Asheville Art Museum exhibits work inspired by Hurricane Helene
Artists impacted by the storm will present new work at the Asheville Art Museum in a non-juried show.
Forty trillion. That’s a conservative estimate of how many gallons of rain drenched the Southeast during Hurricane Helene, turning mild-mannered waterways — including the rivulet that crisscrosses Adam Void’s Black Mountain property — into raging torrents.
“There is a creek in our front yard that blossomed to more than 100 feet across, taking out a privately maintained dirt road and leaving a giant sinkhole,” he explains. “Once the water went downstream to devastate beautiful Swannanoa, tons of giant rocks from the washout landslide were exposed in what was once our front yard.”
Unsure of what to do immediately after the storm’s passing, Void retreated to his studio and began tearing, cutting, and gluing black-and-white photos of wreckage caused by other floods. He dubbed the resulting collage “weight of water.”
“Creating work while the event was so fresh was an important way to process what had happened,” says Void. “Getting back in the studio before power, water, phone, or internet was re-established helped assert some sense of control over myself while also serving as an emotional outlet.”
This February, Void will present his piece at the Asheville Art Museum during Asheville Strong: Celebrating Art and Community After Hurricane Helene. According to Jessica Orzulak, associate curator and curatorial affairs manager, the non-juried exhibition features work by regional creatives, “many of whom lost family, homes, studios, income, and works of art they labored to create.”
“Our goal,” says Orzulak, “has been to create space for impacted artists to showcase their work to a broad public, opportunities for artists to connect with each other and collectors, and a means for us all to join together in a collective act of resilience.”
In addition to Void, participating artists include painter and Emmy-nominated filmmaker Jaime Byrd.
In the wake of last year’s storm, Byrd faced immense loss. The first floor of her home in the Garren Creek community of Fairview was flooded. Her 2,000-square-foot space in the River Arts District was also destroyed.
“My entire working studio and gallery was flooded with over five and a half feet of water,” says Byrd. “I lost original art, all my reproductions, tools, art supplies, frames, wood painting panels, furniture, a full kitchen, electronics, photography equipment, and all our office and business gear and supplies. It was devastating.”
But when the floodwaters receded, Byrd found a small sign of hope: a painting left behind in the aftermath was stamped with muddy beaver paw prints.
“The beaver is said to be a spirit animal that represents the power of adaptability. They also represent protection and regrowth,” says Byrd. “I believe this was a strong message for me and the River Arts District.”
With this in mind, she photographed the piece and made it into a limited-edition giclee reproduction on paper titled, “The Footprints of Helene.” It will be on display during the Asheville Art Museum show.
“To me,” says Byrd, “this piece of artwork will forever be a sign of remembrance, strength, and growth within our communities … .”
Asheville Strong: Celebrating Art and Community After Hurricane Helene opens in the Explore Asheville Exhibition Hall at the Asheville Art Museum (2 South Pack Square, Asheville, ashevilleart.org) on Thursday, February 13. The show runs through May 5. A Community Day is slated for Saturday, March 15, from noon-5pm, during which admission is free.