Levine Center for the Arts in Charlotte, NC, Participates in Art Museum Day – May 18, 2013

Charlotte, NC’s, premier cultural destination, Levine Center for the Arts, is celebrating the Association of Art Museum Directors’ (AAMD) Art Museum Day 2013 by offering “pay what you wish” admission to museum visitors on Saturday, May 18, 2013.

Three of the cultural institutions at the South Tryon Street campus, the Bechtler Museum of Modern Art, Harvey B. Gantt Center for African-American Arts + Culture, and Mint Museum Uptown, are joining forces to offer visitors an unparalleled arts experience. The Mint Museum is also offering “pay what you wish” admission at its other location, Mint Museum Randolph. (Normal admission is $8 each to the Bechtler and Gantt Center and $10 to the Mint, or a Levine Center for the Arts joint admission pass is available for $20 on CarolinaTix.org.)

Since 2010, the AAMD has encouraged art museums across the nation to participate in conjunction with the International Council of Museums’ (ICOM) International Museum Day, dedicated to promoting the value of museums in society. Over 100 AAMD member museums have participated each year. This year’s theme is “museums (memory + creativity) = social change.”

At the Mint, other special promotions and opportunities are surrounding the Art Museum Day 2013 effort. Beginning Monday May 13, anyone who “shares” the Mint’s Facebook posts at (facebook.com/mintmuseum) or “retweets” at (@TheMintMuseum) is eligible to win prizes including free guest passes and tickets to the museum’s May 30 “Party in the Park” event. On Saturday May 18, the Mint will offer a one-day-only special 50 percent off price for annual memberships, which brings unlimited free admissions to both museums and a host of other valuable benefits. And Mint Museum Uptown will be hosting two special events: a gathering for grandmothers, mothers, and daughters benefiting Second Harvest Food Bank called F.O.O.D. and Fellowship (registration required at mintmuseum.org/happenings) and a residency by local performance artist John W. Love, Jr. entitled FECUND. Special exhibitions on view at Mint Museum Uptown include F.O.O.D. (Food, Objects, Objectives, Design); Sociales: Debora Arango Arrives Today; and Return to the Sea: Saltworks by Motoi Yamamoto. At Mint Museum Randolph, new exhibitions on view include American Glass; Arts of Africa; and the fashion exhibition Dior, Balmain, Saint Laurent: Elegance & Ease.

Visitors who are familiar with one or two of the institutions are encouraged to use the day to experience one they may not know as well.

All donations by museum visitors support making the priceless artistic treasures of these facilities more accessible to the larger community, as well as enabling museums to mount unforgettable educational programming.

More information about supporting each museum can be found at (bechtler.org) click on “Support”; (ganttcenter.org) click on “Join & Support”, and (mintmuseum.org) click on “Support”.

Mint Museum Uptown in Charlotte, NC, Offers Lecture and Conference on F.O.O.D. (Food, Objects, Objectives, Design) – Apr. 25 & 26, 2013

The public is invited to join a roster of chefs, writers, historians, and international designers – led by internationally renowned architect Michael Graves – who are visiting the museum later this month for a conference devoted to the innovative Mint-organized “F.O.O.D. (Food, Objects, Objectives, Design)” exhibition. Graves will be speaking on Apr. 25, 2013, as part of the Mint’s Contemporary Architecture + Design (CAD) Series at Mint Museum Uptown, in Charlotte, NC, which will serve as the F.O.O.D. Conference’s keynote address, and the day-long conference which follows on Apr. 26, 2013.

Michael Graves and his firms have received more than 200 awards for design excellence since he founded his practice in 1964, including the 1999 National Medal of Arts from President Bill Clinton. Michael Graves & Associates provides planning, architecture and interior design services, and Michael Graves Design Group specializes in product design, graphics and branding. As one of the most well-recognized contemporary architects in the country, Graves is widely credited with the ‘democratization of design’ through his partnership and accessible product line with Target.

“Good design not only addresses practical problems, it humanizes the products we use daily. Fittingly, the Mint’s CAD Series (Contemporary Architecture + Design) concludes its season and opens the F.O.O.D. Conference with a lecture by Michael Graves, the visionary architect and designer. More than anyone else, Graves has changed the field by championing good design as essential to everyday life, and by creating objects that are accessible, intuitive, functional and beautiful,” said Cheryl Palmer, the Mint’s director of Learning & Engagement.

Graves’ lecture begins at 7pm and the lecture is $5 for museum members, $15 for non-members, and free for students with valid ID. A light reception precedes the program at 6pm. Registration is required by visiting (www.mintmuseum.org/happenings).

The F.O.O.D. Conference promises a day of learning and creativity with presentations from industry leading writers, historians, chefs, and designers to complement the museum’s current exhibition devoted to objects designed to prepare, cook, and present food. The conference sessions mirror the four sections of the “F.O.O.D.” exhibition – Kitchen, Pantry, Table and Garden.

