“Accumulations,” an exhibit featuring work by UNC Charlotte alumna Carmen Neely, will be displayed through Wednesday, Feb. 4, in the Student Union Art Gallery. A free reception with the artist will be held from 5 to 7 p.m., Friday, Jan. 16.
According to the artist,“Accumulations” is the result of a new, more formalist approach to exploration in painting. Her earlier works focused predominately on references to the figure and have stemmed from ideologies about sexuality; Neely’s current compositions focus more intently on qualities of line and organic shape.
“Even in their ambiguity these elements lend themselves to many different interpretations, including conversations about the body,” Neely said. “In this way, my new work is a continuation of previous inquiries. “
Neely graduated from UNC Charlotte in 2012 with a Bachelor of Fine Arts and is currently an MFA candidate at UNC Greensboro. In 2013, she completed an artist-in-residence at Spark Box Studio in Picton, Ontario.
Neely’s work has been featured locally at Artspace 711, Twenty-Two Gallery and Hart Witzen Gallery in Charlotte; and Boyd Afficher Gallery in Concord. Images have been published in the University’s Sanskrit Literary-Arts Magazine.