Posts Tagged ‘City of Charleston’

Gibbes Museum of Art in Charleston, SC, to be Renovated

Tuesday, May 18th, 2010

There was an article offered by the Post & Courier on May 2, 2010, entitled – A New Palette, written by Adam Parker. The story detailed a deal reached by the trustees of the Gibbes and the City of Charleston – who share ownership of the structure, to renovate the aging facility.

I guess it’s a good thing for the Gibbes Museum of Art that they have managed to get the City of Charleston to help pay for a renovation since they continue to hold ownership in the facility, but I would have preferred to have read a story about the City giving up their half ownership hold on the building and announcing that they will finally start supporting the Gibbes like other cities do their art museums around the Carolinas.

Under the current situation with the economy and the fact that support of the Gibbes in the Charleston area has always had to take back seat to that of the three performing art organizations the City has adopted as their “too important to fail” children – this is the best the Gibbes could hope for. All three of these groups have Charleston in their name. If only we were talking about the Charleston Museum of Art – things maybe would be different.

But what puzzled me the most was the description of what the renovation was going to accomplish – an addition of just 2,000 square-feet of exhibit space, addition of working spaces for local & regional artists, add access to the back garden and add perhaps a cafe. It’s as if the Gibbes has given up on the idea of ever being a major art presenter and is going back to 1911 with a refocus on offering art classes.

Is this what the overall Charleston community needs? Is there a shortage of places to eat in Charleston? How many artist work spaces are they going to provide and to whom? And, is there really a shortage of places to get art lessons in this area?

It’s hard to see this as an exciting announcement in view of other developments going on in the art museum world around the Carolinas. The Mint Museum is involved in a major expansion project: the construction of a new 145,000-square-foot facility in uptown Charlotte, NC, and the reinstallation of the historic Mint Museum Randolph. Not to mention the new additions of the Harvey B. Gantt Center for African American Arts + Culture (formerly the Afro-American Cultural Center) and the new Bechtler Museum of Modern Art to uptown Charlotte.

In South Carolina, the Gibbes may have been the first art museum, but it is the last to not build a new facility, placing it behind Greenville, Columbia, and Spartanburg. In fact, the Columbia Museum of Art has a basement level which has yet to be totally developed for future expansion.

Look I’m not blaming the Gibbes for being the stepchild of the Charleston art community – at least in the eyes of the City and its Mayor, but I don’t see that they can do more than make the best of a bad situation. I blame James Schoolbred Gibbes for making a bequest that would tie these two parties together for 100 years – on paper – if not in spirit.

So, in this case being the first art museum in the region has left the Gibbes years behind its contemporaries – stuck in the 20th century.

One day, I hope to be reading and writing about a whole new Gibbes facility being built in New Charleston – that area between the crosstown and North Charleston – somewhere overlooking the Ashley River. But, then Charleston will need a new Mayor and new City Council for that to happen. Will that ever happen? I’m not holding my breath.

Share this article

Tags: , , ,
Posted in Charleston SC Visual Arts | Comments Off

Artist on Fire Present “Passing Notion?” During Piccolo Spoleto Festival in Charleston, SC

Tuesday, May 18th, 2010

Well, it was bound to happen – we received our first press release from the Piccolo Spoleto Festival – five days after our deadline for our June issue of Carolina Arts and a month and five days after the deadline for our May issue. It happens every year – with few exceptions. Publicity – at least sent to us – seems to be the last thing on the folks in charge of the Festival’s mind.

I feel sorry for the artists involved. At this point there is not much we can do as far as our printed papers go, but we do the best we can to distribute this info – as we receive it – as best we can on our electronic media.

And one word of advice. When it comes to info about Piccolo Spoleto Festival events – it’s best to get up to the last minute info, as the festival is very fluid. I even found an updated list of sponsors for this event by checking their website. And, I just received this press release today.

PS – The name, Artist on Fire is the name of the “group” – we’re not forgetting to add the “s”.

So here’s the press release:

Piccolo Spoleto to Feature Artist on Fire’s Passing Notion?

Could there be more than meets the eye to the things we see and the experiences we encounter? Dating back from Moses’ encounter at the burning bush to current day events people have attributed important discoveries, disasters avoided, and decisions they have made, that have not only impacted their own destinies but the lives of many others, to communication from a source outside themselves.

During the internationally acclaimed Piccolo Spoleto Festival, Artist on Fire will present Passing Notion?, a multi-media exhibit that explores the way God may be speaking to us today through moments in our everyday lives. Works including photography, film, installation art, live music, sculpture, live art, landscape art, and painting by more than 12 artists search out the unusual and extraordinary messages that catch our attention as we walk through life. The exhibit is free and open to the public.