Presenters include Jessica Harris, author of 11 cookbooks and contributor to magazines such as Gourmet and Saveur; James Beard Award-winning author, bread expert and Johnson & Wales chef Peter Reinhart; Darra Goldstein, food historian and founding editor of Gastronomica: The Journal of Food and Culture, named the 2012 Publication of the Year by the James Beard Foundation; Asheville-based architect Ken Gaylord, and Matteo Bologna, founding partner and principal of Mucca Design in New York.

Designers Andrea Trimarchi and Simone Farresin of the FormaFantasma Studio, who created the work “Autarchy” for the Mint’s “F.O.O.D.” exhibition, will also be presenting. Based on a prototype from 2011, this version of Autarchy was created especially for the Mint, and is made of agriculture waste, spices such as turmeric and paprika, and Geechie Boy corn meal. The two Italian designers are based in The Netherlands and their work seeks to bridge the relationship between craft, industry, object, and user. This is the studio’s first showing in an American museum. In 2011 the studio was nominated as one of the 20 most promising young design studios by Alice Rawsthorn, the design critic of The New York Times and Paola Antonelli, the senior design curator of the Metropolitan Museum of Modern Art.

“Designers are creative individuals who apply art and engineering to solve a problem. Regarding food, that problem might be making a spoon that holds just the right amount of liquid, that is comfortable to hold, and that looks really cool.  It might be creating a kitchen that incorporates sustainable appliances, green machines, and ergonomic furniture.  And it could even be coming up with a typeface, and innovative graphic designs, for restaurant advertisements, menus, or cookbooks. The Mint’s F.O.O.D. Conference brings together top international talent – chefs, culinary historians, designers, and architects –  to discuss their perspectives on the meaning of table, pantry, kitchen, and garden in our lives today,” said Annie Carlano, the Mint’s director of craft + design.

The conference runs from 9:30am-4pm and the cost for Mint or Center for Craft, Creativity and Design members is $60 with a box lunch and includes admission to Michael Graves’ CAD lecture. Cost for non-members is $85 with a box lunch, or $100 for lunch and admission to the Graves CAD lecture. Registration is required at (www.mintmuseum.org/happenings).

The conference is co-presented with The Center for Craft, Creativity and Design in Hendersonville, NC, and funded by the Founders’ Circle. In-kind partners include Johnson & Wales University and The Mother Earth Group. Michael Graves’ lecture is generously supported by a grant from the Arts & Science Council.

The “F.O.O.D.” exhibition features approximately 300 modern and contemporary pieces, including unique and mass-produced works chosen from the Mint’s permanent collection, loans and new acquisitions. The exhibition is co-organized by the research center FoodCultura, Barcelona, and remains on view through July 7, 2013. “F.O.O.D. (Food, Objects, Objectives, Design)” is made possible through major support from PNC with additional support from Piedmont Natural Gas. Acquisition support was provided by the Design Committee of The Mint Museum.

For more information, visit (www.mintmuseum.org).

A Floating Garden of Salt to Take Shape at Mint Museum Uptown in Charlotte, NC

The public is invited to take part in an unprecedented event at Mint Museum Uptown as internationally renowned artist Motoi Yamamoto visits to create a temporary large-scale work from Feb. 18 through Mar. 2, 2013, then help dismantle it on Mar. 3, 2013.

Motoi, who calls his native Japan home, will be in the Robert Haywood Morrison Atrium creating his saltwork, to be entitled “Floating Garden” and the public is invited to watch him at work during regular museum hours. Atrium access is free, although visitors must pay admission to experience the saltwork from higher vantage points within the five-story space. The museum is normally closed on Mondays but will also grant free public access to the atrium level on Feb. 18 and 25 (no other areas of the museum will be open those days). The museum will also continue to grant free access to all levels each Tuesday from 5-9pm, the Mint’s normally scheduled free hours. The work will be celebrated at a “First Look Friday” on Mar. 1 at 6:30pm, remain on view Mar. 2, and then be dismantled on Mar. 3.

“Japanese installation artist Motoi Yamamoto’s residency here in Charlotte is another opportunity for the Mint to present to our community innovative works by an international roster of artists,” said Dr. Kathleen V. Jameson, President & CEO of the Mint.

“In Japan, salt is a symbol of purification and is also used in funeral ceremonies. Motoi’s remarkable body of work was born out his grief following the death of his young sister in 1994 from brain cancer. It was at that point Motoi adopted salt as his primary medium and for almost twenty years, he has developed a unique artistic expression that celebrates both life and remembrance,” said Brad Thomas, the Mint’s curator of modern & contemporary art. “It is not until you experience Motoi and his work in person that the true impact of his singular, yet universal, journey is felt.”

