on view through September 3

The Mint Museum announces State of the Art: Discovering American Art Now , on view April 22 to September 3. The exhibition was organized by Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art in Bentonville, Arkansas, where it debuted in 2014, and features 75 works in sculpture, painting, drawing, video, and mixed media by 39 artists from every region of the U.S. The diverse range of styles and voices reflects what’s happening in American art right now. The exhibition examines how today’s artists are informed by the past, innovate with materials old and new, and engage deeply with issues relevant to their communities. The exhibition is presented in Charlotte by PNC Financial Services, with additional support from the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation and Young Affiliates of the Mint.

Members of the media are invited to preview the exhibition at 5 p.m. on Wednesday, April 19 at Mint Museum Uptown at Levine Center for the Arts, 500 South Tryon Street in Charlotte. Light refreshments will be served and curatorial staff will be available for interviews. RSVP to the media preview to leigh.dyer@mintmuseum.org. High resolution images are available upon request and media photography is permitted during the event.

The State of the Art exhibition culminated a year-long process in which Crystal Bridges’ curatorial team logged more than 100,000 miles, crisscrossing the country to visit artists in rural communities, small towns, and urban centers. The exhibition seeks to explore what is happening in studios and creative communities and then introduce those artists to a broader audience. The exhibition opened to unprecedented national attention, such as a feature on CBS Sunday Morning, placing State of the Art at the forefront of an ongoing discussion about art in America. Accolades include a 2015 Excellence in Exhibition Award from the American Alliance of Museums (AAM).

“I am very excited to share this exciting exhibition with our audience,” said Dr. Jonathan Stuhlman, the Mint’s senior curator of American, Modern, & Contemporary Art. “Visitors are sure to delight in the diversity of its subject matter, artistic approaches, and mediums – there truly is something for everyone. State of the Art demonstrates the many ways in which contemporary art can intersect and connect with our daily lives and personal histories.”

“We know what art can do, how it changes perspectives, even lives,” said Weston M. Andress, PNC regional president of Western Carolina. “We are committed to supporting innovative, thought-provoking works such as this fine exhibition offered by The Mint Museum. We are proud to bring it to our community.”

Among the included artists are North Carolina’s own Bob Trotman and Peter Glenn Oakley. Trotman’s carved wooden sculptures are tongue-in-cheek examinations of the corporate lifestyle and derive from his own childhood memories of his father’s corporate persona. Oakley reimagines mundane objects, in this case a sewing machine, into elegant marble sculptures, shifting our attention away from their practical uses to the beauty of their design.

Other exhibited artworks include Drawing E. Obsoleta, a video by former North Carolina artist Jeff Whetstone, where the artist attempts to manipulate the writhing form of a black snake to create a line-drawing of the landscape. Pittsburgh artist Lenka Clayton approaches her creations from a maternal perspective. In her installation titled 63 Objects Taken Out of My Son’s Mouth, Clayton showcases an array of small objects that would have originally been stepped on, ignored, or thrown away, but are now interpreted as potentially life-threatening hazards. The largest exhibited work is by Brooklyn artist Jonathan Schipper. Slow Room is an installation evoking ‘grandma’s living room’ where all the furniture and adornments are tethered to a hidden winch. Each piece is slowly pulled toward the back of the room until nothing exists but a pile of destroyed objects. For Schipper, this is a metaphor for the gradual progress and ultimate end of life; the slow lapse of time keeps us unaware of gradual changes made to our minds and bodies throughout our lifetimes.

Four of the artists will visit the Mint to give FREE public talks during the exhibition, along with NexGen Mint workshops to teens 14-18 and other opportunities for interaction. They include Delita Martin, whose free talk will be at 6 p.m. on Thursday May 4; Bob Trotman, who appears at 6 p.m. on Wednesday June 14; Eyakem Gulilat at 6 p.m. on Thursday July 19; and Jeff Whetstone at 6 p.m. on Wednesday August 9. Exhibition programs are supported, in part, by the Willard and Pat Walker Charitable Foundation. For details and other information about public programming surrounding the exhibition, visit mintmuseum.org/happenings .

