CHARLOTTE, N.C. (March 17, 2022) –Charlotte-Mecklenburg artists Georgie Nakima and Matthew Steele have been commissioned by ASC to create public artworks that will celebrate two Queen City communities and engage residents and visitors.

• Nakima has been commissioned to create public art for Independence Park in Charlotte’s Elizabeth neighborhood as part of park renovation funded by Mecklenburg County. She will begin work on her public artwork – a mural design for the exterior of the park’s maintenance shop – in April and is expected to be finished by the end of April or early May. Her artwork will acknowledge the historical significance of the park, celebrate the beloved green space within the city, inspire continued use of the environment and celebrate the park’s connectivity to the surrounding neighborhoods and urban environment of Charlotte-Mecklenburg.
• Steele has been selected to connect public artwork as part of the City of Charlotte-funded J.W. Clay Boulevard Streetscape project in the University City area. The streetscape improvements will include connectivity to the Barton Creek Greenway and provide University City residents with greater access to existing greenway trail. Steele, who lives in University City, will work with residents and community stakeholders to create impactful public art that unifies the streetscape and connects to the historical and cultural context of the University City area. His artwork is anticipated to be installed by fall/winter 2024.

“Community engagement plays a vital role in ASC’s public art process. Commissioned artists seek inspiration and knowledge from residents in the form of their personal experiences and the histories of their communities. The relationship between residents and public artists is amplified when artists live and actively participate in the communities they are designing for,” said Todd Stewart, vice president of public art for ASC. “Mecklenburg County and the City of Charlotte have robust public art collections of works by national, regional and local artists. Regardless of where commissioned artists are based, ASC strives to foster relationships between artists and communities so that each public artwork reflects the people and distinct places in which they are situated.”

About Georgie Nakima

Georgie Nakima is a self-taught multidisciplinary artist based in Charlotte. After graduating from Northwest School of the Arts, she attended Winston-Salem State University where she studied life sciences. Today, she uses art to visualize the interconnectedness of communities and their environment on a micro and macro level.

She has exhibited in galleries and beyond the scope of traditional museums throughout the southeast, California and Costa Rica. Her art has been commissioned by the World Trade Center, DC Comics, Barings, Lending Tree, the Creative League of Interventionists, the City of Charlotte, the University of North Carolina School of the Arts, Winston-Salem State University and UNC Charlotte, among others. 

About Matthew Steele

Matthew Steele is an artist and designer living and working in Charlotte. Often utilizing the aesthetic of function and industry, Steele draws parallels between the man-made and human technologies of the self. With a BFA in sculpture from Indiana University, Steele came to Charlotte in 2012 for an artist residency at McColl Center. He has exhibited at Locust Projects (Miami), The Sculpture Center (Cleveland), The Mint Museum, Hodges Taylor, UNC Charlotte, Central Piedmont Community College, Winthrop University and Goodyear Arts. His work is found in collections nationally and internationally, including AXA, Art in Embassies, Charlotte Skin and Laser, Honeywell, the Haan Collection (Indiana), Marriott, and Beacon Partners.

About Arts & Science Council

ASC is the chief advocate, resource hub and steward for the Charlotte- Mecklenburg region’s cultural community. Its core functions include advocacy, cultural education programs, cultural planning, fundraising, grant making, public art and workshops and trainings for the cultural community. ASC works to ensure Culture For All by combining resources from local and state government with those of the private sector to maximize community impact throughout the cultural sector.

ASC believes that arts, culture and creativity play a critical role in creating a sense of belonging to a community.

Stay up to date on ASC news and happenings at ArtsAndScience.org and on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.

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