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August Issue 2003
SC Aquarium in Charleston, SC, Offers Juried Art Exhibit with Sharks as Subject Matter
This fall, sharks in a new form will take over the South Carolina Aquarium in Charleston, SC, as over thirty artists come together from across the country for the ever-engaging art exhibition, JAWS: Just Art With Sharks. Ranging from all shapes and sizes, each piece has a unique perspective depicting one of nature's most majestic, yet misunderstood creatures - sharks. Sponsored by Fish restaurant and Charleston City Paper, the exhibition will open Aug. 15 and continue through Dec. 12, 2003.
This is the first juried art exhibition organized by the South Carolina Aquarium. Last year, the Aquarium partnered with the College of Charleston to present an art show entitled Submerging Art.
Artists with works in the exhibition are from across the US, representing California, Florida, Virginia, North Carolina, Georgia, and Maryland and throughout the state of South Carolina from the cities: Columbia, North Augusta, Pawley's Island, Ladson, Summerville, Mt. Pleasant, Santee, Isle of Palms, North Charleston, Charleston and Folly Beach. Thirty-four works of art out of forty-two entries were selected to be included in the exhibition.
Judges for awards of Best of Show, three top
awards and an Honorable Mention Award will be made by Ellen Dressler
Moryl (Director of City of Charleston Office of Cultural Affairs),
Rhett Thurman (artist), Margaret Petterson (artist), Dr. Christopher
Andrews (Executive Director, South Carolina Aquarium), and Steve
Vogel (Curator, South Carolina Aquarium). There will also be a
People's Choice Award, which will be voted on by ballot by aquarium
visitors throughout the exhibit's duration.
A sampling of the art exhibition is as follows: Alfred Spivak,
MD, is a clinical cardiologist and teacher at Stanford Medical
Center for over three decades, Spivak became interested in scuba
diving, underwater photography and the teaching of diving medicine.
In 1989-1990, Spivak had a two year exhibition of large format
photography which traveled to the Corporate Headquarters of Alza,
Hewlett Packard and Apple Computer. The ceramic plates Spivak
creates are thrown, glazed and high fired, with slab formed bas-relief
sharks. The bronze-gold is meant to represent the majesty of these
marine subjects.
W.C. Hsu is a graduate of the University of Florida. His passion eventually led him to the Savannah College of Art and Design where he is majoring in illustration. In his piece, The Rational Fish, Hsu is given the opportunity to dispel myths about sharks. Since throughout historic folklore, sharks have long been thought of as ruthless and unwieldy monsters, Hsu decides to show how sharks are really docile and rational creatures.
For over twenty-five years, Randall Scott has
been exploring the ocean and all of its inhabitants. Countless
hours of underwater research have prepared Scott to share oceanic
visions that are highly realistic and compelling. Scott's work
is featured at both art and diving shows around the world. In
Lost Treasures, Scott reflects the movement of these fish
as if they were performing at a half-time show during a football
game.
In most of his work, M. Hawkins II tries to find the simplest
means to express an idea. Homage represents his feelings
about sharks in general. Sharks, in Hawkins opinion, are much
like machines, fearless and methodical. The combination of saw
blades and steel fins suggest a machine in which in many ways
is both useful and beautiful.
Stephanie Farr, a sophomore at Harding University, is working
towards a degree in Interactive Media and a minor in Spanish.
In high school, she completed the Advanced Placement art program
and art has always been a passion of hers. In her piece Blue-Green
Sharks Farr ties to emphasize the beautiful light that dances
on the sharks as they swim. She uses bubbles and some reds to
show their graceful movement. The bubbles also allow the viewer
to see sharks in an unthreatening way because they are not as
vicious as some people believe.
In an effort to help people understand and appreciate sharks, the South Carolina Aquarium will launch a four month educational campaign entitled SharkFest featuring new shark and ray species, daily shark programs, special events, speakers and educational panels all highlighting these mysterious creatures and the unique features and behaviors that have made them successful for millions of years in the world's oceans. The JAWS art exhibition is part of the overall SharkFest campaign.
For more information check our SC Institutional
Gallery listings or call the SC Aquarium at 843/579-8660.
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