Above image: Carl Joe Williams (1970- ). American Shotgun, 2012, mixed media on found door. Courtesy Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art, Bentonville, Arkansas. Photo: Edward C. Robison III.

Media, hospitality industries invited to hear details of spring seasons

Members of the media and supporters are invited to hear details of the spring arts season for four of Charlotte’s key cultural institutions, including several new collaborations making their public debut.

Executives and staff from the Bechtler Museum of Modern Art; Blumenthal Performing Arts’ Knight Theater; the Harvey B. Gantt Center for African-American Arts + Culture; and The Mint Museum will introduce their spring cultural offerings and updated slate of collaborative events. Highlights include:

“See All Three” tours debut April 23: Led by curatorial and creative staff at the three museums, participants are invited to experience special guided tours discussing common threads among exhibitions at the Bechtler, Gantt Center, and Mint. The tours are free for members who have joined any of the three museums at the $250 level or higher. The upcoming tour will focus on the evolution of abstraction during the 20^th century, beginning with Bechtler Collection: Relaunched and Rediscovered; continuing with The Future is Abstract at the Gantt Center; and concluding with the new special exhibition State of the Art: Discovering American Art Now, opening that weekend at Mint Museum Uptown.

Yoga at Levine Center for the Arts on May 18: In collaboration with Charlotte Five, the institutions will team up to host a FREE communitywide outdoor yoga class on the plaza at Levine Center for the Arts, followed by an evening of food trucks cash bars, and free gallery access at the three museums. The event will be at 5:30 p.m. on May 18, which is also International Art Museum Day. Look for more information soon at CharlotteFive.com.

#LongLiveArts Festival returns June 3: For the second year, all four LCA institutions are collaborating on a FREE community festival celebrating all the performing and visual arts the institutions offer to the community. The event will be 11 a.m.-5 p.m. on Saturday June 3 and will feature performances, family-friendly activities, food trucks, and more.

ArtBreak tours continue monthly: Now entering their second year, the FREE docent-led tours are offered to the public at noon on the third Thursday of each month at each of the three museums. Themes for the tours shift every three months, allowing visitors to pick a different museum each month and have new experiences all year long. Since their debut in March 2016, the tours have drawn 769 visitors.

Following the presentation to those in attendance at the Mint on March 29, participants will be invited to select one of the three museums and experience an abbreviated “ArtBreak” tour for themselves. Other spring highlights at Levine Center for the Arts to be discussed include:

At Bechtler Museum of Modern Art

Celebrating Jean Tinguely and Santana (May 12 – September 10, 2017)

Swiss artist Jean Tinguely’s iconic sculpture Santana, completed in 1966, celebrated its 50th birthday in 2016. To mark the occasion, the museum will offer a survey of Tinguely’s development as an artist through a presentation of his sculptures both from the Bechtler collection and on loan, drawings and prints, and personal correspondence between the artist and the Bechtler family. Additionally, Alberto Giacometti: 45 Drawings Portfolio remains on view through June 5.

At Blumenthal Performing Arts’ Knight Theater

Charlotte Jazz Festival 2017, April 20-23: Blumenthal Performing Arts’ hit jazz festival returns to the Queen City this spring, once again featuring the critically acclaimed Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra under the leadership of musical director Wynton Marsalis. Sponsored by The Leon Levine Foundation, Charlotte Jazz Festival 2017 will take place at Levine Center for the Arts and Romare Bearden Park, with even more to offer than the inaugural sellout year. In a new collaboration, each jazz ticket purchased brings a free pass to the three Levine Center for the Arts museums ($20 value). Visit CharlotteJazzFestival.com, BlumenthalArts.org, or call 704.372.1000 for complete details and pricing.

