Columbia Museum of Art February 2015 Calendar
January 7, 2015
Charles Courtney Curran: Seeking the Ideal
On View in the Lipscomb Family Galleries Friday, February 20, through Sunday, May 17, 2015
The CMA presents Charles Courtney Curran: Seeking the Ideal, the first-ever museum retrospective of this treasured American painter. Charles Curran’s heart was claimed by women, children, and flowers, and he devoted a lifetime to painting them in the full light of day out-of-doors. “What normal human being,” he wrote, “can see a garden full of flowers in bloom or a hillside sprinkled with nature’s own decorations, the wild flowers, without an emotion of joy?” His goal as a painter was to capture that joy on canvas. Seeking the Ideal brings together 58 Curran masterpieces sure to astonish with their jewel-like color, soaring vistas, garden landscapes, and love for beauty.
Curran’s career blossomed in the 1880s when French impressionism had changed the art world. Paintings became enlivened by outdoor light and color, and American artists responded to the innovations of impressionism. They, too, worked to capture the fleeting effects of atmosphere, but American artists also remained distinct in that they retained a sense of careful drawing and composition: Monet could dissolve trees into air, while Curran made them crisp against the sky. What they shared was a vivid palette and scintillating light in their works. Admired by critics of his time and avidly collected to this day, Curran’s work greatly contributed to the spread of the impressionist tradition in America and left a legacy of breathtaking canvases.
Working in the town of Cragsmoor in the beautiful Hudson River Valley, Curran became a much-respected leader of the art colony there in the early decades of the 20th century. He was a prolific painter of pictures of young women silhouetted against brilliant blue skies, and of children set outdoors in lush gardens. These are wistful images, each one full of optimism and grace. He looked for what was ideal in American life and made it even more so.
The exhibition is organized by Dixon Gallery & Gardens in Memphis, Tenn., with the Frick Art and Historical Center in Pittsburgh, Pa., and the Columbia Museum of Art. The Columbia Museum of Art has three Curran paintings in its collection, one of which is traveling with the exhibition and included in the beautifully illustrated color catalogue. The show’s curator, Jane Faquin, is a University of South Carolina alumna.
The CMA is the last venue of only three museums nationwide to host the exhibition. It is the final opportunity to see the selection of original works by this masterful American figure and landscape painter.
This exhibition is presented through the generosity of Presenting Sponsors: Susan and Darnall W. Boyd, Dr. Suzan D. Boyd and Mr. M. Edward Sellers, Joyce and George Hill, and Hannah and Ron Rogers; Silver Sponsors: Kay and John Bachmann, Haynsworth Sinkler Boyd, PA, Helen and John Hill, and Dr. and Mrs. Nicholas K. Moore; Bronze Sponsors: Dr. Gail M. Morrison, Virginia E. Newell and Robert H. Wilkins; and Friends of Curran Sponsors: Mr. and Mrs. David E. Dukes, Walda Wildman; and support also provided by Anonymous, and Mr. and Mrs. James M. Myers.
ALSO ON VIEW
Columbia Now: Four Photographers Show Us Our City
On View in the Mamie and William Andrew Treadway, Jr. Gallery 15 through April 5, 2015
This exhibition highlights our hometown as interpreted through photographs by four local photographers. Columbia Now is a selection of 24 photographs by Robert Clark, Vennie Deas Moore, Eliot Dudik, and Meg Griffiths that paint a portrait of a city. The works form an up-to-the-minute document about the city of Columbia, including depictions of residents as well as landscape and architecture. Columbia Now is part of a city-wide commemorative series of events marking the 150th anniversary of the burning of Columbia. The show stresses Columbia’s emergence as a vital city within the American landscape, one that has risen from the ashes to be a home for a diverse and forward-moving community. Supporting Sponsor: Steven Ford Interiors, Inc.
Into the Umbra: USC Photography’s 2015 Review Prize Show
On View in the Caroline Guignard Community Gallery through March 1, 2015
This exhibition showcases the work of Julia Bennett, selected as the recipient of this year’s review prize at the USC Portfolio Photography Review. Bennett is a student of marine biology at USC and her work explores microscopic plankton presented in abstracted, otherworldly compositions. Free.
To purchase tickets or register for classes, visit columbiamuseum.org or call 803-799-2810.
Book a Tour and Save on Admission
Gather your friends and make a reservation to enjoy a docent-led or self-guided tour of the exhibition and save on admission. Hungry? Choose the tour with a lunch option or enjoy wine and cheese after your tour. Details at columbiamuseum.org.
