New exhibitions at Emporium Center

The Arts & Culture Alliance will present five new exhibitions at the Emporium Center in downtown Knoxville from October 2-30, 2020. All visitors to the Emporium are asked to wear a mask and maintain physical distancing guidelines. Most of the works are for sale and may be purchased through the close of the exhibition

Image by Kyle Hislip

The League of Scruffy Photographers: Observing Knoxville in the main gallery
The League of Scruffy Photographers presents a new exhibition that continues to look at Knoxville through the eyes of 30 talented, local photographers. In a year when many people wish they could have a “do-over” or a time machine to avoid 2020, these photographers examine life surrounding us and how we feel during this “unprecedented time”. And, like many who want to reflect on pre-2020 as if it were the Good Old Days, some of the images are from the not too distant past. This exhibition has been curated by designer Elizabeth Avedon.

The following photographers will present their work: Jalynn Baker, Robert Batey, Greg Blackmon, Morris Brady, Ric Brooks, Josh Collins, Khoa Dinh, John Fairstein, Justin Fee, Deana Fulton, Mike Hallman, Gary Heatherly, Kyle Hislip, Douglas Hubbard, Tony Long, David Luttrell, Jess Maples, Jake Harrison Miller, Yasmin Murphy, Tom Owens, Shawn Poynter, Holly Rainey, Lennie Robertson, Eric Smith, Amy Smotherman, Jessica Tezak, Tinah Utsman, Cyndy Waters, Marianna Woodside, and Rodney Yardley.

WTF by Antuco Chicaiza

WTF by Antuco Chicaiza in the Balcony
WTF is a collection of past and newer work pertaining to the social and political issues that have been happening in our country: a chaotic collection which reflects the social climate of today. Enjoy the disorder and confusion, look around, reflect, ponder, and think to yourself... WTF.

Antuco Chicaiza’s work poetically documents his life, his family and friends, his travels and relocations, and his cultural identities and political beliefs. Like a layered visual diary, his works gather evidence of the events and forces that have affected him deeply. Chicaiza’s early work drew upon his childhood memories in Ecuador. These works were representational in style and emphasized both social injustice and the peoples’ strength and pride. Later, his work described his own journey, reflecting in his words, “any injustice or prejudices I was affected by”. Chicaiza has shown his work in solo exhibitions including at Casa HoLa and Gallery in Knoxville, TN; Clayton Center for the Arts, Maryville, TN; The Rose Center, Morristown, TN; The Nashville International Airport, TN; Latino Arts, Inc., Milwaukee, WI and the Embassy of Ecuador, Washington, DC. His many group exhibitions include “Immigration, Migration, and Movement at Arizona State University” and “A Sense of Place” at the Gertrude Herbert Institute of Art, Augusta, GA.

The Presidents by Kerry Remp

Kerry Remp - The Presidents: Layered Portraits of History on the North Wall
The Presidents: Layered Portraits of History has been a series that I've wanted to create for quite some time. For each President, I spend a few hours researching books, websites and podcasts so that I can incorporate some piece of their history into the portrait. This piece of history may be a certain background, a document, a quotation, etc. One of the joys for me is the discovery process that each piece provides: I rarely create a piece with a preconceived notion of its final state – staying open to how the creative process steers me. Because each piece is unique, the process is fresh every time. Creating each piece can take anywhere from a few hours to a number of days, depending on the complexity of the piece.

Mr. Kerry Remp is a retired NASA Engineer and professional pianist who specializes in creating unique art works in paper as well as needlework of all types. A musician since the age of three, Kerry discovered visual art, via modular origami, at age 40 and has since worked in quilling, sculpture and portraiture with paper. He has been an active member of the Arts & Culture Alliance since retiring to Seymour in 2017. In addition to individual commissions and sales, he has participated in displays/shows at the Emporium Center, Broadway Studios and Gallery and the City-County Building.

Image by Carol Robin King

Tennessee Artists Association: 46th Fall Juried Show in the Atrium
The Tennessee Artists Association (TAA) presents its 46th Fall Juried Show, a new exhibition featuring work by both new and longstanding TAA members. TAA was organized in November of 1972 by five artists who wanted to create a “fine art” impact on the Knoxville area. The purpose of TAA is to provide mutual support for artists in the pursuit of artistic expression. This is done through monthly lectures, workshops, demonstrations and volunteer opportunities to share their skills and knowledge. TAA has several opportunities for their members to exhibit at our two annual juried shows and multiple non-juried shows and sales opportunities.

The membership of the TAA has always been composed of experienced artists, beginners, and all levels in between. Many well-known East Tennessee artists have been part of TAA throughout the years. TAA meets on the third Tuesday of each month at 7:00 PM at Westminster Presbyterian Church, 6500 S. Northshore Drive in Knoxville. Guests and prospective members are welcome to join. For more information, visit www.tnartists.org or follow them on Facebook.

Image by Bryan Wilkerson

A Selection of New Works by Bryan Wilkerson in the display case
Bryan Wilkerson is a Tennessee native and Professor of Art and Design at Roane State Community College. His creative practices are focused primarily on ceramics and public art but extend into design and drawing. His work explores humor, craft, irony, and play through common symbolic references. He is also the creator and director of the ArtMobile traveling gallery and pop up workshop space.

In this exhibition, Wilkerson will display clever, kooky, and quirky pottery and wall art. For more information, follow him on Instagram or visit www.bryanwilkerson.com.

The exhibitions are on display at the Emporium Center, 100 S. Gay Street, in downtown Knoxville. The Emporium is open to the public on Wednesdays from 9 AM – 5 PM and other days (Monday-Friday, 9:00 AM - 5:00 PM) by appointment only. For more information, or to schedule a visit, please see www.knoxalliance.com or call (865) 523-7543.

The Arts & Culture Alliance serves and supports a diverse community of artists, arts organizations, and cultural institutions. The Alliance receives financial support from the Tennessee Arts Commission and the City of Knoxville.

Published October 5, 2020