HIGH POINT, N.C., Feb. 13, 2015 – Photographs of vintage movie theaters from across North Carolina that were taken by Benita VanWinkle, assistant professor of art at High Point University, will be on display at the High Point Museum Feb. 19 – April 18. The exhibit is a selection of a larger body of work, titled “Please Remain Standing,” which includes images taken across the United States. This selection of the theater exhibit will be traveling for the next two years to several venues across North Carolina.
“I am very excited to have this new body of work on display at the High Point Museum. They are a wonderful entity for this community and are so supportive and encouraging to work with,” says VanWinkle. “The museum is a powerhouse of incredible resources, energy and community spirit. I am so thankful and honored to be working with them.”
For the past 30 years, VanWinkle has traveled from Alaska to California, Florida to New York and many places in between photographing vintage movie theaters and the nostalgia held inside their walls. The title of the exhibit comes from her own childhood memories of the Carib Theater in Clearwater, Florida, where she grew up. Before each movie began, the owner of the theater would ask the audience to “please remain standing” for the pledge of allegiance.
“I have photographed these theaters to try and preserve some sense of the architecture, as well as the memories of attending one of these community treasures,” says VanWinkle. “As multiplex malls and pay-for-view movies moved in, more and more one-screen theaters have lost their audience. Today there is something of a resurgence, of appreciation for these lovely buildings and their character is beginning to be appreciated. I am hoping to publish a book to collect personal memories, share stories and preserve the theaters.”
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