As McColl Center celebrates 25 years as an artist residency and catalyst for artistic innovation, we are honored to present Ties That Bind: Portraits by Mitchell Kearney of the Artists at McColl Center 1999–2008. This exhibition showcases Kearney’s nearly decade-long documentation of McColl Center’s transformation and the artists who shaped its creative legacy.
Over the span of nine years, Kearney captured the evolving story of McColl Center, preserving the historic journey and architectural rebirth from a fire-ravaged church into an urban artist residency. The exhibition features not only portraits of resident artists but also the building itself, reflecting how the renewed energy of the space influenced the creative output of the artists working within its walls.
McColl Center’s founding president, Suzanne Fetscher, commissioned Kearney to photograph the artists, their work, and, most important, their creative process. His mission was to capture how the center’s unique environment influenced the artists and their work. “It was all about that level of enthusiasm and excitement that everyone had for it that is really present in all this early imagery that I've been editing for this exhibition,” said Kearney. “It’s like reliving something that happened 25 years ago, joyfully, and I want to pass that enthusiasm through.”
Kearney’s photographic journey began long before digital cameras, having spent 30 years mastering film photography, including his early days as a punk rock photographer in New York City. This background enabled him to approach his role at McColl Center with an acute sense of awareness, capturing moments without needing to review his images on the spot. During this time, Kearney worked to collaborate seamlessly with the artists, making them feel at ease in front of the camera—a task not always easy for those used to creating from behind the lens.
“I wasn’t simply trying to create face-on-camera portraits,” Kearney explains. “I wanted to get a sense of what someone would see if they came in and didn’t say anything—capturing the essence of the artists while they were literally creating.”
Ties That Bind is more than a collection of portraits. It’s a visual narrative of McColl Center’s first decade—180 artists captured at work, set against the backdrop of the center’s architectural revival. The exhibition embodies the collaborative spirit and creative energy that have defined McColl Center since its founding.
When asked what he hopes visitors will take away from the exhibition, Kearney said, “I want them to engage with an experience that will allow them to be more curious the closer they get to each of these images and see the potential added elements beyond the photograph.”
This exhibition stands as a testament to the deep connections forged at McColl Center over the last 25 years. It invites the community to witness the collaborative spirit that has driven the center since its inception and to celebrate the remarkable artists who have passed through its doors.
We invite you to join us for the opening of Ties That Bind: Portraits by Mitchell Kearney of the Artists at McColl Center 1999–2008 on November 14, 2024, 6-8PM at McColl Center, 721 N. Tryon St., Charlotte, NC 28202.
Exhibition Dates: November 14, 2024 – January 18, 2025.