The “First Look Friday” from 6:30-11pm on Mar. 1 is free to Mint members and tickets are available to non-members for $15 per person. The night will also celebrate the openings of two other special exhibitions at Mint Museum Uptown, “F.O.O.D.” (Food, Objects, Objectives, Design) and “Sociales: Débora Arango Arrives Today,” as well as including a multicultural “Mint to Move” dance party (more details on all exhibitions and events available at www.mintmuseum.org).

The community is also invited to help dismantle the saltwork at a special ceremony on Mar. 3 at 1:30pm. Visitors may collect salt in specially designed containers to be released back into a body of water so that it may re-enter the natural cycle. Participants are encouraged to document their own personal ceremonies and upload images to Motoi’s website at (www.motoi.biz), and the Mint’s Facebook page, (www.facebook.com/mintmuseum).

Motoi Yamamoto was born in Onomichi, Hiroshima, in 1966 and received his BA from Kanazawa College of Art in 1995. He has exhibited his award-winning creations in such cities as Athens, Cologne, Jerusalem, Mexico City, Seoul, Tokyo, and Toulouse. He was awarded the Philip Morris Art Award in 2002 as well as the Pollock-Krasner Foundation Grant in 2003.

The saltwork’s creation leads up to the opening of the exhibition “Return to the Sea: Saltworks by Motoi Yamamoto”, which will be on view in the Modern & Contemporary galleries of Mint Museum Uptown from Mar. 2 through May 26, 2013. The exhibition features a smaller saltwork along with a series of recent works on paper, mixed media works, a video about the artist, and a 170-page color catalogue documenting twelve years of the artist’s saltworks around the world. The catalogue includes essays by Mark Sloan, director and senior curator of the Halsey Institute of Contemporary Art at College of Charleston School of the Arts, and Mark Kurlansky, author of the “New York Times” best seller “Salt: A World History”.

“Return to the Sea: Saltworks by Motoi Yamamoto” is presented to the community with generous support from Sapporo USA Inc. and Tryon Distributing. Organized by the Halsey Institute of Contemporary Art, College of Charleston School of the Arts. Learning and engagement programming for the exhibition is generously underwritten by the Mint Museum Auxiliary.

For more information, visit (www.mintmuseum.org).

Here’s a Parking Advisory for the Levine Center for the Arts – It’s Garage will be Closed Aug. 25 & 26, 2012

Here’s a Parking Advisory: Levine Center for the Arts parking garage will be closed to non-monthly visitors Saturday, August 25, and Sunday, August 26, 2012. Visitors to cultural campus must park at The Green, using College Street entrance.

In conjunction with the 2012 Pride Charlotte Festival taking place in Charlotte, NC, visitors to the cultural attractions at Levine Center for the Arts must park at The Green this Saturday and Sunday, August 25 and 26, using the College Street entrance opposite the Charlotte Convention Center (501 South College Street). The Levine Center for the Arts parking garage will be closed to all non-monthly visitors both days.

Pride Charlotte’s hours are noon to 9pm Saturday August 25 and noon to 6pm on Sunday August 26. Organizers expect 25,000 attendees. South Tryon Street will be closed to vehicles between Fourth and Stonewall streets beginning at 5am on Saturday and continuing until 10pm on Sunday. Levine Avenue of the Arts is also closed during those times. Parking is affected for visitors to the Bechtler Museum of Modern Art; Harvey B. Gantt Center for African-American Arts + Culture; and Mint Museum Uptown (no public events are scheduled at the neighboring Knight Theater during the festival). For more information about the festival, call 704/333-0144 or e-mail to (info@pridecharlotte.com).

Specifics for each cultural institution:

·         All Bechtler Museum of Modern Art galleries are closed August 24 through August 30 for the installation of “Giacometti: Memory and Presence”, an exhibition opening August 31, 2012. During this time, the Bechtler’s museum store and café will remain open regular hours, 10am-5pm Saturday and noon-5pm Sunday. Visit the museum for free make-and-take art activities on the museum plaza from 11am to 1pm each day the galleries are closed. More information at 704/353-9200 or (www.bechtler.org).
·         The Gantt Center will be open for normal operating hours, 10am- 5pm Saturday and 1-5pm on Sunday. It is hosting the exhibition “America I AM: The African American Imprint. More information at 704/547-3700 or (www.ganttcenter.org).
·         Mint Museum Uptown will be open for normal operating hours, 10am-6pm on Saturday and 1-5pm Sunday. The new exhibition “VantagePoint X / Vik Muniz: Garbage Matters” opens Saturday. More information at 704/377-2000 or visit (www.mintmuseum.org).

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

 

 

 

Three Art Museums at Levine Center for the Arts in Charlotte, NC, Celebrate Art Museum Day with Free Admission – May 18, 2012

Charlotte, NC’s premier cultural destination, Levine Center for the Arts, is celebrating the Association of Art Museum Directors’ (AAMD) Art Museum Day by offering free admission to museum visitors on Friday, May 18, 2012.