School Tours
School group visits include an in-depth guided tour of Charles Courtney Curran: Seeking the Idealand a hands-on art project that connects to language arts, social studies, and key areas of the core curriculum. For more information contact CMA Education Manager Kayleigh Vaughn at 803-343-2163 or [email protected]
Art Explorer Backpacks and Gallery Guides
Art Explorer Backpacks are designed to encourage families to have fun in the galleries with interactive activities. Each backpack includes a sketchbook with colored pencils, a pair of binoculars, a compass, and hands-on activities that relate to the theme of the backpack chosen. Themes include: pattern, color, shape, and the current exhibition. Ask for one at the admission desk.
Gallery guides are your source to family fun. Guides include insider information about some of the works and a gallery hunt to discover shapes, patterns, and more. Available for free in the CMA lobby.
Gallery Tour: Charles Courtney Curran: Seeking the Ideal
Every Saturday | 1:00 p.m.
A guided tour provides an overview of the retrospective exhibition, Charles Courtney Curran: Seeking the Ideal, featuring 58 Curran masterpieces sure to astonish with their jewel-like color, soaring vistas, garden landscapes, and love for beauty. Free with membership or admission.
Gallery Tour: Highlights of the CMA Collection
Every Sunday | 2:00 p.m.
A guided tour provides an overview of European and American art in the CMA collection. This family-friendly tour features masterpieces of the Italian Renaissance, Baroque, and Rococo from the Samuel H. Kress Collection, and the American galleries. Free.
About Face Drawing Sessions
Mondays, February 2 & 23: Topics vary | 10:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m.
Tuesdays, February 10 & 24: Portrait Drawing | 6:00 – 8:00 p.m. | Figure Drawing | 7:15 – 9:15 p.m.
Looking for a supportive and friendly environment to hone your artistic skills? About Face Drawing Sessions are for you! There’s no instructor, but there is a group of inspired artists, representing a wide range of abilities, who love to draw from the live model. Must be 18 or older to participate. Mondays: $12 / $10 for members / $5 for students. Tuesdays: $10 / $8 for members / $5 for students. Includes both sessions.
Gladys’ Gang: Love Bugs
Wednesday, February 4 | 10:00 – 11:00 a.m.
Join us for this popular series! Gladys’ Gang is a free, early childhood arts and literacy program for ages 2-5 that focuses on preparing children for kindergarten. Using art as a guide, children and their adult caregivers enjoy story time in the galleries followed by a hands-on art project in the CMA studios. The program is held the first Wednesday of each month from 10:00 until 11:00 a.m. This month find Gladys in the galleries and hop back to the studios to make someone a special valentine.Registration required as space is limited. Free.
Photography 101
Thursdays, February 5 & 12 | 6:00 – 8:00 p.m.
Join us for a two-part workshop with instructor Gordon Humphries to explore basic procedures and styles in the art of photography. “Photography 101” is part of our “Art School 101” series, which offers participants the perfect opportunity to dabble in photography, watercolor painting, and drawing while learning new techniques. Participants must be 18 or older. $80 / $60 members.
Arts & Draughts
Friday, February 6 | 7:00 – 11:00 p.m.
Art, drink, and be happy! Enjoy beer tastings from The Whig, musical performances including Charlotte’s Sinners and Saints and Amigo and Zach Joseph from Asheville, N.C., D.I.Y. art projects, interactive art, scavenger hunts, and unique perspective tours. Sponsored by The Whig, WXRY, and Free Times. $8 / $5 for members / join or renew your membership that night and get in for free.
Film: Jacob Lawrence: The Glory of Expression
Saturday, February 7 | Noon
A documentary about the life and work of one of America’s great painters, Jacob Lawrence, the first African American to be represented by a New York Gallery. Emphasis is placed on the epic narratives he painted about the struggles of the African-American people. Central to the film is the attention given to the emotional aspects of creating art as well as the importance of motivation and determination for success. 28 minutes. Free with membership or admission.
Contemporaries’ Black Jack Ball
Saturday, February 7 | 7:30 – 11:30 p.m.
This annual fundraising gala is the Contemporaries premiere event and is expected to draw a crowd of over 400 to the elegant, modern environment of the Columbia Museum of Art. In its 10th year, guests enjoy an evening of Vegas-proportions in honor of the Contemporaries 21st birthday celebration. The event begins with a silent art auction, heavy hors d’oeuvres by Scott Hall Catering, casino entertainment by Party Time DJs, music by Sol Fusion, and dancing in a show-stopping casino atmosphere designed by Cricket Newman Designs. All proceeds from the event benefit the Contemporaries Art Acquisition Fund. $75 or $135 for couples and $55 / $100 for Contemporaries members/couples. For more information, visit columbiacontemporaries.com.
Passport to Art: Be Mine
Sunday, February 8 | Noon – 3:00 p.m.
Come get your Passport to Art and make someone special a valentine. This free drop-in studio program for families features a new hands-on art project each month. After spending time in our open studios, explore our galleries at your own leisure or join us for the family tour at 1:00 p.m.Free.
