Savannah, Ga.––The Jepson Center for the Arts in Savannah, Georgia, will feature one ground-breaking artist from the present and another from the past when it presents simultaneous exhibits of art by Luther E. Vann and photographs, taken by the late Nickolas Muray, of legendary Mexican painter Frida Kahlo.

The one-man show of Vann’s work, titled “Elemental,” will be the first by the artist at the Jepson Center and will run from April 16 to August 17, 2008. The Kahlo exhibit is titled “Through the Lens of Nickolas Muray,” and will run from April 16 to June 15, 2008.  

“Kahlo’s imagination and the freedom she allowed herself to express it is what I admire most about her work,” said Vann. “I also appreciate the energy of surrealism that you find in some of her images. The fact that my art is hanging at the same time as Muray’s photographs of her make me feel like I’m in good company and I hope she feels the same way (smiles).”

Many of the paintings scheduled to hang in Vann’s “Elemental” exhibit are currently slated for publication in a book of the same name. In addition to his art, the title includes corresponding poetry by Aberjhani, author of “The Bridge of Silver Wings” and co-author of “Encyclopedia of the Harlem Renaissance” (Facts On File). He maintains a profile page on Creative Thinkers International and an online art store at http://stores.lulu.com/luthervannartforlife

Muray’s photographs of Kahlo were taken prior to her fame as an artist and the wife of Diego Rivera, also celebrated for his art and born in Mexico.   

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A big part of the fun of entering a New Year is making a list of noble resolutions, some of which we work hard to keep and some of which become lost causes shortly after midnight on New Year’s Eve. Another part of the fun is making lists of people and events likely to stand out as the New Year 2008 unfolds. This blog introduces my list of  Books and Authors to Watch in 2008 . Rest assured that the list, maintained on my Amazon author profile page, is an evolving one.

One of the first things some of you will notice when reviewing my 2008 canon is that neither of my own two new releases, The Bridge of Silver Wings and Christmas When Music Almost Killed the World , are on it. Does this mean I don’t expect my own humble offerings to make any kind of impact in some corner of our beautiful world at some point in 2008? It certainly does not; only that these titles have not yet made it into Amazon’s book catalogue (yes I am working on it). Please rest assured that upon their inclusion, they will take their proper place on the honor roll barring any unforeseen glitches.

Secondly, you may notice the list contains some fairly well-known names, at least one famous but perhaps unexpected name, and some others that are not so well known at this point. That’s a good thing because it indicates a number of excellent writers are still producing excellent work and a variety of relatively new voices are presenting the world with fresh stories, perspectives, and insights worth our full attention. Rather than include a summary of the list here, I invite you to click on the link provided and enjoy an early harvest of selections from this year’s literary crop. 

As I said before, making such a list is fun but it’s also important. Why? Because despite the nonstop forward march of the digital revolution, people still turn to books for reading experiences that inform, empower, and generally enhance their lives. So it’s good to have some idea about what’s out there to help them/us do exactly that. In the event the above link does not work, please click or paste the following: http://www.amazon.com/Books-and-Authors-to-Watch-in-2008/lm/R1H643PYYGUJ1L/ref=cm_rna_own_lm

 
Author-Poet Aberjhani
Books and Authors to Watch in 2008