Color Me Surprised! Triangle Cultural Art Gallery Is A Hidden Gem
RALEIGH – Most people would not expect to encounter a repository of fine art nestled amongst the Canine Country Club & Pet Hotel and 540 Smoke and Vape. But the Triangle Cultural Art Gallery is a hidden gem in every sense of the word.
The Triangle Cultural Art Gallery (TCAG) has been a project years-in-the-making for the Franklin family. Gallerista Jason Franklin (with whom I spoke) is the co-founder and executive director. His wife Katrina and daughter Ashley are also involved, with the latter playing an increasingly larger role in the endeavor.
An artist himself, Mr. Franklin cites influences as disparate as Walt Disney and Barkley Hendricks. His curations are equally eclectic – and he likes it that way. After all, it’s wiser for a farmer to grow many kinds of crops than to limit herself to one kind. At TCAG, gallerygoers (and prospective buyers) are treated to a polyculture of artworks from around the world.
I wandered near Mr. Franklin’s desk and suddenly was enthralled by the steely graphite gaze of Malcolm X. I ventured further into the backroom studio, whose bounds were adorned with Haitian oil drum art and Adinkra iconography.
Some of Mr. Franklin’s own creations were on display. In Mr. Franklin’s portfolio one can discern common themes of fatherhood (This Life Matters), neighborhood (Conversations), and nationhood (I Am: Happy).
Several other artists are featured at TCAG. Raleigh-based Clarence Heyward has a new exhibit opening in March. While at the gallery, I briefly met abstract painter Onicas Gaddis. I could not help but feel starstruck, despite not knowing who this person was until just then.
TCAG’s strip mall abode, in all its late 80s glory, is not without its quirks. Next door is the Triggle Academy of Irish Dance. Mr. Franklin tells me that during particularly lively jigs, the gallery walls tremble. A cross-cultural experience, indeed!
TCAG, notwithstanding its lofty mission, is first and foremost a business. Mr. Franklin acknowledges the differences between establishing oneself in the for-profit sector versus the non-profit. He and his wife Katrina have invested their paint, sweat, and tears in the gallery, and it seems to have paid off. “We’ve been very fortunate,” says Mr. Franklin.
In 2016, Bloomberg CityLab ranked the Raleigh metro area as having the country’s sixth-highest percentage of Black workers in creative occupations (34.1%) (more here).
Mr. Franklin offers lessons at the gallery ($50 per session) for artists of all colors, ages, and skill levels.
TCAG has an online shop with offerings to accommodate every budget, from $5 to $5,000. Buyers can pick up their masterpiece at the gallery, or have it shipped to them.
In other TCAG news, there will be a Black History Celebration Exhibition between February 3rd and April 3rd. There will be a celebration reception on February 18th from 7-8 PM. The gallery is located in Raleigh at 8320 Litchford Road, Suite 138 (in the Litchford Village Shopping Center, near Food Lion).
The Franklins’ is a digitally-savvy operation, and its social media presence is all-encompassing: Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, YouTube, and yes, even TikTok (@triangleculturalart).
Some have supposed that we are in the midst of a new Black Renaissance. Jason Franklin isn’t so sure – rather, he thinks more people are finally paying attention. The Triangle Cultural Art Gallery certainly has mine!
(Gallery) Triangle Cultural Art Gallery (Photos: Bibi Miller)
