Page 3 - EOMS Catalog 1st Edition 2015

Today, America’s downtowns have changed drastically. The creation of the interstate highway system and the subsequent sprawl of suburbs transformed American life, communities and leisure time.
Sadly, historic downtown businesses began to close or simply relocate to enclosed shopping malls. As many storefronts became empty, a circle of urban decline began. Boarded up buildings attracted graffiti and crime, reinforcing the public’s perception that they were not worth saving.
Wilson’s downtown was once the “World’s Largest Tobacco Market” where merchants and traders from around the world converged and the local community frequented the downtown which was a vibrant, living space.
On May 9, 2015, Nash Street, the main street of Wilson, North Carolina will be transformed into a vibrant gallery of large-scale photographs. One hundred prominent and emerging photographers from 24 countries have joined forces to help revitalize Historic Downtown Wilson. The exhibition, curated by Jerome De Perlinghi and co-curated by Catherine Lloyd and Régina Monfort, focuses on the theme of “Main Street” as interpreted by the individual photographers. “Photographers do not need words as they write with light,” states De Perlinghi who also serves as the artistic director of the festival.
Our hope is to revive the sense of community that all main streets engender whether in Wilson, Warsaw or Windhoek. Preserving the historic buildings that line Wilson’s main street is also a goal. “Eyes on Main Street celebrates the ‘Think global, act local’ concept,” says photographer and co-curator Régina Monfort.
Main streets stand for our shared humanity, memories of a time that once was and the beating heart of our communities. In that spirit, the festival organizers are proud to present an equal number of men and women photographers. The one hundred images will be displayed on storefront windows, spanning six city blocks. According to co-curator Catherine Lloyd, Eyes on Main Street challenges the boundaries of traditional exhibits and redefines common perceptions of whom art is for.
Artistic Director
Jerome De Perlinghi