Three of the cultural institutions at the South Tryon Street campus, the Bechtler Museum of Modern Art, Harvey B. Gantt Center for African-American Arts + Culture, and Mint Museum Uptown, are joining forces to offer visitors an unparalleled arts experience. The Mint Museum is also offering free admission at its other location, Mint Museum Randolph. (Normal admission is $8 each to the Bechtler and Gantt Center and $10 to the Mint, and each institution offers regular ticket discounts to visitors who purchase admission to either of the other two museums within the same 48-hour period – the Mint offers $3 off to Bechtler and Gantt visitors, and the Bechtler and Gantt offer $2 off for visitors to the Mint and each other’s institutions).

Since 2010, the AAMD has encouraged art museums across the nation to participate in conjunction with the International Council of Museums’ (ICOM) International Museum Day, dedicated to promoting the value of museums in society. Over 100 AAMD member museums have participated each year. This year’s theme is “museums in a changing world.”

“Art Museum Day brings attention to the important role institutions such as the Bechtler, Mint, and Gantt Center play in maintaining Charlotte’s vibrant cultural life,” said Christopher Lawing, Vice President for Programming and Research at the Bechtler. “This special day of free admittance is a great way to introduce art museums to new audiences or welcome back those who we haven’t seen in a while.”

Visitors who are familiar with one or two of the institutions are encouraged to use the day to experience one they may not know as well.

“We are excited to join our partners on International Museum Day and will open our doors so visitors have the chance to celebrate the art, history, and culture of African-Americans and those of African descent,” said Harvey B. Gantt Center for African American Arts + Culture President & CEO David Taylor. “We believe this is an excellent opportunity to recognize the important role that museums and cultural centers play in contemporary society. International Museum Day is a global celebration of the incredible collections and programs at museums and cultural centers around the world, and their commitment to public service and audience engagement.”

The museums are pleased to have an opportunity to highlight Charlotte’s emergence as a national leader on the arts scene. “The Levine Center for the Arts is a jewel in Charlotte’s cultural crown, and each resident of this region has reason to celebrate its presence here,” said Dr. Kathleen V. Jameson, President & CEO of The Mint Museum. “The Mint also welcomes visitors to experience both of our locations, including our beloved historic facility on Randolph Road, which was the state’s first art museum and is currently celebrating its 75th anniversary year.”

The Bechtler, Gantt Center, and Mint all rely on a combination of public and private fundraising to offer their world-class exhibitions and programming to the public. Annual fund drives enable the museums to offer benefits such as occasional free admission to visitors. If visitors are inspired during their free-day visits to these institutions, their leaders hope they will make a donation to enable the museums to share that same inspiration with others.

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

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 Bechtler collection comprises more than 1,400 artworks by seminal figures such as Alberto Giacometti, Joan Miro, Jean Tinguely, Max Ernst, Andy Warhol, Alexander Calder, Le Corbusier, Sol LeWitt, Edgar Degas, Nicolas de Stael, Barbara Hepworth and Picasso. Only a handful of the artworks in the Bechtler collection have been on public view in the United States. For museum details visit (www.bechtler.org).

Founded in 1974, Charlotte’s Harvey B. Gantt Center for African-American Arts + Culture (formerly the Afro-American Cultural Center) exists to present, preserve and celebrate the art, history and culture of African-Americans and those of African descent through dance, music, visual and literary arts, film, educational programs, theatre productions, and community outreach. Named for Harvey B. Gantt, the prominent Charlotte architect and 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.  Please visit (www.ganttcenter.org).

As the oldest art museum in North Carolina, and the art museum with one of the largest collections in the Southeast, The Mint Museum offers its visitors inspiring and transformative experiences through art from around the world via innovative collections, groundbreaking exhibitions, riveting educational programs, and profound scholarship. The Mint Museum is a non-profit, visual arts institution comprised of two dynamic facilities: Mint Museum Uptown and Mint Museum Randolph.

Located in what was the original branch of the United States Mint, Mint Museum Randolph opened in 1936 in Charlotte’s Eastover neighborhood as the state’s first art museum. Today, in a beautiful park setting, intimate galleries invite visitors to engage with the art of the ancient Americas, ceramics and decorative arts, fashion, European and African art, among other collections. Resources include a reference library with over 18,000 volumes, a theater featuring lectures and performances, and a museum shop offering merchandise that complements both the permanent collection and special exhibitions.

