NCCU Art Museum

Common Threads: The Art of Charles Joyner

NCCU Art Museum presents "Common Threads: The Art of Charles Joyner," an exhibition highlighting the creative practice, cultural research, and artistic vision of Charles Joyner, an artist and educator whose work explores the connections between African and African American histories, traditions, and experiences. 

On view from August 4 through October 18, 2026, this exhibition offers students, alumni, and the broader community an opportunity to engage with the work of an artist whose career has been deeply connected to teaching, research, and cultural exchange. The exhibition reflects Charles Joyner’s exploration of identity, ancestry, spirituality, and shared histories through layered mixed-media compositions that combine photography, collage, painting, and printmaking. 

Drawing inspiration from more than 15 years of travel and teaching in Ghana, West Africa, Charles Joyner incorporates imagery, symbols, and patterns influenced by West African textiles, crafts, architecture, and traditions. His work creates visual connections between cultures, emphasizing the enduring threads that link African and African American communities. 

An opening reception featuring the artist will be held on Wednesday, October 7, 2026, from 4 to 6 p.m., providing visitors an opportunity to meet Charles Joyner and learn more about the ideas and experiences that inform his work. This image is a detail of Charles Joyner’s Homage to Gee’s Bend #11. 

9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Tuesday through Friday

2 p.m. to 4 p.m. on Sunday

Admission is free.


North Carolina Central University
1801 Fayetteville St, Durham, NC 27707
919-530-6211

About the NCCU Art Museum

Building Cultural Pride by Preserving and Collecting Works of Art

The creation of a museum for North Carolina Central University was a goal in the college's early days.  Founder and President James E. Shepard understood the importance of the fine arts in building cultural pride by preserving and collecting works of art.

1,300

Pieces in Our Permanent Collection

16

Art Museum Publications

5

Special Exhibits Each Academic Year

About Our Permanent Collection

The museum’s permanent collection contains works by three major 19th-century African-American artists: Robert S. Duncanson, Edward M. Bannister and Henry Ossawa Tanner. The 20th century is represented by significant artists from the Harlem Renaissance of the 1920s and the WPA period of the 1930s. Among them are Richmond Barthe, Romare Bearden, Elizabeth Catlett and Jacob Lawrence

Exhibition Schedule

Welcome to a museum experience like no other – where curiosity meets inspiration. Embark on a captivating journey through time and culture at our museum, where each exhibit tells a unique story waiting to be explored.

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