January Issue 2002
Pickens County Museum in Pickens, SC, Features Works by John Pendarvis
The Pickens County Cultural Commission invites you to the first exhibition of the 2002 season at the Pickens County Museum of Art & History in Pickens, SC. The exhibition entitled, Southern Passion Fruit & Other Works by John Pendarvis, opens on Jan. 12. This entertaining and thought provoking exhibition of work by one of South Carolina's leading African-American artists will continue through Feb. 16, 2002.
Now living in Simpsonville, SC, Pendarvis is a native of South Carolina whose works include large collages, mixed media canvases, serigraphs and works on paper. He is known for his canvases depicting the musicians Louis Armstrong and Charlie Parker, Kente cloth, and African masks. His work often contains symbolism characterizing jazz bands and musicians, African tribal masks, watermelons and other things familiar to the artist.
About the recent works, Pendarvis said, The Southern Passion Fruit series is one way for me to focus on both the stereotype and the heritage of African Americans in the South. Not only are Blacks stereotyped by others, but we stereotype ourselves. Southern Passion Fruit is a series that is a lot of fun, yet serious at the same time."
Pendarvis's recent pieces are representative... detailed and a direct progression from the African Mask Series. Many of these recent works use common items such as watermelons, the Confederate flag, man, dogs and society as symbols representing a theme. As with the African Mask Series the relationship between the various elements are important as they provide the viewer with a means of navigating the work. Of this navigation the artist said, "With the African Masks, I attempted to play on the idea of people wearing masks and playing games; but with these recent works, the viewer is free to decide. Each viewer brings their own perspective to the art; the art will have as many meanings as there are viewers. This is perfectly acceptable; no one's interpretation is any less valid than any other."
For further information check our SC Institutional Gallery listings or call the Museum at 864) 898-5963 or e-mail at (picmus@co.pickens.sc.us).
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