The Asheville Art Museum has acquired works by seven artists from the opening exhibition Appalachia Now! An Interdisciplinary Survey of Contemporary Art in Southern Appalachia for the museum's Collection of American Art of the 20th and 21st centuries.

Appalachia Now! was the inaugural exhibition of the newly renovated museum that celebrated contemporary artists living and working in Southern Appalachia. 

Considering available funds, the museum's curatorial team selected a range of works that reflect the diversity of Appalachia Now! These works were then presented to the Collectors' Circle who voted to acquire them.

"It’s such an honor to be a part of the Asheville Art Museum’s expansion into new media," says Lei Han, who is an associate professor and director of new media at the University of North Carolina at Asheville. "My collaborators and I are grateful for this recognition and we look forward to future collaborations with the museum.”

The artists whose work was acquired: Carolyn Ford, Cornwagon Thunder, Bear Allison, Lei Han, Wayne Hewell, Jerry Maxey, and Akira Satake.

"The Museum looks forward to following the careers of all the Appalachia Now! artists," says Asheville Art Museum Executive Director Pamela Myers. "We are also very thankful for the Collectors' Circle—for their generosity and ongoing support of the Museum, and their dedication to building the Museum's important Collection for the enjoyment of all of our visitors."