Mint Museum Uptown houses the internationally renowned Craft + Design collection, as well as outstanding collections of American, contemporary, and European art. Designed by Machado and Silvetti Associates of Boston, the five-story, 145,000-square-foot facility combines inspiring architecture with cutting-edge exhibitions to provide visitors with unparalleled educational and cultural experiences. Located in the heart of Charlotte’s burgeoning center city, Mint Museum Uptown is an integral part of the Levine Center for the Arts, and features a wide range of visitor amenities, including the 240-seat James B. Duke Auditorium, the Lewis Family Gallery, art studios, a restaurant, and a museum shop.  For more information, check out (www.mintmuseum.org).

Mint Museum in Charlotte, NC, Announces Five-Year Plan

The Mint Museum in Charlotte, NC, has defined what its success will look like in five years. In a sweeping five-year strategic plan recently approved by its Board of Trustees, the museum adopted a new mission statement that outlines its role as an increasingly vital player on the national and international level. The new statement reads: “The Mint Museum is a leading, innovative museum of international art and design committed to engaging and inspiring all members of our global community.”

“The Mint’s new, enhanced mission invites and welcomes all of our community to engage with the museum in ways most relevant to them,” said Jay Everette, Wells Fargo’s senior vice president, community affairs manager and chair-elect of the Mint’s board of trustees. “Whether connecting through in-person or online education, visiting a compelling exhibition or attending a community event at one of our locations, the Mint is a resource for learning more about, and bringing meaning to, the world around us.”

From the opening of the Mint Museum Uptown

In the five-year plan, the museum has set ambitious goals including:

· Doubling annual attendance to 400,000 visitors, and increasing virtual visitors to 800,000 annually;
· Launching an aggressive plan to strengthen the museum’s collections through the acquisition of significant works of art;
· Increasing its digital reach, beginning with the launch of a new website in May;
· Organizing at least two traveling exhibitions per year with national and international impact, and securing at least three highly significant exhibitions from elsewhere annually;
· Tripling the number of museum members to 12,000 and increasing the number of individual investors by 50 percent;
· Completing a feasibility study of the renovation and re-envisioning of the museum’s Randolph Road location, to include such factors as a North Carolina Pottery Research Center, classroom space, studios, a children’s center, and increased public access to the museum’s library.

“This plan is a broad, inclusive call to action and a statement of The Mint Museum’s commitment to the fundamental relationship between artistic expression and community,” said Dr. Kathleen V. Jameson, President & CEO of the Mint. “All of the museum’s resources must be employed in service to the community, for The Mint Museum is a vital cultural resource for the region, and this plan charts our course.”

Mint Museum Uptown

Over the course of the past year, museum staff, volunteers, and community leaders have worked together, in consultation with the Center for Intentional Leadership, to outline four strategic pillars to undergird the plan: amplifying the museum’s community relevance; strengthening the museum’s permanent collections and exhibitions; increasing learning and engagement opportunities throughout the region; and focusing on long-term sustainability. In addition, three overarching goals of improved technology, communication, and service are woven throughout the plan.

Employees, volunteers, and museum affiliate groups outlined dozens of specific tactics they will employ in support of the goals and strategies. Progress will be measured by such performance indicators as attendance, visitor surveys, increased participation in educational programs, and increased giving to the museum.

Many of the goals will be accomplished by refocusing existing resources, but others will require new forms of investment. The plan incorporates key planning and assessment strategies to determine the scope of critical priorities outlined by the museum.

“The museum must continue to build its collections, resources, support, and infrastructure to achieve national prominence as a center of excellence and inspiration,” said Jameson. “The arts increasingly play a critical role in the ‘creative economy’ and in cultural tourism, contributing to economic development and a high quality of life. The Mint Museum will play a leading role in this crucial aspect of our dynamic and changing environment with this pragmatic, thoughtful plan for sustainable growth.”

Added Richard T. “Stick” Williams, the Mint’s board of trustees chair and president, Duke Energy Foundation: “The Charlotte region has provided an extraordinary new uptown facility to The Mint Museum, and we must deliver excellence in return. This strategic plan is just the road map we need to accomplish that.”

Copies of the complete plan, and interviews with Dr. Jameson, are available upon request.

As the oldest art museum in North Carolina, and the art museum with one of the largest collections between New Orleans and Washington, DC, The Mint Museum offers its visitors inspiring and transformative experiences through art from around the world via innovative collections, ground-breaking exhibitions, riveting educational programs, and profound scholarship. The Mint Museum is a non-profit, visual arts institution comprised of two dynamic facilities: Mint Museum Uptown and Mint Museum Randolph.

Located in what was the original branch of the United States Mint, Mint Museum Randolph opened in 1936 in Charlotte’s Eastover neighborhood as the first art museum in North Carolina. Today, in a beautiful park setting, intimate galleries invite visitors to engage with the art of the ancient Americas, ceramics and decorative arts, historic costume and fashionable dress, European and African art, among other collections. Resources include a reference library with over 18,000 volumes, a theater featuring lectures and performances, and a museum shop offering merchandise that complements both the permanent collection and special exhibitions.

