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January Issue 2006
Spartanburg County Museum of Art in Spartanburg, SC, Offers New Exhibits for 2006
The Spartanburg County Museum of Art in Spartanburg, SC, is offering several new exhibitions for 2006 including: on display in the Milliken Gallery from Jan. 16 - Feb. 19, 2006, will be works by David J.P. Hooker of Wheaton, IL; in the Parsons Gallery from Jan. 16 - Feb. 26, 2006, will be works by Richard Samuel Roberts (1880-1936); and in Burwell Gallery from Jan. 9 - Mar. 5, 2006, will be works by Li Hu, of Oshkosh, WI.
David J.P. Hooker's work reflects his search for honesty: in his vision, his material, and himself.
"I am fascinated by South Carolina face jugs," says Hooker. "I find them haunting often scary and sometimes prophetic. They often creep into my sculpture. Like the old face jugs, much of my work makes reference to functional pottery: cups, bottles, jars, teapots, and wine goblets. I have no interest in re-creating the face jug, but use it as a reference point to make observations on my experience as an artist, potter, and Southerner."
"I love clay," adds Hooker. "To me, the process of clay is profound, meditative - almost sacred. It is my hope that the finished work will reflect the juxtaposition between that slow, deliberate process and the energetic frenzy of modern life."
During the 1920s and 1930s in Columbia, SC, a black man named Richard Samuel Roberts worked from 4am to noon at the United States Post Office. In the afternoon, Roberts walked to the heart of the segregated city's African-American commercial district, where he maintained a photography studio.
Roberts' clientele was, for the most part, Columbia's black population.
Although Roberts was one of several southern African-American photographers active at the beginning of this century, he was more successful than most at emphasizing the medium's aesthetic qualities. His mastery of light and his concern for the details of each sitting resulted in moving portraits.
Roberts' photographs are invaluable not only for their artistic qualities, but also for their documentation of a time and a community in Columbia that otherwise might have been forgotten.
Li Hu's work grows out of a personal engagement with art, literature and his private biography. The subject of much of his work is derived from specific historical and literary themes and his personal life experiences in China.
Written materials for this exhibit will be in Chinese and English.
For further information
check our SC Institutional Gallery listings, call the Museum at
864/582-7616 or at (www.spartanburgartmuseum.org).
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