Sunday, October 14, 2012

Seven Billion Plus


The world population hit seven billion on October 31, 2011. Even with a declining world population growth rate of just over one percent, world population is projected to surpass nine billion by 2050. SEVEN BILLION PLUS is an invitational group exhibition, that examines population growth, urbanization and globalization through photographs, ceramics, installation, mixed-media and sculpture.

SEVEN BILLION PLUS features North Carolina artists Geoff Calabrese, ceramicist and instructor at Cape Fear Community College and Dan Brawley, interdisciplinary artist and director of the Cucalorus Film Festival. The exhibit also features artists from one of the largest and most rapidly growing countries in the world. Zhang Xiao is a Chinese photographer and 2010 Photography Talent, 2010 MIO Photo and 2011 Prix HSBC pour la Photographie award winner, and Jasper James is a Beijing-based, UK-born photographer who captures reflections of silhouettes overlooking an expansive metropolis. Also featured is the work of West African artist Nii Narku whose painting depicts the overcrowded capital of Accra; sculptor and chair of the art department at Mt. San Jacinto College in Southern California, Eileen Doktorski and Richard and Judith Lang who have collected and photographed over two tons of plastic trash from 1,000 yards of Kehoe Beach along the Point Reyes National Seashore in Northern California.

SEVEN BILLION PLUS will be on view in the University of North Carolina - Wilmington Art Gallery at the Cultural Arts Building from Oct. 11 through Nov. 9.