Art show at Camp North End showcases bodies as canvas

What’s happening: The Charlotte-based artist’s first solo show, “2’s of a Woman” will feature his paintings on the backs of 18 models. The one-night only show is Saturday, Jan. 28, at Camp North End (201 Camp Road Suite 107).

Details: Doors open at 5:45pm. Tickets are $100 and are all-inclusive. James Beard nominated chef Sam Hart of Counter- will create the food for the event. Plus, there will be musical guests, including Lute, Rapsody and BLK ODYSSY.

• The models will be painted and photographed that morning. The photos will be for sale for $222 per print. A QR code will be next to each model at the show to purchase the prints.
• Models will be dressed from the waist to the thigh and their chests will be covered.

Why it matters: Most artists cannot afford to spend $100 on canvas when they’re starting out, Zombie said.

• The back of one of his friends was one of his first canvases, back when he really started tapping into visual arts while living in Los Angeles.

The big picture: Zombie wants to defy the notion that art is only worth something if it’s on a traditional canvas, and demonstrate that his work has value — whether it’s on a piano, car, guitar or any other surface.

• “A lot of these items in people’s homes they have an emotional connection to, for example with pianos, I have so many emotional and close stories with my clients about how it was in their family for generations,” he said.

• Some pieces have been in the family for generations and the owners just don’t know what to do with them. But by turning them into art, Zombie gives people a new connection to the piece.

Context: You’re probably seen Frankie Zombie’s work around town. He’s was one of the artists who painted the Black Lives Matter mural on Tryon Street in June 2020.

• His work has been featured at the Mint Museum, and he has led classes at the Harvey B. Gantt Center.
• He was recently featured on the Magnolia Network series “Artfully Designed” with interior designer Natalie Papier and muralist Racheal Jackson.