Artists Archives Show Looks at the Diversity of Appalachia

mixed media hooked wool fabric, cotton thread embroidery, purchased crocheted doily, paint

Fri 9/6 @ 6-8PM

Sat 9/7 @ 1-2:30PM

A wide swath of Americans now, unfortunately, connects Appalachia with Ohio U.S. Senator & vice-presidential candidate JD Vance, whose 2016 book Hillbilly Elegy touted his alleged Appalachian upbringing (Fact check: he’s not from Appalachia, but from the Cincinnati/Dayton area) and kicking down at people from there.

The upcoming show, The Beauty and Influence of Appalachia, at Artists Archives of Western Reserve aims to present a more nuanced and diverse portrait of the region, which includes much of southeastern Ohio.  The show is curated by northeast Ohio-based artist Lisa Kenion, who casts bronze at Studio Foundry which she co-owned, whose grandparents were from Appalachia, but unlike Vance, she herself claims only respect for that region’s geographic, cultural, historical, ethnic and culinary diversity.

“Because the influence of the Appalachia people has now gone beyond its boundaries to influence the culture of mainstream America, Kenion took a wider perspective on the geographic parameters of the region,” says the show’s statement. “She chose to embrace artists from adjacent geographic areas, included on some maps and not others, as part of the territory used for her selections. It is the merging of these influences that gives the region its resonance. Kenion’s hope as the curator of this exhibition is that the influence and beauty of the region can be appreciated through the art created by those who currently live in, or are descended from the people of this diverse, underrepresented, and often misunderstood, region of our country.”

The show features the world of eighteen artists. It opens with a reception on Friday September 6 @ 5:30pm, which features a live performance by bluegrass/folk musicians Mark Olitsky and Joe Thrift. It’s free and open to all. The show will be on view through November 2.

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On Saturday at 1pm, Thrift, who is a maker of fine string instruments, will host a violin making workshop at the AAWR galleries. Register here.

Cleveland, OH 44106

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