Mint Museum Uptown houses the internationally renowned Craft + Design collection, as well as outstanding collections of American, contemporary, and European art. Designed by Machado and Silvetti Associates of Boston, the five-story, 145,000-square-foot facility combines inspiring architecture with cutting-edge exhibitions to provide visitors with unparalleled educational and cultural experiences. Located in the heart of Charlotte’s burgeoning center city, Mint Museum Uptown is an integral part of the Levine Center for the Arts, a cultural campus that includes the Bechtler Museum of Modern Art, the Harvey B. Gantt Center for African-American Arts and Culture, the Knight Theater, and the Duke Energy Center. Mint Museum Uptown also features a wide range of visitor amenities, including the 240-seat James B. Duke Auditorium, the Lewis Family Gallery, art studios, a restaurant, and a museum shop.

For more information, check out (www.mintmuseum.org).

Mint Museum Uptown in Charlotte, NC, Offers Artist Dario Robleto and Graphic Designer Irma Boom to visit the Mint – Apr. 10 and Apr. 12, 2012

The Mint Museum Uptown in Charlotte, NC, will host two speakers of national and international importance next week: Texas-based artist Dario Robleto and Amsterdam-based graphic designer Irma Boom.

Robleto will visit Tuesday, Apr. 10, 2012, for a free event from 7-9pm. His seven-foot-tall, five-foot-wide wreath-shaped sculpture Defiant Gardens is the most recent gift to The Mint Museum’s permanent collection made possible through the generosity of the Mint Museum Auxiliary.  The Mint Museum was home to Robleto’s first solo museum exhibition in 1999.

Robleto’s poetic work of art incorporates paper pulp made from American soldier’s letters, Victorian hair flowers braided by war widows, dried flowers from various battlefields, and even tiny carrier-pigeon message capsules, recycled and re-contextualized to evoke the power of memory and history in wartime. The 39-year-old artist plans to discuss Defiant Gardens, his distinctive way of working, and the inspiration and body of work that led to its creation.

“Dario Robleto is one of the most sought-after young American artists working today,” said Brad Thomas, curator of contemporary art at the Mint. “His conceptually-based, labor-intensive works convey an intimacy and elegance that reveals much about his own personal history and that of popular culture.”

Irma Boom will visit on Thursday, Apr. 12, 2012, at 7pm as part of the museum’s Contemporary Architecture + Design (CAD) series. The event costs $10 for non-members and $5 for members and includes a light reception (visit www.mintmuseum.org and click on “Calendar” to register). Boom, who specializes in book-making and incorporates the sense of touch into all of her books, won the 2007 Gold Medal at the Leipzig Book Fair for “The Most Beautiful Book in the World” for “Sheila Hicks: Weaving as Metaphor,” published by Yale University Press.

Boom is currently collaborating with Annie Carlano, the Mint’s director of craft + design, on a book about Hicks’ work Mega Footprint Near the Hutch, a monumental work recently installed in the atrium of Mint Museum Uptown thanks to a gift from Target Corp. Boom plans to share her work methods and perspective on contemporary book design. “Amsterdam is considered the center of contemporary design, and Irma Boom is considered the hottest book designer on the planet,” said Carlano.

Both events are being held at Mint Museum Uptown at Levine Center for the Arts, 500 South Tryon Street. For more information on these and other upcoming events, visit (www.mintmuseum.org) and click on “News” or “Calendar.”

Bank of America Offers Free Museum Weekends in North Carolina to BOA Card Holders – Jan. 7 and 8, 2012

Bank of America has announced the 14th season of its national Museums on Us program which will now include 150 of the nation’s finest arts, cultural and educational institutions. Designed to increase access to the arts across the nation, the program offers Bank of America and Merrill Lynch debit and/or credit cardholders the opportunity to visit these popular cultural landmarks, free of charge, on the first full weekend of every month. Museums on Us program participants include national and regional art museums, science and history museums, zoos, aquariums, and gardens.

Bring a Bank of America credit or debit card for free admission to these NC facilities for free admission.

Charlotte, NC
Mint Museum Uptown – 704/337-2000
Mint Museum Randolph – 704/337-2000
Levine Museum of the New South – 704/333-1887
Bechtler Museum of Modern Art – 704/353-9200
*Harvey B. Gantt Center for African-American Arts + Culture – 704/547-3700
* The Harvey B. Gantt Center for African-American Arts + Culture will not offer free admission to special ticketed events or special exhibitions.

Durham, NC
Nasher Museum of Art at Duke University – 919/684-5135

Editor’s Note: It might be advised to call these facilities to see if it is one card per person or one card for a couple or family?

For more info on this program visit (http://museums.bankofamerica.com/).

