Two New Exhibitions Debut at The Mint Museum This Fall
- Michele Huggins
- Jun 4
- 3 min read
Charlotte, North Carolina (June 3, 2026)—The Mint Museum is proud to debut two new exhibitions in fall 2026 focused on the talent of two artist. The first exhibition, Corey Pemberton: Living Well, opens September 19 at Mint Museum Uptown, and features mixed-media works by Los Angeles-based contemporary artist Corey Pemberton.
The second exhibition, Brilliant by Design: The Handbags of Judith Leiber, opens October 24 at Mint Museum Randolph, features fashion-forward designs by Holocaust survivor and and luxury brand creator Judith Leiber.
Opening September 19 | Mint Museum Uptown at Levine Center for the Arts
Corey Pemberton: Living Well includes more than 70 works, including painting, collage, glass, quilts and textile designs created by Los Angeles-based artist Corey Pemberton.
Living Well references the central theme of the show, one that dominates Pemberton’s two-dimensional work: paintings of highly designed living spaces that reveal something about the figures that fill the frame. Primarily people of color and LGBTQI+ identifying, Pemberton’s subjects are not historically seen in the museum context, says Jen Sudul Edwards, PhD, chief curator and curator of Contemporary Art at The Mint Museum.
“I realize and want to talk about the fact that like the black experience, the queer experience is really diverse and textured and varied; it doesn't look one way,” Pemberton notes.
Pemberton splits his time between making art and the nonprofit arts organization Crafting the Future that provides artists of color opportunities through residencies, grants, scholarships, and a supportive community. Through his work, he strives to break down stereotypes and unite people of all backgrounds and identities together.
Corey Pemberton: Living Well at the Mint marks a career milestone as it is his first solo museum presentation and catalogue, offering an in-depth look at the technical skill, material sensitivity, and creative voice that define his practice.
Pemberton, who has completed a Core Fellowship at the Penland School of Crafts and will be a McColl Center resident in Charlotte beginning in August, has exhibited at the Robert and Frances Fullerton Museum of Art and The Contemporary Museum of Art in Raleigh. He also has work in the permanent collections of The Museum of Art and Design; The Museum of Fine Arts, Boston; and The Chrysler Museum of Art.
Opening October 24 Mint Museum Randolph
Brilliant by Design: The Handbags of Judith Leiber celebrates the extraordinary artistry, technical mastery, and imagination behind the iconic handbags of Judith Leiber. Inspired by a recent gift to The Mint Museum, this exhibition brings together more than 100 handbags and accessories designed by Leiber, presented alongside fashions from The Mint Museum’s collection.
Born Judith Petö in Budapest, Hungary, in 1921, Leiber came of age in a Europe increasingly shaped by antisemitism. Originally planning to study chemistry in London, her ambitions were interrupted by the outbreak of World War II. Instead, she entered the handbag guild—one of the few professional paths open to Jews in Hungary at the time. Beginning as the only female apprentice in the guild, she rose to become a master craftswoman, developing the meticulous technical skills that would later define her career.
Working first in leather and later pioneering metal minaudières (a small, hard-sided, jewel-like evening handbag) often covered in Swarovski crystals, Leiber produced handbags that were sculptural, whimsical, and technically dazzling with designs ranging from fantastical animals to architectural inspirations. Several rare examples are included in the exhibition, such as a purse constructed from an actual shell and a box inspired by a Tiffany mosaic ceiling.
“Fashion, accessories, crystals, and leather converge in this exhibition exploring the life and legacy of Judith Leiber. Brilliant by Design: The Handbags of Judith Leiber brings her incredible life to the fore, telling the story of how she survived the Holocaust to become one of America’s most inventive handbag designers,” says Bridget Kerr, fashion fellow at The Mint Museum and the exhibition curator.
Ticket Information
Admission to The Mint Museum is free for members, youths 18 and younger, and college art students; $15 for adults; and $10 for college students with ID, seniors ages 65 and older, and teachers. For museum hours, visit mintmuseum.org.
ABOUT THE MINT MUSEUM
The Mint Museum, established in 1936, is North Carolina's first art museum. With locations in Uptown Charlotte and Randolph Road, it offers a diverse range of exhibitions and educational programs, aiming to inspire and engage the community through art.
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