“Charles ‘Charly’ Jupiter Hamilton: A Retrospective” to go on Display at the Clay Center for the Arts & Sciences

CHARLES “CHARLY” JUPITER HAMILTON: A RETROSPECTIVE TO GO ON DISPLAY AT THE CLAY CENTER FOR THE ARTS & SCIENCES

Exhibit to highlight the lively, provocative work of the beloved Charleston artist

CHARLESTON, WV (June 6, 2024) – The Clay Center for the Arts & Sciences of West Virginia is proud to announce a new art exhibition titled “Charles ‘Charly’ Jupiter Hamilton: A Retrospective.” The exhibition, which examines Hamilton’s entire artistic career, drawing on private and public collections as well as archival materials, will be on display in the Juliet Art Museum at the Clay Center from June 20 through September 8, 2024.

Hamilton, a beloved Charleston artist who passed away in September 2021, is known for his lively and provocative work. His art can be seen throughout Charleston, in homes and businesses, decorating buildings and pillars. This includes 16 pieces in the Clay Center’s permanent collection, the three piers mural under the I-64 overpass, the West Side “Wonder Mural”, the Charly Bench Project, and many others.

"Charly’s impact can be felt across the artistic community of our entire region but especially the greater Charleston area,” said Elizabeth Simmons, Curator of Art & Engagement at the Clay Center. “There’s not a person who has driven or walked through Charleston who hasn’t witnessed the vibrant, unique artistic footprint that Charly left behind.”

The exhibition opening will be celebrated on June 20 from 7 PM to 9 PM at Art After Dark at the Clay Center. The celebration will be held during FestivALL, one of Hamilton’s favorite events, with a performance by his friends, the Carpenter Ants. Further educational programming is planned throughout the run of the exhibition, including a Gallery Listen where community members can tell stories about Hamilton; a printmaking workshop inspired by his work in this media; and a screening of the 2021 HBO documentary "Our Towns," which profiled the artist.

Charles ‘Charly’ Jupiter Hamilton: A Retrospective is presented with support from the Bernard H. & Blanche E. Jacobson Foundation, Charles & Mary Fayne Glotfelty Foundation, Daywood Foundation, Elliot Family Foundation, Fund for the Arts, and Herscher Foundation, Inc. The Clay Center’s performing and visual arts offerings are presented with financial assistance from the West Virginia Department of Arts, Culture, and History, and the National Endowment for the Arts, with approval from the West Virginia Commission on the Arts.

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Clay Center for the Arts & Sciences of West Virginia

The Clay Center for the Arts & Sciences of West Virginia, a not-for-profit located in Charleston, WV,  is a 240,000-square-foot structure that houses performing arts, visual arts, and sciences all under one roof—one of the few of its kind in the country. At the Clay Center, we’re on a mission to ignite the imaginations of all who visit, offering a multitude of experiences that captivate, educate, and entertain.