Charlotte is the first stop on the national tour presented by PNC Financial Services
The influential work of 11 award-winning National Geographic photojournalists will debut with the March 29 opening of Women of Vision: National Geographic Photographers on Assignment. Mint Museum Uptown is the first stop on the national tour of the exhibition following its run at the National Geographic Museum in Washington, D.C.
The traveling exhibition, presented nationally by The PNC Financial Services Group, Inc. (NYSE: PNC), will be on view in Charlotte through July 20 before traveling to four other cities.
“This show is a true celebration of creativity, and it continues the museum’s ongoing dedication to the important medium of photography,” said Dr. Kathleen V. Jameson, President & CEO of the Mint. “It has been a real pleasure to work with National Geographic, PNC, and the exhibition’s other sponsors including Dickens Mitchener Residential Real Estate, the Mint Museum Auxiliary, UTC Aerospace Systems, and Moore & Van Allen to bring this show to the Charlotte region.”
Women of Vision features nearly 100 photographs, including moving depictions of far-flung cultures, compelling illustrations of conceptual topics such as memory and teenage brain chemistry, and arresting images of social issues like child marriage and 21st-century slavery.
“I am so pleased to be able to share these remarkable images with our visitors,” said Jonathan Stuhlman, the Mint’s Senior Curator of American, Modern, & Contemporary Art. “The photographs in this exhibition are absolutely stunning. The subjects are moving, thought-provoking, and inspiring and the women who recorded them are both courageous and masters of their craft.”
In addition to the photographs, visitors will have an opportunity to learn how National Geographic magazine picture editors work closely with the photographers to select images and tell a story. Video vignettes will present first-person accounts that reveal the photographers’ individual styles, passions, and approaches to their craft.
“These talented photojournalists tell powerful and impactful stories, and capture our shared human experience,” said Weston M. Andress, Western Carolina regional president of PNC Bank and a member of the Mint’s Board of Trustees. “PNC is committed to bringing such quality exhibitions to our communities.”
Visiting the exhibition will be free for all Mint Museum members and non-member adults will pay a $10 special exhibition fee after general museum admission ($10 for adults, free on Wednesdays 5-9 p.m.), except where noted. Members of the media are invited to a preview at 10 a.m. on Thursday March 27 (RSVP to leigh.dyer@mintmuseum.org).
Several special events will accompany the exhibition’s run in Charlotte. Mint Museum members can visit during a members-only hour at 10 a.m. on March 29 before the museum opens to the public at 11 a.m. The Mint is hosting a special curator-led tour of Women of Vision on Thursday, April 17 as part of its recurring “Taste of the Mint” series, which also includes small plate and beverage pairings at Halcyon, Flavors from the Earth restaurant and e2 emeril’s eatery (tickets $35 Mint members, $50 non-members). Photographer Amy Toensing will visit Sunday, May 4 for a 3 p.m. lecture which is open to the public and is free after general museum admission. There will be no special exhibition admission fees on Sunday, May 18, in honor of national Art Museum Day and the Mint’s monthly Sunday Fun Day, when the museum’s general admission is free for kids under 18 and $5 for non-member adults. And the exhibition will be open free to the public during an evening in June (specific date to be announced soon). Information on the exhibition and all associated events is available at mintmuseum.org/happenings.
The exhibition is presented concurrently with another extraordinary photography exhibition organized by The Mint Museum. Bearing Witness: The New York Photo League and Sonia Handelman Meyer remains on view through June 29, 2014 at Mint Museum Randolph. It includes approximately 90 photographs by Photo League members, many from the Mint’s permanent collection, and contains a particular focus on the work of Meyer, 94, currently a Charlotte resident. The Mint has published a new catalogue for the exhibition which is now for sale in the Mint Museum Shops for $15.95. The exhibition is made possible through generous support from MetLife Foundation, with additional support from the Young Affiliates of the Mint.
Women of Vision is organized and traveled by the National Geographic Society. PNC Financial Services is the Presenting National Tour Sponsor. Additional generous sponsorship support in Charlotte is provided by Dickens Mitchener Residential Real Estate, the Mint Museum Auxiliary, UTC Aerospace Systems, and Moore & Van Allen. Exhibition media partners are The Charlotte Observer and WFAE 90.7fm, with additional promotional support from WTVI.
NBC Correspondent and acclaimed journalist Ann Curry wrote the foreword to a companion book, “Women of Vision: National Geographic Photographers on Assignment,” along with National Geographic magazine Editor in Chief Chris Johns. The hardcover book, featuring 150 powerful photographs, officially publishes on Tuesday, March 4, and is on sale in the Mint Museum Shops for $30.
Women of Vision was curated by National Geographic Senior Photo Editor Elizabeth Krist and includes the photos of Maggie Steber, Lynsey Addario, Kitra Cahana, Jodi Cobb, Diane Cook, Carolyn Drake, Lynn Johnson, Beverly Joubert, Erika Larsen, and Stephanie Sinclair, along with Toensing. More information on each photographer and her images is available at wovexhibition.org.
RSVP requested: Members of the media who wish to attend the media-only preview at 10 a.m. on March 27 must RSVP to leigh.dyer@mintmuseum.org or 704.337.2009. Interviews with curators and Steber will be available and photography is permitted.
Above image:
KITRA CAHANA
After working himself into a trance, a man leaps through a flaming pyre.
ABOUT NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC
Founded in 1888, the National Geographic Society is one of the world’s largest nonprofit scientific and educational organizations. With a mission to inspire people to care about the planet, the member-supported Society offers a community for members to get closer to explorers, connect with other members, and help make a difference. The Society reaches more than 450 million people worldwide each month through National Geographic and other magazines; National Geographic Channel; television documentaries; music; radio; films; books; DVDs; maps; exhibitions; live events; school publishing programs; interactive media; and merchandise. National Geographic has funded more than 10,000 scientific research, conservation, and exploration projects and supports an education program promoting geographic literacy. For more information, visit www.nationalgeographic.com.
ABOUT PNC
This exhibition is supported by PNC and The PNC Foundation, which receives its principal funding from The PNC Financial Services Group, Inc. (www.pnc.com). PNC is one of the nation’s largest diversified financial services organizations providing retail and business banking; residential mortgage banking; specialized services for corporations and government entities, including corporate banking, real estate finance and asset-based lending; wealth management; and asset management. Follow @PNCNews on Twitter for breaking news, updates and announcements from PNC.