Joni Mabe’s I ain’t no hick from Habersham opens Thursday, October 27, at Piedmont University’s Mason-Scharfenstein Museum of Art. Dedicated to the late country singer Loretta Lynn, Mabe’s exhibition investigates American Southern identity and aesthetics.
Mabe’s sculptures and installations merge collections of found objects and personal artifacts. Her use of upcycled materials demonstrates a concern for the human impact on the environment.
Mabe’s art has been displayed throughout the nation. Reviews of her work have appeared in publications such as Artforum, Art Papers, Smithsonian Magazine, The New York Times Magazine, and the National Enquirer. Accolades include a 1981 Ford Foundation Fellow and 1987 Fellow of the Southeastern Center of Contemporary Art/R.J. Reynolds.
Mabe received an Individual Artist Grant from the Georgia Council for the Arts in 1992. Her work appeared in the 2019 Atlanta Biennial and in 2020’s Southern Values at the Hudgens Center for Art & Learning. Her art and limited-edition books appear in many collections, including Stanford University Libraries, the Walker Art Center, the New York Public Library, Yale Library Rare Books Collection, and the Museum of Modern Art.
Mabe is the creator of the Everything Elvis Museum in the Loudermilk Boarding House, in Cornelia. Part of the National Register of Historic Places, the Loudermilk Boarding House was opened in 1908. Today, it houses Mabe’s collection of more than 30,000 artifacts that include Elvis’ wart and the “Maybe Elvis Toenail.” In 2022, Mabe’s museum was selected as the Best Tourist Attraction in the State at the Georgia National Fair in Perry.
Mabe’s exhibition at Piedmont University will run from October 27 to November 29.
An opening reception will be held from 5-7 p.m. on October 27 and will include an artist talk and special guest beginning at 5:30 p.m.
Other events include an Open House on October 31 from 5 to 8 p.m. and the Northeast Georgia Arts Tour on November 11, 12, and 13.
The Mason-Scharfenstein Museum of Art is located at 567 Georgia St., Demorest, GA.
