Our latest exhibition, Shifting Perceptions: Photographs from the Collection, is now open! Organized by the Asheville Art Museum and guest-curated by Katherine Ware, it is a captivating exploration of photography’s multifaceted nature that invites viewers to challenge their preconceptions and embrace the rich tapestry of visual storytelling.
Pamela L. Myers, Executive Director of the Asheville Art Museum, shares, “Our photographic holdings are extraordinary, and Katherine has taken a new look at the national and regional dialogues reflected in the Collection.”
About the exhibition
Shifting Perceptions features over 90 artworks organized into three sections: Inside/Out, Together/Apart, and Natural/Unnatural. Each section explores seemingly opposing forces, prompting viewers to reconsider the nuances and complexities of life. “Our brains gravitate toward hard distinctions, but life is filled with gradations, complexities, and ambiguities. The categories offer a context for considering the pictures,” said Ware. “They sound like opposites, but it is up to visitors to decide if these dualities are different or part of a continuum.”
The exhibition features 20th-century masters such as Ruth Bernhard, Bruce Davidson, Donna Ferrato, Carrie Mae Weems, and Jerry Uelsmann, as well as contemporary images by Jess T. Dugan, Matthew Pillsbury, and Cara Romero, and more. While some photographs offer a distinct point of view, many invite contemplation of the intersections and contradictions within each category. Recent acquisitions and longtime favorites are presented in new juxtapositions, providing fresh insights into the evolving landscape of photography.
Shifting Perceptions includes some prints from the 19th century, but predominantly represents developments in the field of photography in the 20th and 21st centuries. It emphasizes images made by regional artists and those exploring varied aspects of the Southern experience. In-depth holdings include suites of images by Shelby Lee Adams, Rob Amberg, photojournalists for the Asheville Citizen-Times, Bruce Davidson, Sally Gall, Walter Iooss Jr., Robert Glenn Ketchum, Joel Meyerowitz, Bea Nettles, Jo Sandman, Joyce Tenneson, Kent Washburn, and Jonathan Williams.
Plan your visit
Shifting Perceptions: Photographs from the Collection is on view through September 23, 2024 in the Explore Asheville Exhibition Hall. Plan your visit today!
