• S H O R T S H O R T S
An exhibition highlighting the importance of water comes to Wrightsville Beach
IN its many shapes
and forms, water
acts as a source
of strength, relax-ation,
inspiration, and
even activism.
Starting in early
December, Wrightsville
Beach Museum, in part-nership
with the North
Carolina Humanities
Council, will host “Water/
Ways,” a traveling exhi-bition
The Ways of Water
By VERA WILSON
from the Smithsonian. The purpose is to celebrate and
explore the relationship of water to a community, not only as a
necessity but as an important cultural element.
The exhibit’s sizable panels use photographs and text to
explore water in its pristine state, and to highlight man’s use of
water as a vast playground. The vital role that water takes in com-merce
and agriculture is also showcased, from the lone fisherman
to large-scale industry.
It’s easy to understand why Wrightsville Beach Museum was
chosen as one of only six stops in the state to host the exhibit.
“Our region is particu-larly
married to the water
because we are on the
river and the ocean,” says
Madeline Flagler, the
museum’s executive direc-tor.
She notes that without
the museum’s new addi-tion,
the 1924 Bordeaux
Cottage, there wouldn’t
have been space for the
700-square-foot display.
Local institutions
including the University of North Carolina Wilmington and the
Surfrider Foundation are working with the museum to present
complementary exhibits and educational initiatives to further
engage the community about the importance of water to our
region. Local artists’ renderings of waterbirds will accompany the
exhibit and be available for purchase, with a portion of the pro-ceeds
benefiting the museum.
The exhibit and outreach programs, collectively called “Cape Fear
Water Stories: The River and the Sea,” run from December 4 through
January 18. Visit the museum’s website for more information.
Above: The “Water/Ways” exhibit explores mankind’s relationship with water in photographs and text. Top: The Potomac and
Shenandoah rivers converge at Harpers Ferry, West Virginia.
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MARK VAN DYKE PHOTOGRAPHY/SHUTTERSTOCK.COM
COURTESY MUSEUM ON MAIN STREET