Jacques Menache & Associates PO BOX 1028 Hillsborough, North Carolina 27278
ABOUT JACQUES MENACHE
Jacques was born in Paris in 1948 and grew up and in the Belleville neighborhood (photo of 117 rue de Belleville) through the second grade. In 1955 the family moved to Mexico city (the land of opportunity then). Jacques and his sister Monique attended the french highschool Liceo Franco Mexicano ( photo of LFM 1956) and grew up in a large french colony there (maybe started since the times of Maximilian).
After a hesitant step towards a scientific career, Jacques opted for Art school and enrolled into the University's art progam: Academia San Carlos, located in a historic building behind the Zocalo where many mexican artists of renown started their careers. Jacques was lucky to apprentice under Siqueiros ( photo of mural by DAS) climb scaffolds, weld metal, and learn art with the best teachers.
In 1968, during the Olympics in Mexico, Jacques was part of the Tlatelolco student upheaval( photo of the shooting) and narrowly escaped the bullets, courtesy of the then President, Diaz Ordaz.
It was right after that Jacques met Amy Abernethy from Chapel Hill, North Carolina (she'd come for summer school at the Academy). The two got married in New York and moved to Chapel Hill in 1969.
First attending NCCU where Jacques was one of the first white, full time art students, then UNC for a Masters in Fine Arts, After a year of teaching assistantship, Jacques with the help of Amy, start the Artscenter in Carrboro in 1974, artscenterlive.org.
The success of the ArtsCenter (from 0 to 300 students) motivates Jacques to look for a new space and as the historic Carr Mill develops, The ArtsCenter finds a new home in 1979. Jacques and Amy split up as the ArtsCenter grows even more and reaches 700 students and thousands who come to the theatre, arts exhibits, concerts, poetry readings, movies, dance concerts and, performances.
The success of this ArtsCenter propels Jacques to look for a new space and in 1986 he develops the converted Piggly Wiggly into the current home. In 1988 there were more than 1000 students and a thriving progam of arts and entertainment making Carrboro a true Paris of the Piedmont .
Jacques resigns in the midst of a controversy goes underground, and becomes an electrician.
