Outside the French Quarter—but still in downtown Charleston—you’ll find some of the city’s more forward-thinking art galleries, like the Rebekah Jacob Gallery (RJG). Jacob is a consummate and dedicated gallery owner who tirelessly seeks out the very finest art of the American South. Focusing on painting and photography, RJG represents artists like William Christenberry, Gary Geboy, Kevin Taylor, and Pinkney Herbert. “Our goals is to represent the rich fine art of the American South with both an appreciation of its past, and a fierce eye on its future,” Jacob says. An additional focus for Jacob is historic and contemporary Cuban photography—she spent time in the country in the 1990s, and has acquired a large collection of images of Che Guevara and Fidel Castro, among other historic figures, from the Cuban Revolution. RJG’s March show will highlight artists Charlie McAlister, Kevin Taylor, and John Pundt, who work together in an arts commune on James Island, near the city of Charleston. Jacob is very enthusiastic about the multimedia exhibition. “They have all been like brothers with an art cause for many years, and one can see the influence they’ve had on each other,” she says. “It’s a tripartite collaboration of sorts.”
Elizabeth Pandolfi for Art and Antiques Magazine, March 2015