Mint Museum in Charlotte, NC, Offers Educational Opportunities

The Mint Museum in Charlotte, NC, will be offering the following educational opportunities at either of it two locations including:

Sunday, Jan. 22, 2012, at 3pm, at Mint Museum Uptown – Lecture: Jun Kaneko – Meet the artist, learn about his sculptural work in ceramics, and explore his dramatic set and costume design for operas. The program is presented in partnership with Opera Carolina, which is performing Madama Butterfly featuring Kaneko’s costumes and sets.

Sunday, Feb. 5, 2012, 3-4pm, at Mint Museum Randolph – King George and Queen Charlotte: A Royal Marriage*. Vivien E. Dietz, Ph.D., Associate Professor and Director of Humanities at Davidson College, explores the marriage and lives of King George and Queen Charlotte.

Sunday, Mar. 4, 2012, 3-4pm, at Mint Museum Uptown – Fairytales, Fantasy, & Fear: Artists’ Conversation*. Featured artists Mattia Biagi, Mark Newport, and Kako Udea discuss their work.

Tuesday, Mar. 20, 2012, at 6:30pm, at Mint Museum Randolph – Collecting North Carolina Pottery Panel Discussion – free. In partnership with the Delhom Service League.

Sunday, Mar. 25, 2012, 1-4pm, at Mint Museum Randolph – 22nd Regional Collegiate Art History Symposium*. Area undergraduate art history students present research papers focused on works of art or artists from The Mint Museum’s diverse global collections.

Tuesday, Apr. 17, 2012, at 7pm, at Mint Museum Uptown – Paper in Contemporary Craft and Design – free. Explore the renaissance that’s under way in the art form of cut paper with the curatorial staff of The Mint Museum’s Craft + Design collection.

Sunday, June 24, 2012, at 3pm, at Mint Museum Uptown – Superheroes and Alter Egos*. Mark Newport explores superheroes and their alter egos.

* Free for Mint members, or after museum admission.

For further info visit (http://www.mintmuseum.org).

The Mint Museum in Charlotte, NC, Launches New Contemporary Architecture + Design (CAD) Series and Expands its ArtFusion Series

The Mint Museum in Charlotte, NC, is launching its first-ever Contemporary Architecture + Design (CAD) series with an event on Jan. 5, 2012, at 7pm, that brings the architect who designed the new Mint Museum Uptown building and the artist who created the monumental five-story work on display in its atrium together to discuss “The Marriage of Art + Architecture.” The series continues throughout 2012 as part of a slate of innovative programming that will broaden the museum’s audience and reach deeper into the community than ever before.

“We believe it is important to launch a new architecture and design series to serve the museum’s mission of sharing innovative perspectives and engaging audiences in new ways. It further illustrates our commitment to leadership in the fields of design and architecture through our collection, research, exhibitions and programming,” said Dr. Kathleen V. Jameson, President & CEO of the Mint. “It will be an ideal complement to our strong slate of other diverse programs including ArtFusion, family-friendly Sunday Fun Days, studio art classes, lectures, films and more.”

Monthly CAD events will continue throughout the year and bring notable names in the architecture and design fields to Charlotte, including  Rodolfo Machado, principal of Machado and Silvetti Associates, who designed Mint Museum Uptown; artist Sheila Hicks, subject of the museum’s current exhibition Sheila Hicks: Fifty Years; Craig Dykers, co-founder of Oslo- and New York-based architecture, landscape, and interior design firm Snøhetta; and Cortney and Robert Novogratz, who with their seven children are featured on Bravo’s show “9 By Design.” All of the events will be held at Mint Museum Uptown except Dykers’ visit on Feb. 15, 2012, which will be held at UNC Charlotte’s Center City Building at 320 East Ninth Street. Events are $10 for non-members and $5 for members, and more information is available at (www.mintmuseum.org).

Also joining the museum’s winter and spring slate is an expansion of the museum’s new ArtFusion series, a selection of FREE monthly events that include music, dance, fashion, interaction with local artists and more. The winter/spring events kick off Jan. 31, 2012, from 6-9pm at Mint Museum Randolph with a celebration of the museum’s 75-year tradition of collecting North Carolina pottery, a lecture, music, and more. “Whether it’s your first time to the Mint or your 50th, ArtFusion offers something new for everyone,” says Laura Everett, Adult Programs Coordinator for the Mint. “This spring’s experiences include a surrealist fashion show, dream interpretation, and much more. I hope that people will use this opportunity to explore Mint Museum Uptown, rediscover Mint Museum Randolph, and see what we’re up to – these programs are slightly offbeat but always engaging.”