ArtBreak: Ward Briggs
Tuesday, February 10 | 10:30 a.m. – Noon
ArtBreak is a program that looks at art through a different lens. Each session features a speaker, typically from outside the art world, who gives insight into their worldview by sharing their interpretation of works of art at the CMA. This month, begin the morning at the museum with pastries and coffee sold at a pop-up café by Drip before classicist Ward Briggs discusses mythology and its impact on art through the ages. Free with membership or admission.
CMA Chamber Music on Main
Tuesday, February 10 | Happy hour at 6:00 p.m. | Concert at 7:00 p.m.
Music plus art equals a magical experience with this critically acclaimed chamber concert series featuring world-renowned artistic director Edward Arron and intimately set in the museum’s DuBose Poston Reception Hall. Edward Arron on cello, Gilles Vonsattel on piano, Todd Palmer on clarinet, and Bella Hristova on violin perform compositions by Beethoven, Stravinsky, and Debussy with an arrangement by Todd Palmer. Presented by U.S. Trust. $40 / $30 members / $5 students.
Family Fun Day: Sweet on CMA
Saturday, February 14 | Noon – 3:00 p.m.
Families are invited to Feel the Love (of ART) at “Family Fun Day: Sweet on CMA.” Get creative at art stations and make a valentine for someone special. Take a “Love-Struck” Tour, participate in the “I Heart Art” Gallery Hunt, and strike a pose in the “Be Mine” Selfie Booth. See the Columbia Marionette Theater perform “Hansel and Gretel” at 1:00 p.m. Don’t forget to purchase some sweet treats! Sponsored by Eau Claire Cooperative Health Center.
Columbia Burning: A Sesquicentennial Reappraisal
Tuesday, February 17 | 9:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.
Presented by the University of South Carolina’s History Center, Institute for Southern Studies and Graduate School
9:00 – 11:30 a.m.: Panel Discussion on the Burning of Columbia – Free session
By bringing in scholars who are generating new work on the burning of Columbia, our goal is to shed fresh light on the meaning of the events of February 17, 1865, as an example of urban disaster and recovery. The arrival of the Union army marked a day of jubilant emancipation for blacks, thousands of whom followed in the wake of Sherman’s advance northward. These and other topics, including the evolution of modern warfare, will be discussed.
Moderator: Dr. Thomas Brown, University of South Carolina
Dr. Ann Sarah Rubin, University of Maryland, Baltimore County
Dr. Megan Kate Nelson, Harvard
Caitlin Verboon, Yale
Noon: Luncheon – $30
Presentation on mid-to-late-19th-century
2:00 – 4:00 p.m.: Discussion on Advancing Civic Dialogue around History – Free session
Dr. Tom Sugrue (University of Pennsylvania) will lead this discussion looking at the role of public history/public intellectuals in shaping and advancing civic dialogue to deal with difficult pasts, as well as the role of the academy in preparing students for community and public engagement.
All sessions require advance registration. Morning and afternoon sessions are free. Luncheon costs $30. For registration and more information please visit, burningofcolumbia.com
Baker and Baker Presents Art of Music: Pisaro / Stuart / Bush Concert
Tuesday, February 17 │ Happy hour at 7:30 p.m. │Concert at 8:00 p.m.
Composer Michael Pisaro and percussionist Greg Stuart, whose recent collaborative performances at the CMA have been praised by the New York Times as “patient, unpredictable, exceedingly beautiful,” join forces with the exemplary pianist Phillip Bush for an evening of innovative music-making. Pisaro’s A Mist is a Collection of Points for piano, percussion, and sine tones is a natural outgrowth of Pisaro and Stuart’s field recording work in Congaree National Park-recently documented in the stunning Continuum Unbound (2014) box set on the Gravity Wave label-this new work engages with the “hyperchaotic” nature of change comprising not only our experience of the world, but the world itself. By considering the dynamic character of mist or fog, Pisaro’s A Mist is a Collection of Points creates a sonic terrain of dense, continuously rupturing and ultimately evaporating fields of color. $10 / $8 for members / $5 for students.
Evening for Educators
February 18 | 4:30 – 6:30 p.m.
Enter the world of an American impressionist in the exhibition Charles Courtney Curran: Seeking the Ideal. Curran’s career blossomed in the decades when French impressionism had changed the art world. Charles Curran’s heart was claimed by women, children, and flowers, and he devoted a lifetime to painting them in the full light of day. Free.
Spark Tours: Charles Courtney Curran: Seeking the Ideal
Thursday, February 20 | 11:00 a.m. and 2:00 p.m.
