Colby Caldwell (American, born 1965), once a student of history, has tested virtually every avenue of the personal uses of photography as an instrument of memory.

While his early work replicated the theatrical feeling of 19th Century "drawing with light," his most recent efforts deconstruct the very elements of digital photography. Along the way he abandoned the traditional matted and framed photographic print by utilizing direct scans and large format digital printers before mounting his prints on constructed forms and coating them in wax. Colby’s unique presentation and the boldness of his imagery give the work the scale and presence of painting. 

over & under, his most recent solo show, opened at HEMPHILL in Washington, DC in May of 2022. A review in the Washington Post commented, “Caldwell communes with the forest as he denatures it, conveying the threat to the natural world in partly mangled images.” His work is featured in the newly published, “The Art of the State” book that surveys contemporary art in his home state of North Carolina. The book is published by the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, and edited by Liza Roberts. Currently, Colby is working on a site-specific installation at the North Carolina Museum of Art, which will open to the public in summer of 2025.

Colby was a tenured Professor of Art at St. Mary’s College of Maryland from 2002-2013. He moved to Asheville, NC in 2013. In 2015, he co-founded REVOLVE (which is celebrating its 10th year) an art hub that hosts and encourages trans-media work. Colby also is a founding member of Photo+. 

Revolve is a contemporary art space that functions as part gallery, part studio, part performance and gathering space. We host exhibitions, events, and happenings that push the boundaries between artist and audience. Our intention is focused on representing creative energies on a foundation of inclusion, accessibility and experimentation. We are volunteer-run by artists who believe in the power of community. We are committed to being a space that is sustainable for art while remaining accessible for all.

Our mission is to support the varied creative folks of Western North Carolina, as well as regions beyond, to represent many different communities and forms of expression. In doing so, we hope to build a community with connections to an intellectual landscape that reaches beyond our mountain borders.