The museum has also announced family-friendly spring programming including Sunday Fun Days; Toddler Time at the Mint; Saturday Art Sessions; and studio art classes for children, teens, homeschoolers, adults and masters. Other programs include curator tours, demonstrations, performances, lectures and films tied to the museum’s slate of exhibitions (think Surrealism, fairytales and much more!). Some programs require pre-registration, which is available at (www.mintmuseum.org). Information about all upcoming programs is in an attachment with this news release, and most programs are listed in an online brochure at (www.mintmuseum.org/education-programs-winter-spring-2012). Please contact Leigh Dyer, the museum’s public relations and publications manager, at 704/337-2009 or e-mail to (leigh.dyer@mintmuseum.org) for more information.

The Mint Museum is a non-profit, visual arts institution comprised of two dynamic facilities: the newly opened Mint Museum Uptown and the historic Mint Museum Randolph. As the oldest art museum in North Carolina, The Mint Museum offers its visitors a remarkable opportunity to experience art through two facilities that feature a global collection spanning over 4,500 years of human creativity.

Located in what was the original branch of the United States Mint, the Mint Museum Randolph opened in 1936 in Charlotte’s Eastover neighborhood as the first art museum in North Carolina. Today, intimate galleries invite visitors to engage with the art of the ancient Americas, ceramics and decorative arts, historic costume and fashionable dress, European, African, and Asian art, among other collections. Resources include a reference library with over 15,000 volumes, a theater featuring lectures and performances, and a Museum Shop offering merchandise that complements both the permanent collection and special exhibitions.

The Mint Museum Uptown houses the internationally renowned Mint Museum of Craft + Design, as well as outstanding collections of American, contemporary, and European art. Designed by Machado and Silvetti Associates of Boston, the five-story, 145,000-square-foot facility combines inspiring architecture with groundbreaking exhibitions to provide visitors with unparalleled educational and cultural experiences. Located in the heart of Charlotte’s burgeoning center city, the Mint Museum Uptown is an integral part of the Levine Center for the Arts, a cultural campus that includes the Bechtler Museum of Modern Art, the Harvey B. Gantt Center for African-American Arts and Culture, the Knight Theater, and the Duke Energy Center. The Mint Museum Uptown also features a range of visitor amenities, including the 240-seat James B. Duke Auditorium, the Lewis Family Gallery, art studios, a restaurant, and a museum shop.  For more information, check out (www.mintmuseum.org).

Mint Museum Contemporary Architecture + Design (CAD) Series

Sharing innovative perspectives and insightful stories on architecture + design, today and beyond.

Location: All programs except the February 15 lecture will be held in the James B. Duke Auditorium at Mint Museum Uptown, 550 South Tryon Street at Levine Center for the Arts.

Price: $5 for members; $10 for non-members.

Session 1: January 5, 2012, at 7pm – The Marriage of Art + Architecture
Speakers: Sheila Hicks, internationally renowned artist, featured in Mint Museum Uptown’s exhibition Sheila Hicks: 50 Years, and Rodolfo Machado, principal of Machado and Silvetti Associates, who designed Mint Museum Uptown.

Session 2: February 15, 2012, at 6pm (reception at 5pm)
FREE
Snøhetta: Works
Speaker: Craig Dykers, co-founder of Oslo- and New York-based architecture, landscape, and interior design firm Snøhetta. Presented in partnership with The American Institute of Architects, The Mint Museum, and The University of North Carolina at Charlotte / School of Architecture. This session will be held at UNC Charlotte’s Center City Building, 320 East Ninth Street. Register at (www.soa.uncc.edu/dykers).

Session 3: March 22, 2012, at 7pm – Charlotte’s Web: Enmeshed Landscapes
Speaker: Walter Hood, Professor of Landscape Architecture & Environmental Planning and Urban Design at UC Berkeley and principal of Hood Design, a cultural practice committed to creating environments in which people live, work, and play.

Session 4: April 12, 2012, at 7pm – Contemporary Book Design
Speaker: Irma Boom, Amsterdam-based book designer who won the 2007 Gold Medal at the Leipzig Book Fair for “The Most Beautiful Book in the World,” for “Sheila Hicks: Weaving as Metaphor,” published by Yale University Press.

Session 5: May 24, 2012, at 7pm – Design and Happiness
Speaker: Stefan Sagmeister, founder of Sagmeister Inc., who is among today’s most important and influential graphic designers.

Session 6: September 20, 2012, at 7pm – Contemporary Furniture Design
Speaker: Matthias Pliessnig, a Philadelphia-based independent furniture designer known for pushing the boundaries of wood.

A light reception follows each of the lectures at Mint Museum Uptown. The series continues on October 18, November 15, and December 6, 2012. Among the confirmed speakers are Cortney and Robert Novogratz, who with their seven children are featured on Bravo’s show “9 By Design,” and Ian Cunningham, Director of Industrial Design at Newell Rubbermaid. See (www.mintmuseum.org) for details and registration. Sponsored by The Mint Museum Auxiliary.

For more information call the Mint at 704/337-2000 or visit (www.mintmuseum.org).