BFA Drawing Exhibition by Sydney Levitt: “Objects of Significance: An Adoration of Home Through Personal Belongings”

Drawings by UNC Asheville BFA student Sydney Levitt will be featured in a new exhibition, Objects of Significance: An Adoration of Home Through Personal Belongings, on view Nov. 1-12 at RAMP Studio Gallery, 821 Riverside Dr., Asheville. An opening reception will be held in the gallery from 6-8 p.m. on Friday, Nov.1. Admission is free to the reception and the exhibition. Gallery hours are 9 a.m.-8 p.m. weekdays and 10 a.m.-8 p.m. on weekends, with evening and weekend entry through the French Broad Chocolate Factory entrance at RAMP.

Artist Statement by Sydney Levitt

Objects that we are given and collect throughout our lives play an important role – not only do we adorn ourselves and our homes with them, they serve to inspire, hold memories, and create a sense of place and time. These objects may not withstand any standards of monetary value, but may instead serve us emotionally or spiritually. As the old adage goes, “one man’s trash is another man’s treasure”- the smallest, most seemingly insignificant item to one person could be another person’s most valuable possession. Though collecting and keeping items that are antiquated or worth little to no money is often regarded as kitsch or in poor taste elsewhere, the Southern Appalachian Region, or the Mountain South, has normalized the plethora of unusual belongings that are used, interacted with, and venerated. Objects are often loved until they’re broken, and take on different uses after that. These strange, scavenged collections have surrounded me throughout my life and have impacted my choices and worldview; through this body of work I hope to convey my adoration for my home and for the objects that help me understand my experiences within it.