Here’s what’s coming up in Charlotte’s visual arts
What to do
Attend the lecture “You broke the Buddha, now what?” at Mint Museum Randolph on Jan. 22. Lydia Thompson, chair of the Department of Art and Art History at UNC Charlotte, will discuss how to consider the conceptual components of works of art if they are altered. The Buddha is viewed as a spiritual and historical vessel; if it breaks, does it still have worth? These and other questions will be discussed.
The lecture will kick off the Delhom Service League’s Ceramic Series for 2020 and is presented in collaboration with the Guild of Charlotte Artists. This free presentation begins with a wine reception at 6 p.m., and the lecture takes place in the Van Every Auditorium at 6:30 p.m.
Who to meet
The public is invited to meet this season’s six new artists-in-residence at the McColl Center for Art + Innovation on Jan. 23 from 6-9 p.m. New artists include Franco Fasoli (Barcelona, Spain), Liz Nielsen (Brooklyn, New York), Azita Moradkhani (New York, Boston), Holly Keogh (Charlotte), Maya Gurantz (Los Angeles) and Andrew Wilson (Oakland, Calif).
At this free event, meet each artist-in-residence in their studio, see the new exhibitions “Adorned” and “Tarmac,” and enjoy live music from Arts Plus.
What to see
Last week, The Light Factory opened “A Shared Elegy,” a new photography exhibition examining family ties. Two pairs of photographers, Osamu James Nakagawa and uncle Takayuki Ogawa, as well as Elijah Gowin and father Emmet, present unique but overlapping visions recording family histories.
Ogawa and Nakagawa’s photographs draw upon the traditions of Japan, specifically the practice of honoring elders. For the Gowins, family heritage and home in Virginia are at the root of a practice depicting the intimate and hallowed nature of the world. The exhibition is on view through May 24.
More arts coverage
You can find all our arts season preview stories and calendars in one place: charlotteobserver.com/topics/charlotte-arts-guide.
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This story was originally published January 14, 2020 at 8:30 AM.