PAST EXHIBITIONS
West Wing & Commons Galleries
Far Beyond the Beyond: The Evolution of James Augustus McLean
June 6 - September 20, 2025 | Commons Gallery
James Augustus McLean (1904-1989) was a significant, but often overlooked North Carolina artist, whose contributions to art in the state have been important and long-lasting. His output over seven decades produced a collection of work spanning every major art movement from realism to abstraction and his own creation of a naturalist approach to compositions.
Curated with works from the artist’s estate presented by Southern Fine Arts, “Far Beyond the Beyond: The Evolution of James Augustus McLean” exhibited works from McLean's late career, including both framed and unframed artworks available for purchase.
About James Augustus McLean (1904-1989):
James McLean was born in Lincolnton, North Carolina. He began drawing at an early age but had no opportunity to pursue a career in art until after his father’s death, when he answered a magazine ad placed by the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts in Philadelphia. In April 1923, he began five years of classes at the Academy’s summer school at Chester Springs, studying under several highly regarded artists, and enjoying the opportunity to travel to Italy, Paris, Germany, and the Netherlands. In 1929, McLean was drawn back to North Carolina, where he set up and taught at The Southern School of Creative Arts in Raleigh.
In the mid-1930s, McLean joined the Federal Arts Project, painting murals in different parts of the state and teaching classes to the public. McLean’s championing of this program allowed other prominent artists like Francis Speight to obtain commissions and help artists make it through the rough financial times of the Great Depression. In addition to this work, McLean supervised the programs for the Art Center in Raleigh, which opened in 1936. McLean used impressionism and more avant-garde methods in his work, experimenting with techniques of decorative patterning while maintaining realism.
”How We Got Over”
::: sayings from my kindred ‘nem
January 17 - March 7, 2025 | West Wing & Commons Galleries
“How We Got Over” ::: sayings from my kindred ‘nem was an exhibition guest curated by Zacaria Sage. This exhibition showcased the work of seven North Carolina-based artists (Bruklyn, Fuss, Majesty Royale-Jackson, Nina Alex Scott, Shambo Medina, Taari Felice, and Tashia Ethridge) working in a variety of media in response to GMoA’s fall 2024 exhibition, Aphorisms & Verses: Works from the GMoA Collection by Ben Shahn and Marvin Saltzman, whichi remained partially installed through March 7th.
“An aphorism is an expressive truth, observation, or set of instructions,” writes guest curator Zacaria Sage and curatorial consultant Sir Porte. “This concept transcends generational lines, cultures, and territory borders to equip people with life-sourced guidance. The work of Ben Shahn and Marvin Saltzman are some examples of sense-making with aphorisms through written or visual forms in the GMoA permanent collection. Those works are in conversation with the seven invited artists of “How We Got Over” ::: sayings from my kindred ‘nem, who have unearthed other Aphro-isms. Aphro-isms, or Black Aphorisms, offer a rich legacy of sharing the wisdom gained from lived experience and the trials we have overcome. Aphro-isms are an oral tradition of learning, telling, remembering, and listening to truths. The embedded knowledge of these sometimes witty or metaphorical wisdoms often comes from those with the knowledge of danger, marginality, or precarity.”
Aphorisms & Verses
Works from the GMoA Collection by Ben Shahn and Marvin Saltzman
November 15, 2024 - January 3, 2025 | West Wing & Commons Galleries
Aphorisms & Verses: Works from the GMoA Collection by Ben Shahn and Marvin Saltzman explored the intersections of visual and literary art. Through a focus on inspiration, interaction, and emotional evocation, the exhibition displayed work by two renowned artists, Ben Shahn and Marvin Saltzman. The West Wing Gallery featured a series of lithographs by social realist artist Ben Shahn (1898-1969), inspired by the poet Rainer Maria Rilke’s The Notebooks of Malte Laurids Brigge. These evocative prints offered a visual interpretation of Rilke’s poetic musings.
The Commons Gallery highlighted two series of serigraphs by Chapel Hill, NC-based artist Marvin Saltzman (b. 1931): the 1963 Paint the Window Purple portfolio, created in collaboration with poet Ronald Bayes, and the 1970-75 Chapel Hill Gravel portfolio, a collaborative effort with five different poets. These works demonstrated the power of artistic collaboration and the unique constructive interaction between visual and literary expression. GMoA invited visitors to engage with the exhibition through a variety of interactive opportunities.
The Home I Never Knew: Ni de Aquí, Ni de Allá
June 7 - November 1, 2025 | West Wing & Commons Galleries
The Greenville Museum of Art was privileged to host The Home I Never Knew: Ni de Aquí, Ni de Allá. Guest curated by Flor Herrera-Picasso, co-founder of Casa Azul de Wilson, this exhibition brought together a wide range of Latino/a/x perspectives, traditions, cultures, and media. Emphasizing the idea of “ni de aquí, ni de allá,” or “not from here, nor from there,” the 24 participating artists’ work spoke to the diversity of experiences and identities among Latin communities associated with both being from their countries of origin and living in the United States. While much of the exhibited artwork touched on ideas of identity and a sense of “in-betweenness” reflective of the title of this exhibition, other themes spoke to the Latino/a/x community and universal human experiences. Our goal was to create a space both for Latino/a/x individuals to see aspects of their own lives represented and for visitors to connect and empathize with the artists’ messages.
Thanks to funding provided by the North Carolina Humanities Council, we are delighted to offer a digital version of this exhibition featuring both English and Spanish translations.
