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February Issue 2005
City Gallery at Dock Street Theatre in Charleston, SC, Features Works by Jonathan Auger and Stephen Towns
The City Gallery at Dock Street Theatre in
Charleston, SC, is presenting an exhibit of steel and wood by
Charleston artist, Jonathan E. Auger. The exhibit entitled, Recent
Work by Jonathan Auger, will be on view through Feb. 11, 2005.
The exhibition, Into My Looking Glass..., will feature
works in acrylic, oil and bee's wax, by Stephen Towns from Feb.
16 through Mar. 18, 2005.
Auger received his BA in Studio Art from Plattsburgh State University
and his MFA in Sculpture from the University of Maryland. He has
taught a variety of studio art classes at both Plattsburgh State
University and the University of Maryland. Auger is currently
teaching at the College of Charleston and has also served as an
artist-in-residence at the Johnson Atelier Technical Institute
of Sculpture. His work has been exhibited nationally in galleries
as well as various juried shows.
Auger comments on his work: "As my artwork grew conceptually, I developed an interest in establishing the presence of the human body without actually showing the human body. For example, I created sculptures that incorporated movements similar to the kinesiology of the human leg and sounds such as the beating heart. Conceptually, this work was inspired by the Industrial Revolution where machines were created to replace humans. In this series of work, I was able to use the figure, albeit in a more industrialized way. In describing my artwork, I have tried to emphasize the breadth of my interests and skills. I believe that having a range of interests is essential to allow for many avenues of creative exploration. This breadth is also evident in the materials that I incorporate, including plaster, bronze, steel, wood, and aluminum."
Stephen Towns grew up in Lincolnville, SC, a small community outside of the Charleston area. At a young age, the visual arts became his best means of communication and it helped to determine his career ambitions. Towns received his BFA from the University of South Carolina in Columbia, SC. In 2003, he received the Ed Yaghijan Undergraduate Studio Art Award from USC. Also, in 2003, he was awarded the Mayor's Purchase Award in the MOJA Arts Festival Juried Exhibition in Charleston. Towns' work has been featured in group exhibitions in Columbia and Charleston. This exhibition is his first solo exhibition.
Towns offered the following about his work, "In my work, I strive to go beyond the experience of being a black male in America toward a larger human experience. In small communities like the one in which I was raised, people tend to know, know of, or be familiar with one another. Therefore, I question how well do we really know each other. Essentially, everyone has a story and it is important in their own right, because they too are going through their own spiritual journey. My work is a discovery into finding one's own importance in physical, emotional, and spiritual identity."
For further information check our SC Institutional
Gallery listings, call the Office of Cultural Affairs at 843/724-7305
or at (www.Cultural_Affairs@ci.charleston.sc.us).
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