At Harvey B. Gantt Center for African-American Arts + Culture

Four exhibitions remain on view through July 8: The Future is Abstract; Alison Saar: The Nature of Us; Zun Lee: Father Figure; and Jordan Casteel: Harlem Notes. This summer, the Center will feature private collections of African-American collectors. Additionally, the Center will discuss collaborations to bring art into the community with the Bechtler, Northwest School of the Arts, and the newly opened Renaissance West community.

At Mint Museum Uptown

On April 22, the Mint will debut State of the Art: Discovering American Art Now, an unprecedented survey of 75 works of contemporary art from every region of the country. Among the works will be the installation Slow Room by Jonathan Schipper, which will slowly self-destruct in front of visitors’ eyes over the course of four-plus months. Also included will be selections by North Carolina artist Bob Trotman. The exhibition, on view through September 3, is organized by Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art in Bentonville, Arkansas, and presented in Charlotte with generous support from PNC Financial Services, and additional support from the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation and Young Affiliates of the Mint.

At Levine Center for the Arts

A generous grant from the THRIVE Fund is enabling the four institutions to work more closely together than ever before to increase visibility and access to the unified center. The $250,000 award from the THRIVE Fund over two years has made possible the center’s first-ever joint marketing campaign, created and administered by local firm Orbital Socket. A Levine Center for the Arts TV Ad, #LongLiveArts, created by Orbital Socket, won a Midsouth Regional Emmy Award earlier this year. The THRIVE Fund was established in 2013 to provide financial stability for Charlotte’s cultural sector under the leadership of Hugh McColl, former Bank of America chairman and CEO, and is currently administered by the Foundation For The Carolinas. The Mint Museum spearheaded the grant and is managing the project in collaboration with the other institutions. More information at levinecenterarts.org. Also, follow @LevineCenterArt on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

To RSVP or for further questions, contact:

Leigh Dyer

Director of Public Relations, The Mint Museum

704.337.2009

Leigh.Dyer@mintmuseum.org

ABOUT LEVINE CENTER FOR THE ARTS

ABOUT 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 in modernism. The collection comprises more than 1,400 works. Some works are accompanied by books, photographs, and letters illustrating personal connections to the Bechtler family. For museum details visit bechtler.org.

ABOUT BLUMENTHAL PERFORMING ARTS + KNIGHT THEATER

Blumenthal Performing Arts serves the Carolinas as a leading cultural, entertainment and education provider. Blumenthal Performing Arts receives operating support from the Arts & Science Council and North Carolina Arts Council. Blumenthal Performing Arts is also supported by PNC Bank, sponsor of the PNC Broadway Lights. More information: blumenthalarts.org.

ABOUT HARVEY B. GANTT CENTER

Founded in 1974, Charlotte’s Harvey B. Gantt Center for African-American Arts + Culture (formerly the Afro-American Center) exists to present, preserve and celebrate the art, history and culture of African-Americans and others of the African Diaspora through dance, music, visual and literary arts, film, educational programs, theatre productions and community outreach. Named for Harvey Bernard Gantt, the prominent architect, community leader and former mayor of Charlotte, the Center is housed in an inspired and distinguished award-winning structure and is home to the nationally celebrated John and Vivian Hewitt Collection of African-American Art, which was generously donated by Bank of America. More information: ganttcenter.org.

ABOUT THE MINT MUSEUM

The Mint Museum is a leading, innovative museum of international art and design committed to engaging and inspiring all members of our global community. Established as the first art museum in North Carolina in 1936, The Mint Museum has grown to include two dynamic facilities, Mint Museum Uptown and Mint Museum Randolph, and currently boasts one of largest collections in the Southeast. Mint Museum Uptown houses an internationally renowned Craft + Design Collection, as well as collections of American and Modern & Contemporary Art. The five-story, 175,000 square-foot facility was designed by Machado and Silvetti Associates of Boston. Historic Mint Museum Randolph is located three miles to the south. More information: mintmuseum.org.