Convergence

CONVERGENCE brings together more than 40 artworks by 28 recent or current Savannah-based artists. Selected from Telfair Museums’ permanent collection, these works are varied in content, scale, and mediums, together emphasizing how artists living and working in the same city can express a wide range of perspectives. While some evoke the atmosphere and landscape of the Lowcountry and speak to the unique characteristics of Savannah, others address themes and narratives beyond this region. Many of the works reveal the intersections of an evolving and vibrant community of artists–self-taught and academically trained–as well as collectors, galleries, schools,
exhibitions, and museums in Savannah, a city heralded for its arts and culture.

Although exhibition opportunities for local artists existed throughout Savannah’s history, notably through the Savannah Art Club and Telfair Art Fair, it was not until the 1970s that Telfair began earnestly collecting the work of local artists. The museum’s support of Savannah’s creative community expanded in 2006 with the opening of the Jepson Center and in 2016 with the launch of the #art912 initiative, dedicated to raising the visibility and vitality of local artists. Converging in one space for the first time, the works in this exhibition showcase the distinct qualities and undeniable vibrancy of Savannah’s arts scene. Join us as we look back on our institutional commitment to local creativity, in expectation of a bright future for the #art912 program!