October Issue 2000
Commentary
by Tom Starland
First Friday
The first Friday in Oct. (that's Oct. 6th)
will be a big event for the visual arts throughout the Carolinas.
There will be art walks, art crawls, strolls, hop & stops,
and driving tours in cities like Charlotte, NC, Charleston, SC,
Asheville, NC, and elsewhere. But, the big show will be in Charleston,
SC, where the French Quarter Gallery Association will kick off
it's Fall ART WALK. Twenty-eight galleries and the Gibbes Museum
of Art will be opening their doors to the public (5,000 strong
during past walks), offering food & drink, new exhibitions,
an opportunity to meet artists, meet old friends and make new
ones.
What makes this art walk so special? Two things - first and foremost
is the fact that it only takes place three times a year. That's
important. It keeps the event from getting stale and commonplace.
Having an art walk every month doesn't make it very special and
people begin feeling -"if I don't go - I'll catch the next
one."
Second, the twenty-nine stops are all within a four-block area
of historic Charleston - you can't get that anywhere else. Some
of the galleries are right next door to each other and although
no one can visit them all within the three hour time-frame (I've
tried) - it makes it easier on the walker to visit as many as
time allows. In some areas there are 6 to 8 galleries in a single
block area. Many of Charleston's finest and most popular restaurants
are also located within this area.
During the last year, other galleries on peninsular Charleston
have been opening their doors during the ART WALK too, making
it an unofficial citywide event. I've got one recommendation for
the evening beside wearing comfortable shoes. Although the Footlight
Players Gallery, at 20 Queen Street, isn't part of the official
French Quarter walk, it is within the district and will be offering
a rare exhibition of some of the most amazing nature photographs
by Luke Platt - our cover artist this month (see page 1 for details).
The doors of the Footlight Players Workshop will be open that
evening from 5 to 7pm. So when you're walking around the the FQ,
stop by and check out this exhibition. You might even decide to
pick up tickets for that evening's performance at the Footlight
Players - after the ART WALK.
Steel Palmettos Run by Steel Fist
Who's most important when it comes to Columbia's
Palmetto Tree Project - the artists who created the trees or the
organizers? No one who really knows the Cultural Council of Richland
/Lexington Counties is surprised that the artists' needs and desires
come second to the will of the "steel magnolia" leader
at the Cultural Council, Dot Ryall.
When it came to presenting a tree to a sister-city in Germany
- who went along with the tree? The artist who created it? No,
the head of the Cultural Council went. Why not, after all the
Cultural Council is the one entity that put the least into the
Project and will take the most out of it. Makes sense to me.
Perhaps the final act of the Tree Project will show the Cultural
Council for what they really are - friend of all artists. Throughout
the Project, it has been stated that all the trees will be auctioned
at the State Fairgrounds in November. Now, artists are learning
that only a select number of the trees will be auctioned at a
live event - the rest of the trees will be offered on ebay, an
internet auction site. Why the switch and how did the Council
determine which trees would be reserved for a live auction and
which would be sent to ebay? Are some artists in more favor than
others? Are some trees not as attractive to Columbia bidders?
Will some trees bring more profit on the world wide market? Who
knows! The word from the Cultural Council is, "The auction
committee made these decisions based on many different factors,
and the decision is final."
What we see here is the standard two-tier level operating in South
Carolina. Some artists are allowed to participate at one level,
while others participate at another - things are never equal.
Here again, I think that is something that the public should be
deciding - not the folks in the back room.
So, will the Palmetto Tree Project, "ensure that future art
projects have every opportunity to thrive in our area (Columbia),"
as stated by the Cultural Council in their promotional materials?
Oh, it probably will - for some artists.
For those who are interested, the ebay auction will begin taking
bids on Oct. 4 and continue through Nov. 5, at (http://www.ebay.com).
A month on ebay is a long, long time for people to make bids or
lose interest - it all really comes down to the last seconds and
I'm sure the Cultural Council will have computers set up at the
live auction.
I wonder if all though this project the Cultural Council has gotten
calls from people interested in purchasing certain trees? I wonder
if they have a good idea of which trees are more popular than
others? I wonder if that's considered the same thing as "insider
trading" - trying to control the market with inside information.
Just wondering.
Nudes "R" Us Around the World
Remember last month when we told you about
the City of North Charleston removing a few works from a member
exhibit by Print Studio South. Apparently the City has a policy
about not showing inappropriate art. In this case it was nude
images. The rest of the artists in the show decided to withdraw
their works for the exhibit- so no exhibit.
Well as we said before - this doesn't only happen in the Carolinas.
At about the same time, over in Delhi, India, a work of art was
ordered removed from an exhibit by the culture ministry which
depicted a naked Greek mythological figure (Icarus) perched on
top of India's national emblem - the Ashokan pillar. And, just
like here in the Carolinas - all 25 artists participating in the
exhibition also withdrew their artworks. Solidarity!
Here's One From Ripley's Believe It Or Not
Perhaps you saw the notice for submissions
to the SC Arts Commission's Triennial 2001 to be held at the SC
State Museum in Apr.-Aug., 2001. It states, "Artists working
in all media & styles encouraged to apply in order to reflect
the stylistic diversity of art produced in the state." That's
SC artists only, or at least those you can prove six months residency
prior to the deadline - Oct. 20, 2000. I guess after six months
in SC you can be part of the "stylistic diversity" even
though some artists who have lived here 20 and 30 years can't
seem to make the cut.
This "should" be one of the most important exhibits
in SC and the call for submissions was less than 100 words. Big
on details, right. This notice says more by what's left out, than
what is included - typical for the Arts Commission, but the key
word in the whole notice is "contemporary". It calls
for work by contemporary South Carolina artists. Do you think
your definition of "contemporary" matches that of the
Arts Commission? Based on the past three Triennials, it doesn't
match mine or perhaps three-quarters of SC's working artists.
All that aside, the Arts Commission is counting on you thinking
you don't have a chance so you won't submit - that's the best
situation for them - you not throwing your hat in the ring. Then
they can't be accused of being biased against certain types of
art.
Since they only give their address for responses - there must
be some further materials you'll need to apply- of course the
clock is ticking. Deadline is Oct. 20, 2000.
As I said above, the Triennial "should" be one of SC's
most important exhibitions, but it isn't because it's just a "who
does the Arts Commission like this year" exhibit. They pay
for the exhibit, they select the jurors, they control everything.
The State Museum is just a location. A lot more people will view
the SC State Fair's Fine Arts Exhibition in Columbia, SC, this
Oct. 5 through Oct. 15 - and they'll see a lot better art. The
art that you'll see at the Fair Exhibition is more representative
of that being produced by SC artists.
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