The Greenville County Museum of Art (GCMA) will open “At This Moment: Portraits of South Carolina Artists” on November 12, featuring 78 photographs taken over ten months by photographer Jerry Seigel. Seigel was commissioned by GCMA’s Mark Sloan and Tom Styron to travel across the state and capture portraits of notable artists including Sigmund Abeles, Shepard Fairey, Pearl Fryar, Jonathan Green, Mary Jackson, Jasper Johns, Grainger McKoy, George Read, Brian Rutenberg, Leo Twiggs, and Mary Whyte. The exhibition runs through January 11, 2026, and will be accompanied by a book of the same title containing Seigel’s photos and biographical information on each artist.
The exhibition matters because it offers a rare, focused survey of living South Carolina artists across generations and disciplines, celebrating the state’s visual arts community in a single, cohesive portrait project. By commissioning a dedicated photographer to document these artists in their own environments, GCMA creates a lasting archival record that highlights the cultural contributions of figures ranging from internationally known names like Jasper Johns and Shepard Fairey to regional masters like Pearl Fryar and Mary Jackson. The accompanying book extends the exhibition’s impact beyond the museum walls, serving as a permanent resource for art historians and the public.