The CMA is offering quick, 30-minute lunchtime “Spark Tours” of the Charles Courtney Curran: Seeking the Ideal. The tours spark the imagination of busy weekday workers and lunch-goers with limited time to visit the museum or those interested in a brief overview of the show before exploring further on their own. A guided tour provides an overview highlighting select works of this treasured American painter.
Lecture: Charles Courtney Curran: Tilting Toward Impressionism
Thursday, February 20 | Noon
The paintings of Charles Courtney Curran are, first and foremost, beautiful. Thirty years ago, Curran was included in William H. Gerdts’ important book, American Impressionism, but during his lifetime Curran also exhibited in the Paris Salon where he was certainly not considered an impressionist painter. Now, with the work of this masterful painter as the focus of the new retrospective, Seeking the Ideal, CMA Chief Curator Will South asks: Was Curran really an impressionist? Or, as the show’s catalogue asks, was he a realist or an idealist, and what, if anything was truly “American” about his art? Free with membership or admission.
Film: In Open Air: A Portrait of the American Impressionists
Friday February 20 | 3:00 p.m.
In Open Air: A Portrait of the American Impressionists captures the essence of the impressionist movement in America, a pivotal period in American art from 1880 to 1915. With the pace of life quickening at the end of the 19th century, painters were seeking new ways to look at and preserve traditional American scenes that were rapidly disappearing-stone fences, open countryside, picturesque settings. These tranquil images were painted outside, in open air. Visually stunning, In Open Air features some of the finest impressionist paintings created during this period and travels to favored locales that inspired the artists’ work. It explores the influence of the French impressionists and reveals how the American painters developed their own styles. 28 minutes. Free with membership or admission.
Tatara Fire: A Discussion with Henry Mandell
Tuesday, February 24 │Happy hour 6:00 p.m. │Lecture 7:00 p.m.
Henry Mandell was born in New York City and continues to live and work there, making abstract artworks with unusual methods. Paintings and works on paper are composed from text which is transformed into complex patterns from the outlines of all the words. Using stories, raw data, or poetry as a starting point and working by hand with a digital brush, Mandell transforms the shapes of letters into new forms using computers and drawing programs. Once completed, the paintings are printed on canvas with archival inkjet printers.
In 2014, his 11 x 26 foot mural Tatara Fire was installed in the Columbia Museum of Art. Commissioned by the museum, Tatara Fire refers to the symbols of transformation through fire. From the forging of ancient Japanese steel in traditional clay tatara kilns to the burning of the city of Columbia at the end of the Civil War, the artwork aims draw viewers into its intricate patterns, perhaps to reflect on how our past informs our present. The mural contains most of the 10,000 words from the source texts used to create the painting.
In addition to his fine art practice, Mr. Mandell is also Project Manager for the estate of Mark Rothko, working there to create digital archives of Rothko’s work and historical records, as well as overseeing all reproductions of the artist’s work and management of licensing. Mr. Mandell received a BFA in Fine Art from Ithaca College and has studied at Parsons School of Design and The School of Visual Arts in New York.
This lecture is sponsored by the CMA’s Contemporaries and by The Palladium Society of Historic Columbia.$10 / $8 members / $5 students. *Free for Contemporaries and Palladium members.
Drawing 101
Thursdays, February 26 & March 5 | 6:00 – 8:00 p.m.
Join us for a two-part workshop with CMA instructor Mike Dwyer to explore basic techniques in the art of drawing. “Drawing 101” is part of our “Art School 101” series, which offers participants the perfect opportunity to dabble in photography, watercolor painting, and drawing while learning new techniques. Participants must be 18 or older. $80 / $60 members.
Artist Salon: Columbia Now
Friday, February 27 | Noon
This series features gallery talks about a wide range of subjects, topics, and disciplines. For this salon talk, the CMA welcomes three photographers Vennie-Deas Moore, Robert Clark, and Meg Griffiths, who will discuss their work in the Columbia Now exhibition, a show that celebrates the city through the photography of local contemporary artists.Free with membership or admission.
About CMA
The Columbia Museum of Art is a charitable nonprofit organization dedicated to lifelong learning and community enrichment for all. Located in the heart of downtown Columbia, SC, CMA ranks among the leading art institutions in the country and is distinguished by its innovative exhibitions and creative educational programs. At the heart of the CMA and its programs is its collection, which encompasses nearly 7,000 works and spans thousands of years of history, representing a range of world cultures. Established in 1950, the CMA now welcomes more than 135,000 visitors annually and is a catalyst for community creativity, engaging people of all ages and backgrounds with a diverse spectrum of programming, from exhibitions and lectures to concerts, which appeal to a wide range of visitors and students. It is the recipient of a National Art Education Association award for its contributions to arts education and an Elizabeth O’Neill Verner Governor’s Award for the Arts for outstanding contributions to the arts in South Carolina.
.
