Press Release
Emeline, a boutique hotel in downtown Charleston, will debut its Artist in Residency Program on July 29th with Savannah-based artist, Stephanie Forbes and her “Divine Armor” Collection.
Featuring a range of work using textiles, artifacts and hand collected oysters from the Lowcountry, Forbes' collection will kick off with an opening reception on July 29 from 5 pm to 8 pm at Emeline and be on display at the hotel through August 30th, 2022. Hotel guests and locals alike are encouraged to peruse this curated collection beginning on July 30th, 2022 and can experience the installation through August 30th, 2022.
“The Artist in Residency Program is intended to offer a curation of artists inspired by the worldly travels of our muse, Emeline, and will allow for a visual expression of what we think she would have added to her own personal collection,” Carly Skinner, general manager of Emeline said. “Stephanie Forbes' ‘Divine Armor' Collection is the perfect representation of Emeline's inspirations and her connection to Charleston's history and surrounding landscapes. We could not be more excited to showcase her work to our guests.”
The “Divine Armor” Collection is inspired by armor from the 3rd and 4th century worn by Roman soldiers. The collection will feature 10 helmets of salvation displayed on gallery pedestals and three armor busts hung on the wall made with papier-mâché, all of which were constructed using over 100 oyster shells collected from marshes throughout Georgia and South Carolina. Additionally, there will be five oyster paintings and a collection of jewelry. All oysters used were delicately selected and composed carefully to honor the Roman uniform and provide an analogy of the spiritual battle gear during imprisonment by the Roman army.
A native of Augusta, Georgia, Forbes originally managed gallery operations and hosted monthly showcases at Gaartdensity Art Gallery in Augusta and purchased it in 2011. After selling the gallery, she moved on to gain a diverse experience in photography, graphic design and freelance work and eventually attended The Savannah College of Art and Design on a full tuition scholarship, graduating Magna Cum Laude in 2019. She currently resides in Savannah.
The installation will begin on Friday, July 29th, 2022, with an opening reception from 5 pm to 8 pm and be open to the public beginning July 30th, 2022. The program will end on August 30th, 2022, and the collection will be deinstalled.
For more information about Emeline, visit hotelemeline.com. For images of Stephanie Forbes and her work, visit sunshineforbes.com.
