August 9, 2023

Just as unique as the visionary artist St. EOM himself, an upcoming joint art exhibition by the Bo Bartlett Center and Pasaquan will present St. EOM's work in dialogue with contemporary artists. So remarkable, in fact, is "Unstuck in Time: St. EOM, Pasaquan, Here, Now" that the exhibition's opening will span two days and two locations: Friday, Sept. 15 at the Bo Bartlett Center in Columbus, and Saturday, Sept. 16 on the Pasaquan grounds in Buena Vista.

At the heart of the exhibition lies the enduring legacy of St. EOM, born Eddie Owens Martin, whose visionary creation, Pasaquan, has become an emblem of artistic expression and spiritual exploration. The two programs from Columbus State University are coming together to honor St. EOM's groundbreaking ideas and the ongoing relevance of his work and life in the present day.

“As visitors journey through ‘Unstuck in Time,’ they will traverse an artistic landscape that blurs the lines between past and present, tradition and innovation,” explained Mike McFalls (pictured at Pasaquan), who serves as director of both the Bo Bartlett Center and Pasaquan, as well as a professor in the Department of Art. “We’re excited about bringing together both of these locations to offer a multi-dimensional experience where art, spirituality and culture intertwine in perfect harmony.”

The two-day opening weekend event takes place Sept 15-16 and begins on Friday evening at the Bo Bartlett Center, and resumes Saturday evening at Pasaquan:

• Friday, Sept. 15, 6 p.m. to 8 p.m., The Bo Bartlett Center, Columbus: Opening Reception and Performance by Sonic Mud
• Saturday, Sept. 16, 5:03 p.m. to sunset, Pasaquan, Buena Vista: Premier and Performance of Commissioned Work by New Future City Radio (Damon Locks and Rob Mazurek); performance by Sonic Mud

The exhibition not only unites the Bo Bartlett Center and Pasaquan but blends a diverse group of artists and artistic media — from painting to music and from sculpture to ceramics. The artists were carefully chosen not just for their visual resonance with St. EOM's work, but for their shared vision, dedication to their craft, and belief that art can transcend the present by opening portals to envision new possibilities and worlds. 

“Art has the power to dissolve barriers, foster inclusivity and spark conversations about the human condition, identity and spirituality,” McFalls said. “Pasaquan and St. EOM’s legacy is indicative of the power of artistic expression to transcend time, forge connections across generations, and ignite dialogues about our shared human experience.”

Participating artists include Ryan Akers, David Onri Anderson, Merrilee Challiss, Julia Elsas, Erik Frydenborg, Leia Genis, Sonya Yong James, St. EOM (aka Eddie Owens Martin), Robert Morgan, New Future City Radio (Damon Locks and Rob Mazurek), Sarah Peters, Sonic Mud (Julia Elsas, Kenny Wollesen, Kirk Knuffke, Madeleine Ventrice), and Sergio Suarez.

This exhibition is curated by The Fuel and Lumber Company — founded by artists Amy Pleasant and Pete Schulte in Birmingham, Alabama — to facilitate exhibitions and related programming in the Southeast and beyond. Through their distinct artistic voices, these curators pay homage to the spirit of Pasaquan and St. EOM's profound artistic legacy.

Eddie Owens Martin (pictured), later known as St. EOM, established the visionary art site Pasaquan in the 1950s — inspired to do so by a vision from the future that instructed him to leave New York and to “return to Georgia and do something.” That “something” became the immersive, internationally recognized, seven-acre visionary art environment in Buena Vista.

The Pasaquan artscape includes six buildings adorned inside and out with vibrant colors and bold patterns comprised of human figures and nature imagery. The remainder of the space includes painted concrete walls connecting the buildings, sculptural elements, and thousands of St. EOM’s other artistic artifacts.

Columbus State assumed ownership of Pasaquan in 2014, and Department of Art students and faculty have worked alongside the Pasaquan Preservation Society since then to restore the site. Pasaquan is on the U.S. National Register of Historic Places.

The exhibition will run through Saturday, Dec. 16. It is available to visitors at no charge during the center’s operating hours, which are Tuesday through Saturday from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. 

For more information about "Unstuck in Time: St. EOM, Pasaquan, Here, Now" and the center’s other exhibitions, visit bartlettcenter.columbusstate.edu.

Media contact:
Joshua Newbend, Bo Bartlett Center gallery coordinator, 706.569.4099, newbend_joshua@columbusstate.edu 

Relevant news coverage:
Sneak Peek: Three new exhibitions open at 'The Bo' in Columbus (Ledger-Enquirer, Sept. 15, 2023)