Having sustained its, yes, momentum, through two years of suspense, construction, and a world-changing pandemic, Momentum Gallery opened its new 15,000-square-foot space in March. The museum-quality venue occupies a 100-year-old, three-floor building on Broadway in the heart of downtown Asheville. Solo exhibits will highlight featured makers including ceramic artist Lisa Clague, textile artist Crystal Gregory, Ron Isaacs (trompe l’oeil wood), and oil painter Samantha Keely Smith. In further celebration, new works from popular house artists like Mariella Bisson, Andy Farkas, and Thor and Jennifer Bueno will go on display. Momentum continues to curate its high profile in glass, giving pride of place to WNC glass-art pioneers John Littleton and Kate Vogel. And thanks to a new partnership with Chihuly Studios, Momentum will become one of a select few galleries in the country to sell the work of genre star Dale Chihuly. But it’s the work of a local VIP, Hoss Haley — who designed the Pack Place fountain and nearby pergola over the outdoor stage — that officially welcomes visitors. Haley’s 90-square-foot piece, “Ripple,” made of perforated stainless steel, undulates invitingly — at once belying its source material while paying homage to industrial chic. Look for additional outdoor sculpture as spring progresses.
Momentum Gallery, 52 Broadway, downtown Asheville. Visit momentumgallery.com for in-person viewing guidelines, exhibit dates, and more information.