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4 The Southeastern Center for Contemporary Art (SECCA) is proud to present “ IF THESE WALLS COULD TALK,” an exhibition of site-specific mural installations by William Downs, Neka King, and Raj Bunnag, on view September 21 through December 31, 2023, in SECCA’s Potter Gallery.

5 June 27, 2023, is not likely to be a day FRED LOPEZ will forget. It is the day he became a naturalized American citizen during a ceremony held in Charlotte. His older brother Johan Mendez Lopez was there to witness the event.

6 The RiverRun International Film Festival and Temple Emanuel have joined forces to present a pair of film screenings at Marketplace Cinemas, 2095 Peters Creek Parkway, Winston-Salem — both of which will feature award-winning filmmaker DANI MENKIN in attendance to introduce the films.

7 Most of all, The King (Richard Petty) has used his notoriety to help others, especially through The Petty Family Foundation which supports non-profit groups that serve everyone from wounded veterans to at-risk youth. The Foundation’s signature charity is VICTORY JUNCTION, a camp for kids with chronic medical conditions...

8 The latest, MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE — DEAD RECKONING PART ONE isn’t one of the best, but it’s good enough. It’s the seventh overall and as the title implies, the first half of the franchise’s purported swan song.

15 The Office of Community Safety is launching a new initiative that they hope will show that Greensboro residents will not tolerate the uptick in violence throughout their communities. The city’s Peace on Purpose pledge hopes to collect 10,000 signed pledge cards by Saturday, September 23, asking residents to remain “on purpose” in the pursuit to REDUCE VIOLENCE

16 Nashville firecracker HANNAH DASHER is bringing her country flair and big ol’ hair to Steel Hands Brewing for their free Nashville Nights concerts series on August 3.

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The Southeastern Center for Contemporary Art (SECCA) is proud to present “If These Walls Could Talk,” an exhibition of site-specific mural installations by William Downs, Neka King, and Raj Bunnag, on view September 21 through December 31, 2023, in SECCA’s Potter Gallery. An opening reception with the artists and curator Maya Brooks will be held Thursday, September 21, from 6 to 8 pm. Admission is free and open to the public.For centuries, murals served as visual representations of complex social and political commentary in accessible spaces. Creatives placed their work on public structures, in civic centers, among other prominent areas, to communicate relevant critiques of everyday life. This documentation of contemporary issues connected individual experiences across race, gender, and religion, providing a tangible record of shared existence.

“If These Walls Could Talk” upholds the relationship between mural art and public institutions with site-specific works by Durham, NC-based artist Raj Bunnag and Atlanta, GA-based artists William Downs and Neka King. Each of these artists engages graphic techniques that range from line drawing to printmaking, paralleling traditional mural applications that require a xing materials directly onto a wall. Ultimately, their stylized depictions of people and landscapes envelop viewers in an illustrative social analysis of present and sometimes future concepts.

“If These Walls Could Talk” also marks the Winston-Salem curatorial debut of Maya Brooks, the assistant curator of contemporary art serving both SECCA and the North Carolina Museum of Art in Raleigh. “I am most excited about this exhibition because it builds upon a long-standing human tradition of sharing ideas and building communities through public expression,” said Brooks. “Although distinctly contemporary in style and focus, this exhibition feels timeless because of the artists’ ability to reference the di erent layers of history that have altered our present and, possibly, our future experiences.”

Learn more about the exhibition and upcoming programs at SECCA.org.

Neka King is an illustrator and muralist who contrasts minimalism with bold patterns to create energetic compositions across digital platforms, print-based media, and physical sites. King’s installations often relate to her experiences across intersecting identities, which guide her creative practices and installation projects. King received her BFA in Studio Arts with a concentration in Textile Arts from the Ernest G. Welch School of Art and Design at Georgia State University in 2016. She has worked extensively with public and private partners, collaborating on projects with corporations like Nike, H&M, Refinery29, and AT&T at Mercedes Benz Stadium. The artist’s website is nnekkaa.com.

William Downs’ practice varies from drawing, painting, and printmaking to experimenting with installation and three-dimensional studies. The line is his current notable element, which he considers paradoxically fundamental and surreal based on its infinite capabilities. Downs received a Multidisciplinary MFA from the Mount Royal School of Art at the Maryland Institute College of Art, Baltimore, and a BFA in Painting and Printmaking from the Atlanta College of Art and Design. Downs has exhibited at venues nationally and abroad, with institutions like The High Museum of Art, The Birmingham Museum of Art, and The Smithsonian Museum of Art collecting his work. The artist’s website is williamedowns.com.

Raj Bunnag is a Thai American artist living and working in Durham, North Caro-