Exhibit 'Southern Modern' presents expansive view of 20th century Southern artists at Georgia Museum of Art

August 23rd, 2023

“A Story Told by My Mother,” by artist Carroll Cloar. (Courtesy of Estate of Carroll Cloar)

Here’s an outrageous statement — “Little of artistic merit was made South of Baltimore.” In 1949, a curator at the Metropolitan Museum of New York said that about Southern art.

Well, perhaps this curator was ill-informed, or more likely, the early 20th-century South art expression is still a treasure trove undiscovered by many. The Georgia Museum of Art is hosting a new exhibition in collaboration with the Mint Museum in North Carolina. The show is called “Southern/Modern,” on view through December 10 at the Georgia Museum before it travels. The collection presents an expansive view of the work of Southern artists from 1913 through 1955.

In this interview, “City Lights” host Lois Reitzes speaks about the exhibition with Jonathan Stuhlman, Senior Curator of American Art at the Mint Museum in Charlotte, and co-curator Shawnya Harris of the Georgia Museum of Art.

The “Southern/Modern” exhibit at Georgia Museum of Art, featuring works by Southern artists from the early 20th century, is on view through December 10, and you can find out more about the exhibit here.