Margaret Lane Gallery in Hillsborough debuts two exhibits despite COVID-19 pandemic

Margaret Lane Gallery, located in Hillsborough, is running exhibits with limited hours and slightly modified visitation procedures because of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Co-owner Mary Knox said that precautions are being taken to limit any risk of people getting sick, including hand sanitizer being provided in each room, extra ventilation and air purification. The gallery requires masks in the gallery and on the porch, and they will provide them to anyone who does not have one.

The Margaret Lane Gallery was opened by husband-and-wife duo Mary and David Knox in January 2017. The idea for the gallery sprung from the couple’s desire to display David Knox’s photography work as well as bring in local artists.

“It was an adventure,” Knox said. “It still is.”

The first floor of the gallery is broken up into five main rooms, which helps make social distancing manageable, Knox said. There are two exhibits being shown at the gallery.

The front room of the gallery is currently housing the exhibit “What’s Going On” featuring Debi L. Drew and nine other local artists. The exhibit is inspired by the 1971 Marvin Gaye album that explores issues such as racism, police brutality and war.

“(Those issues) are very pertinent today. So that’s the idea behind the show: what’s going on, well it’s still going on,” Knox said.

Drew said the show was planned last year, when she was inspired by the important and relevant lyrics of the album. 

Since it was initially planned, the United States has now found itself in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic and a reinvigoration of a racial reckoning movement in response to police brutality and the murder of George Floyd.

“The ‘What’s Going On’ show was painful to create, as a Black person being sick and tired of being sick and tired of how we are treated,” Drew said in an email. “However, I knew of no better way to use my God-given talent to speak from my heart about realities all people should be concerned about.”

Each of Drew’s pieces in the exhibit is matched to a song from the album.

“I hope people will check it out and be inspired to have honest conversations about what’s going on in our nation today, and maybe it will help prompt real positive change,” Drew said.

The second exhibit is titled "In My Mind's Eye" and features artist Kevin Flynn Bell. Bell said this exhibit is a representation of the ideas in his head that he had not been putting down on paper during his recent three-year painting hiatus.

“I’ve learned a lot through the years and I’ve seen a lot of things through my life, and I express that through art,” Bell said. “I’m not political with my art, but I want people to be able to enjoy what they see.”

Another restriction posed by COVID-19 is the elimination of the receptions that would normally accompany an exhibit at the gallery. Instead, the gallery has been holding a weekly Meet-the-Artist series.

Knox said these events take place on the porch to allow for social distancing and give people the opportunity to meet the artists and have casual conversation.

“We’ve been enjoying them and the artists have been enjoying them,” Knox said. “They’re a pretty relaxed kind of affair.”

The next Meet-the-Artist event will be with Drew and will take place on this Sunday, Sept. 27, from 12 to 3 p.m.

“Business is down, but at the same time, we’re plugging along,” Knox said. “We hope that people, as they feel comfortable, come through the gallery.”

arts@dailytarheel.com