Contemporary South Carolina art from painting to pottery and much more will be on full display beginning April 25 as the South Carolina State Museum presents its first exclusive juried show, the State Museum 20th Anniversary Juried Art Exhibition.
As its title expresses, the show is part of the year-long celebration of the museum’s 20th anniversary, which will include a number of other activities as well. But it’s also to celebrate the latest contemporary art from across the Palmetto State, according to Curator of Art Paul Matheny.
“This show will provide a unique opportunity for a large number of artists from across the state to exhibit their work and expose the public to some of the state’s most creative artists,” said Matheny.
The exhibit contains approximately 122 works of art selected by two distinguished jurors.
Lia Newman is currently the director of programs and exhibitions at Artspace in Raleigh, N.C. An artist herself, Newman maintains her own studio at Litmus Studio and Gallery in Raleigh.
South Carolina art enthusiasts will be familiar with Brian Rutenberg from an excellent exhibition of his work, Brimming Tides, held at the State Museum in 2006. The Myrtle Beach native found success in New York City, where he now resides, and where his paintings are exhibited regularly.
The jurors selected art for the show the second week of April from entries from across the state. “We were surprised by the number of entries,” said Matheny. “We anticipated between 250 and 300 artists, but instead we had 500 enter two pieces each, so instead of 500 works of art we had
1,000.
“We were also very pleased at the diversity and range of subjects, media, and of the geographic distribution of the artists. What’s not a surprise, however, is the high quality of this art.”
The curator’s thoughts were echoed by Rutenberg. “When I was asked to serve as a juror for this exhibition I accepted enthusiastically because I am aware of the richness and breadth of visual art in South Carolina. I was not disappointed,” said the artist.
“The overwhelming number of artists who submitted speaks not only to the vitality of contemporary art in South Carolina but also to the way the South Carolina State Museum is perceived, as a welcome forum for all artists from every background, a range which weaves through self-taught, visionary paintings to more polished, conceptual images and everything in between. The level of quality was high and my job was not easy.”
Works in all media are included in this exhibit, said Matheny, adding “we wanted to include a very broad range of South Carolina artists in the celebration of our 20th anniversary, so we made this exhibit available as a conduit to exhibit their work to a public that may not be as familiar with their work.”
Many established as well as emerging and little-known artists are featured in this unique show, said the curator. All of the art was created within the past three years.
Works in the show include the 2006 collage “Where Were You when the Moon was Full?” by Aldwyth of Hilton Head; Lee Sipe of Columbia’s copper and wire piece “Vessel No. 60” (2006); the 2008 wood carving “Scream” by Roosevelt Wells III of Columbia; Yemassee resident James St. Clair’s 2007 acrylic on canvas painting “The Function at the Junction” and Guy Allison of Charleston’s 2007 painting “Big Blue.”
The show’s artists come from all across South Carolina, including Aiken, Newberry, Greenville, Columbia, Charleston, Spartanburg, Myrtle Beach, Hartsville, Orangeburg, Seneca, Barnwell, Santee, Clover, Greenwood, Camden, Winnsboro and Conway, among other places.
The State Museum each year makes an effort to open a new exhibit in conjunction with the annual Artista Vista spring art celebration, and the 20th Anniversary Juried Art Exhibition will continue that tradition.
“I hope this show will help people recognize the diversity of artists that live in our state and we think the public will be excited by the work by these fine, folk and self-taught artists and the variety of experiences and ideas they represent,” said Matheny.
The exhibit can be seen in the Museum’s Lipscomb Gallery through Sept. 7.
Paul Martyka of Rock Hill created “Totemic Talk,” a 2008 collage, which can be
seen in the South Carolina State Museum’s new exhibit The South Carolina State
Museum 20th Anniversary Juried Art Exhibition. The exhibit contains 122 pieces in all
media from artists across the Palmetto State.
Photo by Susan Dugan/courtesy S.C. State Museum
The South Carolina State Museum’s new exhibit The South Carolina State
Museum 20th Anniversary Juried Art Exhibition features a stunning variety of art,
including this ceramic piece from 2006, “Red Chair Altar – Jim is Dead,” by Columbia
artist Peter Lenzo.
Photo by Susan Dugan/courtesy S.C. State Museum
This oil on canvas painting, “Dirty Laundry,” by Susan Watson of Seneca, is one
of a great range of styles and media which can be seen in The South Carolina State
Museum 20th Anniversary Juried Art Exhibition. Opening April 25, the show will remain
on exhibit at the State Museum in Columbia through Sept. 7.
Photo by Susan Dugan/courtesy S.C. State Museum