Grass Roots traces the parallel histories of coiled basketry in Africa and the United States, starting from the domestication of rice in West Africa, through the transatlantic slave trade, to the migration of African rice culture to America. The exhibition addresses the history of the Carolina rice plantation and highlights the technological innovations brought to American agriculture by people from Africa. It tells the compelling story of the survival of African-American basketry over three hundred years. Grass Roots focuses on the coastal town of Mt. Pleasant, South Carolina, across the Cooper River from Charleston, where basket makers have taken control of their craft as independent entrepreneurs. The exhibition features baskets made by contemporary American and African basket makers as well as historic examples, some dating to the early 19th century, from Lowcountry rice plantations and African villages.

This annual invitational exhibition showcases works by local artists, in addition to those from around the state. Works include painting, photography, sculpture, ceramics, glass, wood turning, jewelry, and more. This annual event is sponsored by the McKissick Museum Advisory Council. The annual exhibition provides an opportunity for audiences to explore the ever changing landscape of South Carolina as well as the wealth of talented artists throughout South Carolina. The gala sales event and reception will be held Friday, August 20, 2010. For ticket information, please contact Ja-Nae Epps at (803) 777-2876.

For the past eighty years, residents of the Columbia metropolitan area have gathered at The Township Auditorium to be entertained, to have their voices heard, and to celebrate. From concerts and theatrical productions to historically significant meetings and rallies, the Township has shined its spotlight on hundreds of pivotal figures in the twentieth century. Some of the best performers in the world played there, including Elvis Presley, Pink Floyd, Smokey Robinson, and Tyler Perry.  Activists Paul Robeson and Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. spoke and motivated people to act. Robert Goldwater and John Kerry rallied voters to make their voices heard.  Additionally, the venue has hosted choral concerts, step shows, dances, and graduations for local high schools, colleges, and universities. This year, The Township celebrates its eightieth anniversary and reopens on June 10th after a twelve million dollar renovation. McKissick Museum is delighted to help celebrate the anniversary and longevity of this cultural institution.

This exhibition, curated by undergraduate students William Buchanan, Meghan Shippey, Laura Ybarra, and JoAnn Zeise in Dr. Allison Marsh’s History 429 class, traces the history of events held at Columbia’s showplace and shines the spotlight on some of the most significant events of the twentieth century, while highlighting trends in popular culture. 

Photograph stills from the 1933-34 production of Porgy and Bess.

University of South Carolina students showcase their research on mystery objects from the collection.

Known internationally, Mary Edna Fraser uses batik, an ancient medium of waxing and hand dyeing cloth, to express issues of climate change and the long-term effects on the environment. Her vivid large-scale aerial views of barrier islands, coastal regions, and rivers reference the geological and geographical studies used to document the changing face of the landscape. Flying in an open canopy 1946 Ercoupe airplane, with her brother as pilot, Fraser observes what few people clearly see of our Earth – change. Her batiks have come to serve as both an art form and a vehicle for inspiring global awareness.

Join us for a free reception on Friday, November 12, 2010 as Mary Edna Fraser speaks about her batiks. Also speaking will be Dr. Orrin Pilkey, Duke University Professor Emeritus of Geology, who will discuss his research in the field of global warming and climate change.

The McKissick Museum at the University of South Carolina is pleased to announce SilverYana: The Photography of F. Tobias Morriss. Morriss was renowned for his skills as a machinist/mechanic and bricoleur, in addition to his stark and haunting images produced almost exclusively in black and white through the silver gelatin process. A remarkably popular professor and friend, Morriss mentored dozens of photography students who remained in close contact with him long after they had finished their studies at USC, and he found great satisfaction in helping non-photographic artists in the USC Art Department to hone their craft and find inventive solutions to difficult artistic problems, whether philosophical or mechanical in nature.

SilverYana offers selections from his massive body of work, some of which have previously appeared in exhibitions in North and South Carolina, Louisiana, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, and Illinois. This new exhibition also brings to light many other works that have not previously been exhibited, as well as some of the unique handmade cameras Morriss built and designed during his remarkably productive but tragically short career.

Famed South Carolina artist Anna Heyward Taylor produced colorful batiks based on her scientific travels to the jungles of British Guiana, South America. This exhibition showcases these lesser-known works of Taylor's, on loan from the Charleston Museum.