The Ackland’s Music in the Galleries provides music for the eyes –

On Sunday afternoon, music echoed through the halls of the Ackland Art Museum as attendees of the Music in the Galleries pop-up music expo explored poster archives and artist-printed books, courtesy of UNC’s Southern Folklife Collection and the Sloane Art Library.

Admission into the Ackland is always free and open to the public — events like Music in the Galleries included. Sunday’s exhibit was organized with a musical theme that carried over into the materials for people to explore: music posters and books by musicians were featured in the museum, while local musicians and DJs played live for guests. Distinct from other Ackland exhibitions, attendees on Sunday could physically interact with some of the art. 

Allison Portnow Lathrop, head of public programs at the Ackaland, said the museum has previously hosted this event, but each Music in the Galleries is a little bit different. Sunday’s exhibition focusing on Southern folklore and local history.

Specifically, librarians from UNC’s Southern Folklife Collection brought music posters from local artists over the past several decades. Some of these posters were placed on tables for attendees to get close to, so they could see the level of complexity artists put into designing and producing them. 

“I think it always adds something to your experience at the Ackland, to be able to have that live music element and to see how other kinds of artists, in this case musicians, respond to a certain exhibition,” Portnow Lathrop said. 

John Harrison and Benjamin Felton, members of the two-person band Tacoma Park, performed a mix of improvisational beats and songs from their upcoming record for about an hour. As people dropped in to listen, they sat and reveled in the melodies while watching Harrison and Felton work with various instruments such as keyboards, synthesizers, guitars and pedals. 

Additionally, the pair was illuminated by a projection of videos and images on the wall behind them, which they said was inspired by the museum’s collections. These images were cut into different shapes or layered on top of one another, giving it a surrealist feeling. The combination of visual and auditory elements together created an intimate and relaxing atmosphere for guests. 

Harrison and Felton said that while they knew the audience was there, they did not notice specific people and got lost in the music. Despite not knowing who was in the room or when, it was the sense of community that they particularly enjoyed. 

“I think people making a point to come here and sit down and be comfortable on a Sunday afternoon,” Felton said. “It just felt like we were all sort of experiencing this thing, doing this thing together. I think that’s really nice and it’s a testament to this community.”

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