In accordance with the vision of Mayor Joseph P. Riley, Jr., Piccolo Spoleto, under the direction of Ellen Dressler Moryl, was designed and launched in 1979 by the City of Charleston Office of Cultural Affairs together with a group of volunteers from the Charleston arts community. Piccolo Spoleto prides itself in providing access to the Spoleto Festival USA experience for everyone, regardless of their economic, social or physical circumstances as well as for excellent local and regional artists, writers and performers to be showcased.

“The enthusiasm and energy exerted by the wonderful young coordinators of this project was so infectious. Young and idealistic, the co-founders of Artist on Fire are convinced that the creative output of the participating artists in Passing Notion? will unfailingly touch their audiences with all the wonder and the beauty of the arts,” says Director Moryl.

“This show will appeal to such a wide audience,” expresses Artist on Fire co-founder and participating artist Alex Radin, “because it taps into something that I think we all have felt at some time or another – that there are other layers to the things we see, hear, feel and experience.”

Featured artists include painters Alex Radin of Hanahan, SC, and Amelia (Mimi) Whaley of Mount Pleasant, SC; photographers Mahmood Fazal of Mount Pleasant, SC, Kimberly (Kimmie) Krauk of Charleston, Carson (Kip) Bulwinkle of North Charleston, SC, and Ginger Christy of Atlanta, GA; poet Sara Radin of Hanahan; sculptor Pamela Crout of North Charleston; film producers Douglas Fotia of Charleston, Larry Spann of New York City, NY, and Karen DeLoach of Summerville, SC; installation artist Beverly Currin of Charleston; and landscape architects J.R. and Holly Kramer of Remark Studio in North Charleston.

The visual artists will be accompanied by over 15 live art performers and 20 plus musicians playing original compositions and arrangements throughout the entire 17 days of the show. Opening night will feature two ensemble groups and soloists: Drew, Gabby, and Hannah Hadley on guitar, didgeridoo, djembe, keyboard and harmonica and Trey Truluck, Jer DeLoach, Emily Richardson, and Kent McAvoy playing acoustic guitar, Native American wooden flutes, hand drums, and electric guitar and Vicki Marsi playing violin and Pam Dickson on flute.

“It is an honor to be accepted as one of the visual arts events on this year’s Piccolo Spoleto agenda,” states Artist on Fire co-founder Sara Radin. “We are looking forward to our first time participating in such an applauded festival and sharing excellent art from artists who have proven themselves to be not only skilled and talented in their work, but also thought-provoking and genuine in their individual expressions.”

Artist on Fire is an organization founded by Alex and Sara Radin with a mission of seeing and providing more opportunities for artists to fully express themselves in order to be a voice of positivity and change through the creative arts. “Our goal,” says Alex Radin, “is to inspire people to dream, to see the beauty that is around them and to be a voice of hope, truth and life in this world.”

“We are so thankful and excited that so many businesses have partnered with us in helping to fulfill the vision for this show,” comments Sara Radin. “It will be an experience that art lovers and appreciators won’t want to miss and a wonderful opportunity to introduce friends and family to the world of art.”

Sponsors for Passing Notion? include Artist & Craftsman Supply, Carolina Flag & Banner, Fast Frame of Mt. Pleasant, Kim Wallin–composer & pianist, Karen’s Korner, Frametastic, Party City, Mannie Schumpert, Mood Photography, Royall Ace Hardware, FedEx Office, and Healthy Home Foods who will be providing the catering for the opening night artist reception.

From May 28 through June 13, the Piccolo Spoleto Passing Notion? exhibit will be located at Citadel Square Baptist Church, 328 Meeting Street, in the chapel off Henrietta Street, and on the third floor, in downtown Charleston. Exhibit hours are as scheduled: Monday through Saturday from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Sundays from 1 p.m. to 6 p.m.

All original artwork and prints will be available for sale, as well as CDs and DVDs from musicians and film producers who participate in the show.

For more information about the Passing Notion? show as well as other Artist on Fire events, visit their website at (www.artistonfire.com) or contact Alex or Sara Radin at (843) 270-3137.

For a ticket brochure and information on Piccolo Spoleto, call the Office of Cultural Affairs at (843) 724- 7305 or visit (www.PiccoloSpoleto.com).

Produced and directed by the City of Charleston Office of Cultural Affairs since 1979, Piccolo Spoleto is the official outreach program of Spoleto Festival USA. Piccolo’s mission is to provide access to the Spoleto Festival USA experience for everyone, regardless of their economic, social or physical circumstances and to provide the opportunity for excellent local and regional artists, writers and performers to be showcased in the Piccolo Spoleto Festival venues. Piccolo Spoleto receives support from the City of Charleston, County of Charleston, South Carolina Arts Commission and the National Endowment for the Arts, a federal agency. Title sponsors of the Piccolo Spoleto Festival are Publix and Publix Super Markets Charities.

Share this article

Tags: , , , , , , , ,
Posted in Charleston SC Visual Arts | Comments Off