Artist brings worldly art style back to the South

Artist Damian Stamer wants to reconnect with his Southern roots, which he is hoping to find in UNC’s Love House.

As a local artist and UNC graduate student, Stamer said he is bringing his worldly, contemporary painting style back to his home state of North Carolina.

Stamer is showcasing a new set of landscape paintings in the Center for the Study of the American South entitled “Overgrown.”

Stamer said his inspiration for this exhibit draws on many childhood memories and flashbacks of growing up in Durham and the Triangle area.

“I see the paintings as artifacts of a Southern history — my history,” Stamer said.

“I hope this exhibit will open up a wider discourse and a broader cultural conversation about the South.”

Thursday night, a reception was held for the exhibit, with Stamer presenting the work at an artist’s talk.

Jeff Whetstone, an assistant professor in the art department at UNC, introduced Stamer to those who attended the reception.

Whetstone, also the director of graduate studies in the art department, said he recruited Stamer to pursue his Master of Fine Arts degree at UNC.

He said Stamer has a very successful New York and international art career.

Stamer recently moved back to Chapel Hill from Brooklyn, N.Y., to reconnect with the local community.

“For him to be a grad student at UNC is not only evidence of the prestige of our program, but also evidence for the entire international scene,” Whetstone said.

“I hope people who see the exhibit can see how a young and accomplished artist is trying to reintegrate a style that can sometimes be called sentimental and nostalgic.”

About a year ago, Stamer was commissioned by the Center for the Study of the American South to create a few paintings to hang up in the Love House, where the center is based.

Dana Di Maio, administrative manager and events coordinator at the center, said he first saw Stamer’s work in Endeavors magazine.

He said from then on he knew Stamer’s work would be a good fit for the center.
“It is difficult to define Southern art,” Di Maio said.

“But with Damian’s work, it’s pretty easy to define it because his artwork is clearly inspired by his childhood in the South.”

Stamer said he believes he can be a new voice on the landscape, and perhaps inspire others to represent where they are from in their art.

“Growing up, I really got excited seeing paintings that inspired me,” he said.

“If I can give that to someone else, that’s a great gift.”

Contact the desk editor at arts@dailytarheel.com.