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2010

Grass Roots: African Origins of an American Art

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Columbia's Showplace: The Township Auditorium

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

2009

Saving Face: Conserving University of South Carolina Portraits

Portraits give us important information. The stories they tell link us to the accomplishments, values and emotions of the past. As an important contribution to preserving the history of the South Carolina College and U.S.C. the University Board of Trustees has undertaken a multi-year project to survey, catalogue and conserve the portraits of the former presidents. This exhibition charts the progress of this project, displaying the newly conserved paintings as well as those waiting their turn. Information on the conservation process and the modern techniques used by today's fine arts conservators accompanies the works on display as well as photographic images charting the work on each painting.

To Make a House a Home: Freedmen Living on James Island

Worth Keeping

Southern Satire: The Illustrated World of Jak Smyrl

Jak Smyrl, from Camden, South Carolina, served as the illustrator and artist for The State newspaper from 1949-1986. During his thirty-seven year career, Smyrl created hundreds of caricatures of leading political and community figures, illustrations for magazine covers, and portraits for The State newspaper and The Columbia Record (a former afternoon newspaper). Smyrl masterfully understood the region in which he lived and connected with readers through personal reflections and an awareness of southern culture and history.

Spring for Art!




The Biennial Department of Art Faculty Exhibition

This biennial exhibition presents the University community and the public with a sampling of work created by art faculty over the past two years. The exhibition is an opportunity to view the work of professors who instruct the university’s undergraduate and graduate art students. Expect to see a wide range of mediums including painting, photography, sculpture, ceramics, printmaking, digital arts, computer graphics presentations, textiles, drawing, and film presentations.


The Life and Times of Robert Smalls

The exploits of Roberts Smalls have long been viewed as heroic and patriotic. His journey took him from an existence as a slave to a Union hero during the Civil War. In 1874 he was elected to the U.S. Congress where he served five terms. His life exemplified what many of the former enslaved African Americans were able to achieve with freedom. This exhibition is organized by the Avery Research Center at the College of Charleston.

2008

This Far by Faith: African-American Camp Meetings

This exhibit tells the history and captures the spirit of camp meetings through photographs, video and artifacts.  Featuring photographs and oral histories by USC art professor Minuette Floyd, “This Far by Faith” uncovers the understanding and awareness of this rich, southern tradition and shows the importance camp meetings hold both within and outside of the communities where they take place.

Carrying the State: Presidential Politics in South Carolina

Curated by university graduate students in the University’s Museum Management Program, this exhibit explores the role South Carolina has had in presidential elections and the evolution of the voting process and methods. Visitors casted their vote for their favorite candidate, with results posted on the museum Web site.

BBQ Joints and the Good Folks Who Own Them

Photographer and author David Gelin traveled throughout the south, documenting a variety of barbecue restaurants and the proprietors who keep the tradition going. Through extensive B/W and color images, paired with contextual information, the author takes the visitor on a remarkable visual journey through the heart of barbecue country.

The Dresses of Florestine Kitchen: A Tribute to Helen Hill

Grandeur Saved: Photographs of the Aiken-Rhett House by Michael Eastman

Spring for Art!

2007

Spring for Art!

An invitational exhibition and sale of works by artists on themes reflecting the South Carolina Midlands.  Juried by Wim Roefs, this annual event is sponsored by the McKissick Museum Advisory Council.  A gala fundraiser was held on Friday evening, March 30, 2007.

A Call for All: The Great War Summons the Palmetto State

April 6, 2007 marked the ninetieth anniversary of the United States’ entry in World War I. The war not only had a major impact on the nation, but on individual states, cities and towns. South Carolina, like many other states, was not free of involvement. A Call to All explores the many means of propaganda employed by the U.S. Government and the South Carolina State Government to encourage soldiers and their families to support the war effort. This exhibition is one part of a five-institution collaboration in Columbia that presents a view of how South Carolinians became involved in the war effort and how the war affected the Palmetto State. For more information about this exhibition and the Forward Together: South Carolina in World War I project, please visit www.scforwardtogether.org. This exhibition is made possible through a grant from a Partnership for a Nation of Learners, a leadership initiative of the Corporation for Public Broadcasting and the Institute of Museum and Library Services

Jean Laney Harris Folk Heritage Awards

Over the past 20 years the South Carolina Legislature, the South Carolina Arts Commission and McKissick Museum have partnered to recognize individuals and groups who have used their lives to create beauty and meaning for their communities and the state as a whole. The Jean Laney Harris Folk Heritage Award is presented to those with an emphasis on the authenticity of their traditional craft with a long history of practice in South Carolina. Recipients of this award include musicians, woodworkers, storytellers, silversmiths, basket makers, and arts advocates. Included in this exhibit are selected objects from McKissick’s collections representing the crafts and trades of past recipients.

