The Beauty and Influence of Appalachia
The Artists Archives' "The Beauty and Influence of Appalachia" is a large survey exhibition of artists curated by Lisa Kenion. Her hope as 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.
Kenion writes about the shaping of the culture of the Appalachian region based on the diversity of its ecosystems, geology, and the various groups of peoples that settled there. She expresses the sentiment that ,”the merging of these influences is what gives the region its resonance.” Native Americans, African Americans, and waves of European immigrants from several different countries, Scottish, Irish, English, and German culture, among others, have all left their mark on things like food, music, and many other aspects of contemporary American culture. Because the influence of the Appalachian people has now gone beyond its boundaries to become a part of the culture of mainstream America, Kenion took a wider perspective on the geographic parameters of the region when selecting artists. The final exhibition includes the work of 15 representative artists, drawn from Ohio, as well as neighboring states like Pennsylvania, and as far south as North Carolina. Their interests range from the depiction of the sheer beauty of the landscape to history, folklore, social commentary on the impact of climate change, drug addiction, and inequality. A shared commonality between all the artists is the inspiration and appreciation derived from either the land or its people. (Source: ohio.org)
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Kenion writes about the shaping of the culture of the Appalachian region based on the diversity of its ecosystems, geology, and the various groups of peoples that settled there. She expresses the sentiment that ,”the merging of these influences is what gives the region its resonance.” Native Americans, African Americans, and waves of European immigrants from several different countries, Scottish, Irish, English, and German culture, among others, have all left their mark on things like food, music, and many other aspects of contemporary American culture. Because the influence of the Appalachian people has now gone beyond its boundaries to become a part of the culture of mainstream America, Kenion took a wider perspective on the geographic parameters of the region when selecting artists. The final exhibition includes the work of 15 representative artists, drawn from Ohio, as well as neighboring states like Pennsylvania, and as far south as North Carolina. Their interests range from the depiction of the sheer beauty of the landscape to history, folklore, social commentary on the impact of climate change, drug addiction, and inequality. A shared commonality between all the artists is the inspiration and appreciation derived from either the land or its people. (Source: ohio.org)