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March Issue 2005
Columbia College in Columbia, SC, Features Works by Stephen Nevitt
Columbia
College Art Department Chair Stephen Nevitt is exhibiting a one-man
show entitled, The Silver Cord, in the Goodall Gallery
of the Spears Music/Art Center, in Columbia, SC, through Mar.
18, 2005.
The exhibit is a collection of drawings, prints, and mixed media
works involving five generations of Nevitt's family. The
artist's statement about the exhibit follows.
""Some day the silver cord will break, and I no more as now shall sing." These first lines of my grandmother's favorite hymn, sung to her by a sister during the days before she passed away from tuberculosis as a young woman in Kentucky, likely refer to the silver cord in Ecclesiastes 12:6. Silver symbolizes the preciousness of life, and the breaking of the cord represents death. For years, I have been interested in creating works of art that reflect the transience of earthly life, and this hymn speaks eloquently regarding this theme," says Nevitt.
"Other related themes have been in my thoughts with this long-standing and ongoing series of works, including family and a strong curiosity about the interests, character traits, and beliefs that pass from generation to generation. After reading informal writing about my plans for the exhibit, one colleague noted recurring references to 'coming home,' which had not been apparent to me but seem to have been part of my thinking for some time, with greater intensity during the past year. I also believe that the work over time, especially the self-portraits, has much to do with struggling for acceptance, coming to terms with what happens in life, seeing one's existence in a greater context, and moving on."
"My long-standing love for old family photographs goes well beyond nostalgia fads. It stems from my experiences as a young boy. My parents were born and raised in Kentucky and moved to the Carolinas just before I was born. As a result, my siblings and I grew up hundreds of miles away from extended family, and we consistently heard rich and colorful stories about our ancestors in conjunction with the viewing of old family photographs kept in a cardboard box under my parents' bed. As an undergraduate student, I began making drawings and prints from these photographs and have continued working with them to this day. During recent years, I have communicated with relatives who have assisted me with genealogical research. As a result of these contacts, I have been given additional family images, which have inspired new works of art."
"Another backdrop regarding these issues involves family trips to Kentucky every two to three years during my youth. During our visits, we would spend time with grandparents, aunts and uncles, and dozens of cousins. My memories of these excursions are rich and all positive, almost magical. During my recent sabbatical, I returned to Kentucky, accompanied by my teenage son, and spent time with our relatives. We traveled the city and countryside, found places where our ancestors had lived, discovered family photographs that I had not seen before, and heard many interesting stories, a number of which were new to me."
"This exhibit is dedicated to the memory of Judy Miller Kimmell, who passed away at the age of 40 during April of 2004. Judy was a cousin who had been very helpful through the years with collecting stories and other family information, all of which has been very influential in the development of my work. Judy is survived by a husband and four young children."
For further information check our SC Institutional Gallery listings, call Sally Jenkins Harm at 803/786.3649 or e-mail at (sjenkinsharm@colacoll.edu).
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