Rockhounds: A Look at the Columbia Gem & Mineral Society

Early in 1965, newspaper and radio announcements were issued by Maggie Clark and Louis Dezseran seeking out anyone who had an interest in collecting and sharing knowledge about rocks, minerals, and gems. In response, on February 9th of that year, a group of men and women gathered at the Richland County Library and formed what is now known as the Columbia Gem and Mineral Society.  Since that first meeting, the society has been actively involved in South Carolina’s geological community.  This exhibition of geological specimens and images highlights the Society (whose members sometimes refer to themselves as “rockhounds”) by examining their history, mission, community outreach, and education. 

The Columbia Gem and Mineral Society has also had an impact on the museum over the years.  Each year, the Society contributes funds to the museum to be used towards natural science acquisitions.  The group also meets every third Monday of the month at the museum to discuss workshops, planned field trips, and discuss their latest findings. 

For anyone interested in becoming a member of the Columbia Gem and Mineral Society, please contact the museum at 803-777-7251. 

A Sense of Wonder: Works by Pam Bowers-Voros

Through her dream-like imagery, Pam Bowers-Voros explores nature through a unique blending of mythology and scientific study. Primarily based on images of animals and plant life, Bowers-Voros presents a variety of ways in which recognizable natural forms have been explained through myths and legends, and scientific inquiry. Bowers-Voros also investigates the more concrete representation of natural forms through a method known as cyanotype. Using a process similar to photography, light sensitive materials are used to record forms displayed on paper following exposure to light. The developed images result in striking contrasts of negative (white) space and surrounding hues of blue.

2006

The Southeast Printmaking Invitational

Organized by members of Ink and Paper (USC Printmaking Club) and McKissick Museum, this invitational exhibition showcases hand-pulled prints by students from several southeastern universities. Included are works from the University of South Carolina, University of Georgia, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, University of Tennessee, and Clemson University. These works represent traditional and experimental printmaking techniques employed by today's artists.

Pets In America

The American Pet Products Manufacturers Association recently estimated that sixty-one percent of U.S. households presently own a pet. In fact, pet keeping is the only practice through which most Americans have a close, daily contact with animals. Pets In America presents viewers with a history of pet keeping and a guided consideration of the social, cultural, and ethical nuances of this crucial relationship between animals and people. The exhibition of nearly 2,000 square feet includes an interactive web site http://www.cas.sc.edu/mcks/exhibitions/PetsinAmerica/index.html which offers lively, family-friendly information. The exhibition is also available for USC students of various disciplines including sociology, psychology, biology, behavior sciences, and more.

Art & Nature: Art Glass from the Museum's Permanent Collection

As the nineteenth century drew to a close, a revolution was beginning in the field of decorative arts. The craft of glass blowing, along with other trades such as silversmith and woodworking, took on renewed interest for artists of all media as they joined fine art to craft in an effort to create everyday objects of beauty and usefulness. Established studies in both Europe and the United States, previously manufacturers of everything from architectural glazed earthenware and stained glass windows, started art departments that produced everything from vases to lamp bases. McKissick Museum's decorative arts collection contains an impressive group of turn-of-the-century European and American art glass. The Museum's collection of art glass, decorated largely with flora motifs, is made possible through the generous gift of Dr. Richard D. Mandell and the late William States Belser.

Somali Lenses

The Somali Lenses project explores issues of representation through the photographic work of the Somali Bantu. Six families freely took pictures and they allowed their work to be organized in a museum exhibit by guest curator Bridget McDonnell. Their photographs showcase themes of daily life from the Somali perspective. Somali Lenses reveals the diversity in this community and is an opportunity for local people to view works constructed by the Somali Bantu. Intended for a wide audience, Somali Lenses will spark dialogue on issues of photographic representation and family diversity in South Carolina.

A Fool for Art

A continuation of McKissick Museum's successful 2005 gala fundraiser, A Fool for Art offers the public an opportunity to view and purchase works by local artists. All works included in this exhibition will be available for sale to raise funds for the exhibitions, programming and collections of McKissick Museum. Included in this exhibition are paintings, textiles, jewelry, sculpture, photography and more created by some of the Midlands most recognized artists. The gala reception and sale will be held on April Fool's Eve, March 31, 2006.

