Buncombe County Special Collections at Pack Memorial Library Hosts History of Asheville Street Art & Mural Exhibit and Closing Reception Featuring Artist Zen Sutherland

Buncombe County Special Collections’ current History of Asheville Street Art & Murals exhibit invites the community to celebrate and learn about the rich history and vibrant culture of local public art. The exhibit coordinates with both the completion of the noteworthy new mural on Pack Memorial Library by North Carolina artist Max Dowdle as part of his public art initiative Paint NC; as well as the 50th anniversary of Asheville’s first public art mural being installed in August 1976. Featuring the work of 29 distinct artists, the exhibit also has an interactive graffiti “Free Wall” where patrons can pick up basic lettering techniques and leave their own mark on history! The exhibit is part of the archives Carolina Record Shop program, which features rotating community-based exhibits, and is located on the lower level of Pack Library.

A closing reception with refreshments and free local graffiti stickers will take place on Friday, August 28th, highlighting the evolution of the local urban art scene leading into today, where Asheville is considered one of the top mural arts cities in the country.

Prior to the closing reception, there will be a special interactive guest artist event with local legend Zen Sutherland, who will give live demonstrations of various aerosol art techniques and allow participants to try customizing and taking home one of his highly sought-after AVL ROMPs (Random Object Magnetic Project) that have been in circulation on cars and in local businesses since 2014. Space is limited, and registration is required. Check out the Buncombe County Library Calendar or Buncombe County Special Collections website for more information.