On Friday, March 16, the South Carolina State Museum not only opened a stunning exhibit of art by renowned Columbia painter Edmund Yaghjian, it opened a chapter in exhibit interpretation not seen before in the Palmetto State.
Museum guests may now get audio tours of the exhibit Edmund Yaghjian: A Retrospective using their cell phones.
"We're very excited to take this new step in guest service," says Curator of Art Paul Matheny.
"This is the latest technology in interpreting exhibits for museum patrons. As far as we know, we are the first museum in the state, and probably one of the first in the South, to offer this service."
The audio tour offers five subject areas on Yaghjian's life and career, each about one minute in length. Guests have only to dial (408) 795-2171 and press 1# for a brief biography of Yaghjian; 2# for information on his New York years; 3# for his work under the Works Progress Administration, later known as the Works Project Administration; 4# for his move to South Carolina; and 5# for his influence on other South Carolina artists whom he taught while heading the art department at the University of South Carolina.
In the exhibit, guests can see paintings from throughout the artist's career, as well as select drawings. Works from the 1930s in New York City (ex. "Times Square," "Columbus Circle," "Tugboats on the East River"), Ossining, N.Y. ("Red Store in Ossining, New York," "Coal Cars in Ossining, New York," "Ossining,") and Columbia, Mo., are included with numerous works done in Columbia, S.C., such as "Night at the Fair," "Assembly Street Market" and "Corner House for Sale."
The new service is starting small, but will no doubt grow with time, both in length and depth. It will likely spread to other disciplines of the museum, such as history, natural history and science/technology, according to the curator.
Just as good as the service is its price: free. "All it will cost the guest is calling minutes. If your cell phone plan does not include long distance coverage, additional fees may apply from your carrier," Matheny says.
"Another neat aspect of this service is that it can be accessed at any time, even when a person isn't at the museum."
This new innovation in museum interpretation is sponsored exclusively by
AT&T. The exhibit itself is sponsored by Carolina First, Mack and Jennifer Whittle, Coldwell Banker and Doctor's Care.
Edmund Yaghjian: A Retrospective can be seen in the State Museum's first-floor Lipscomb Gallery through Sept. 16.
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Guests of the South Carolina State Museum can now take advantage of a South Carolina first - audio tours of the exhibit Edmund Yaghjian: A Retrospective, using cell phones. There is no cost to this new, innovative service, other than about five minutes of cell time. The audio tours give information on various parts of Yaghjian's life and career.
Photo by Susan Dugan/courtesy S.C. State Museum.
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