The Message is Clear: A Mentored Photography Exhibition

The City of Charleston’s Office of Cultural Affairs announces The Message is Clear: A Mentored Photography Exhibition on view at City Gallery February 20-May 3, 2026. The Message is Clear presents the work of nine photographers—Toyia Brown, Rush Dixon, Ben Egelson, Kirsten Hoving, KELA, Grace Kreider, Jackie Levesque, Rome, and Vito—who participated in an intensive mentorship program with internationally renowned photographer Nigel Parry. This exhibition represents a distinctive model that pairs artistic development with professional recognition, showcasing both the transformative mentorship process and the compelling bodies of work that emerged from it. This exhibition is made possible through the support of Redux Contemporary Art Center, who will be printing all selected works. An opening reception will be held on Friday, February 20 from 5-7pm; it is free and open to all.

Through two in-person sessions, Parry guided each photographer to examine an essential question: What message does your work convey? The first meeting challenged the artists to articulate the intentions behind their images with precision and clarity. Following this foundational dialogue, the photographers created work that reflected their refined vision. In the second session, Parry and the artists engaged in deeper critical discussion, collaboratively curating bodies of work that authentically represent each photographer’s distinct artistic voice and purpose.

The resulting exhibition features work by both emerging and established artists, each pursuing their own vision while unified by a commitment to intentionality and clarity of message. The Message is Clear invites viewers to engage with photographs that are deliberate in their construction, meaningful in their content, and refined through rigorous artistic dialogue.

About the Mentor

Nigel Parry is an internationally acclaimed photographer whose distinguished career spans editorial, fine art, and commercial photography. His work has appeared in major publications including Vanity Fair, The New York Times Magazine, and Rolling Stone, and is held in the collections of the National Portrait Galleries in both Washington, DC and London. Parry’s portraits of cultural icons and world leaders have become part of the contemporary photographic canon, while his dream-like, abstract landscapes were featured in a solo exhibition at City Gallery in 2024.