Jean Laney Harris Folk Heritage Awards

Over the past twenty years, the South Carolina Legislature, the South Carolina Arts Commission and McKissick Museum have partnered to recognize individuals and groups who have used their lives to create beauty and meaning for their communities and the state as a whole. The Jean Laney Harris Folk Heritage Award is presented to those with an emphasis on the authenticity of their traditional craft with a long history of practice in South Carolina. Recipients of this award include musicians, woodworkers, storytellers, silversmiths, basket makers, and arts advocates. Included in this exhibit are selected objects from McKissick's collections representing the crafts and trades of past recipients.

Sudan: The Land and the People

Working in conjunction with the University of South Carolina's African Studies Program, McKissick Museum presents this exhibition of a selection of photographs by Michael Freeman illustrating the incredible diversity and potential of Africa's largest and most culturally-varied nation. The goal of this exhibition is to promote understanding and appreciation for the various ethnic groups within Sudan and raise awareness of the enormous cultural diversity and resulting complexity in all regions of the country. Through these images, Freeman illustrates a grand, vast geography from savannahs and swamps to rocky hills and desert. He visited all the major towns in every region and some villages that no Westerner had seen in decades. Nomads, herders, and farmers, teacher and students, lawyers and doctors, industrialists and laborers--are all featured in this nationally traveling exhibit from the Meridian International Center in Washington, D.C.

The Essence of Nature: The Art of Harry Hansen

The Essence of Nature highlights the distinguished career of recently retired USC painting instructor Harry Hansen. Mostly recognized for his watercolors of the Palmetto state's diverse landscapes, Hansen gently captures on paper the essence of the natural environment of South Carolina and the North Carolina mountains. Hansen's body of work extends far beyond his recognition as a watercolorist. During the 1960s Hansen experimented with abstraction in oils and lithographic works. His most experimental approach to painting, beginning in the mdi-1960s, explored the process of encaustic, a mixture of pigment with hot beeswax painted on a panel. He is the recipient of nearly 50 art awards, and has been represented in nearly 150 group and one-man exhibitions.

The 521 All Stars: A Championship Story of Baseball and Community

This exhibition is a photographic tribute to a game, a team, and a community. This semi-professional baseball team emerges from the images not only as a source of entertainment for the small town of Rembert, South Carolina, but as the community focal point during the summer season. In these photographs, the 521 All-Stars win the league championship, mourn the untimely death of a beloved teammate, and reveal the potent combination of courage, spirit, and teamwork, on and off the field. The exhibit consists of images taken over the course of two years by Byron Baldwin, a retired photography teacher and founding member of the Light Factory Photographic Center in Charlotte, North Carolina. The accompanying exhibit text is provided by award-winning writer Frye Gaillard. Funding for The 521 All-Stars was provided by the South Carolina Humanities Council and the National Endowment for the Humanities.

Strength in Reserve: Broadcasting Radio for the Armed Forces in South Carolina

In 1976 the South Carolina Broadcasters Association established an archive of film, records, audio and video tapes, and equipment documenting the history of radio broadcasting in the Palmetto State. This upcoming exhibition features original sound recordings from the archive and artifacts from the collection of McKissick Museum. The exhibit will focus on the use of radio broadcasting as a means of cultivating public support and encouragement for America's armed forces. Housed in McKissick Museum, the archive is available to students, professionals, researchers and members of the public who wish to learn more about the development of broadcasting in South Carolina.

Talking with the Turners: Southern Folk Pottery

During the summer of 1981, University of South Carolina professor Charles Mack traveled the South in a well-used Volkswagen Rabbit to document traditional pottery. Supported by a Research and Productive Scholarship Grant from the university, his goal for the summer was to document every traditional potter still working in the region through audio interviews and photography. When the summer was over, he had collected over two hundred pieces of pottery, taken hundreds of photographs, and recorded over twenty hours of interviews with more than forty potters. Talking with the Turner: Southern Folk Pottery will be the first exhibit incorporating the voices of the potters with contextual images and pottery fired in kilns across the Deep South.

Telling Our Story: 30 Years at McKissick Museum

2006 marks the 30th anniversary of the creation of McKissick Museum.  This exhibition charts the evolution and accomplishments of the institution as it adopted a mission of “Telling the Story of Southern Life: Community, Culture and the Environment.”  In addition to looking at how the museum evolved into a center for the study and collecting of traditional Southern culture and everyday life, it also highlights important additions to the object and archival collections, research projects, past exhibitions, teaching, and public service.

From exhibits on face jugs to films on stew making and CDs of Afro-American music, McKissick has branched out to record and interpret the many facets of southern traditions and our contemporary attitudes toward them.  This exhibition offers not only a celebration of the past but a look at exciting projects developing for the future.