| EXHIBITIONS
Sam Gilliam: Printmaker
On view May 24 through August 31, 2025
Sam Gilliam (1933 – 2022) was one of the great innovators in postwar American painting. Early in his career, he made clean-edged abstractions in line with the Washington Color School painters. He gradually loosened up his style, soaking or pouring colors directly onto his canvases and folding them before they dried — a technique that creates accordion lines and a deep sense of texture. Around 1965, Gilliam made his greatest stylistic innovation: He got rid of the stretcher bars that traditionally underpin a painting and draped his canvases from the wall like sheets from a clothesline.
Gilliam began his printmaking in the 1970s. He would occasionally use traditional techniques such as screen printing but would also take his prints back to the studio to cut them apart and stitch them back together with a heavy nylon filament, resulting in a series of highly innovative and unique works.
In 1972 he became the first Black artist to represent the United States at the Venice Biennale and his work is represented in the collections of the Museum of Modern Art, New York; the Phillips Collection, Washington, D.C.; the Kunstmuseum, Basel; and many others — including the CMA.
This exhibition features 37 of Gilliam’s finest prints created between 1972 and 2009, from the Michael K. and Marian E. Butler Collection of Miami, Florida. It is organized by Landau Traveling Exhibitions, Los Angeles, CA, in association with the Griots Gallery, Miami, FL. Presented by Bank of America Private Bank. Gold Sponsors: Maynard Nexsen PC; Dr. Suzanne R. Thorpe and Dr. John W. Baynes; BlueCross BlueShield of South Carolina. Bronze Sponsors: Barbara B. Boyd; Allen and Gladys Coles; Dr. and Mrs. Benjamin M. Gimarc; Metro Wines Asheville. Benefactors: Mr. and Mrs. John R. Kessler, Jr.; Cathy and Mike Love; Beth and Matthew Richardson; Robinson Gray. Grantors: City of Columbia; Experience Columbia; Richland County; South Carolina Arts Commission; Discover South Carolina.
Let’s Have a Talk: Black Artists from the CMA Collection
On view May 24 through August 31, 2025
Bringing together a multigenerational group of 15 Black artists working in and around abstraction, Let’s Have a Talk pushes against longstanding expectations that work by Black artists must present a clear message about their racial identity and experience, and it celebrates their crucial, yet often dismissed, role in abstract art.
Featuring sculpture, prints, paintings, and photography from the CMA Collection, this exhibition presents a range of abstract styles including Oliver Lee Jackson’s expressive, gestural mark making, Lorna Simpson’s ambiguous forms, and McArthur Binion’s minimalist designs.
Titled after conceptual artist Adrian Piper’s socially provocative print included in the show, Let’s Have a Talk is an open-ended invitation to start a conversation about Black artists’ contributions to modern and contemporary art history and the many facets of abstraction. Within these discussions other dialogues may emerge — between artists, between unique objects, between viewer and image, and within ourselves.
Grantors: City of Columbia; Experience Columbia; Richland County; South Carolina Arts Commission; Discover South Carolina.
GALLERY LIGHTING PROJECT
The CMA is undertaking a legacy project in its 75th anniversary year (2025) to undergo a total gallery lighting renovation and fresh reinstallation of art throughout all the galleries. The CMA’s gallery lights date back to 1998, when the museum first moved to its current location on Main Street. That system is now obsolete and, to best preserve and present the art, it must be replaced.
To accommodate this exciting new project, all second-floor Collection galleries are temporarily closed. First-floor exhibition galleries have reopened. This is a significant step as we prepare to bring visitors an enhanced and enriched experience.
Rest assured, the CMA continues to offer exhibitions, programs, events, and rentals throughout this period, ensuring that the museum remains a vibrant hub of culture and community. Learn more here.
PROGRAMS AND EVENTS
To purchase tickets or register for classes, visit columbiamuseum.org or call 803-799-2810.
Curator’s Talk with Sadé Ayorinde
Sunday, June 1 | 2:00 – 3:00 p.m.
Celebrate new exhibitions Sam Gilliam: Printmaker and Let’s Have a Talk with an introductory lecture on these paired shows. Join Curator Sadé Ayorinde for a brief exhibition overview followed by an exploration of themes, highlights, and histories related to the work on view. Free with membership, SC residency, or admission. Generous support provided by Art Bridges Foundation’s Access for All program.
Summer Camp: Summer Daze
Monday – Friday, June 2 – 6 | 9:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.
Ages 4 – 6. Kick off summer with a celebration of the season. From sand art to sea life, campers explore warm colors and hot weather with some fun in the sun. Instructor: Emelyn Guild. $175 / $140 for members.
Summer Camp: Cut, Collage, Create
Monday – Friday, June 2 – 6 | 9:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.
Ages 10 – 12. Campers explore an array of 2D artmaking including monoprints, collage arts, ink marbling, and mixed-media techniques. Instructor: Velvet Underwood. $200 / $160 for members.
Summer Camp: Brush Up!
Monday – Friday, June 2 – 6 | 1:00 – 4:00 p.m.
Ages 10 – 12. Explore the world of paints from oil and acrylic to watercolor and beyond. Campers experiment with different styles of painting using the exhibition galleries and art history for inspiration. Instructor: Austin Reynolds. $200 / $160 for members.
Summer Camp: Ink, Paper, Scissors!
Monday – Friday, June 2 – 6 | 1:00 – 4:00 p.m.
Ages 7 – 9. Inspired by what they see in the exhibition Sam Gilliam: Printmaker, campers learn a variety of mixed-media techniques including printmaking and collage. Instructor: Ariana Smoak. $200 / $160 for members.
Morning Blend: A Jazz, Soul, and Coffee Series
Wednesdays, June 4, 11, 18, and 25 | 7:30 – 10:30 a.m.
The popular Morning Blend returns! Stop by Boyd Plaza and add variety to your morning routine with this program series in partnership with Curiosity Coffee Bar. Relax with jazz from bandleader Nicholas Vlandis and a lineup of rotating musicians along with a new DJ each week: Preach Jacobs, Maya Wang, Airborne Audio, and Kenya Spinz. Enjoy Curiosity’s coffee, tea, and vegan breakfast options and a Drake’s Duck-In popup with options including their famous chicken biscuits. Free to attend. Food and drink for purchase.
Generous support provided by Art Bridges Foundation’s Access for All program. Music at the CMA is presented by the Baker & Baker Foundation. Silver Sponsors: Nancy and Richard Layman. Patron Sponsors: Barbara Boyd; Harold and Clarke Friedman. Friend Level Sponsors: Dr. Mary Baskin-Waters and Mr. Samuel C. Waters.
Gladys’ Gang Toddler Edition: Squiggles and Wiggles
Wednesday, June 4 | 10:00 – 11:00 a.m.
Sam Gilliam was an expert at creating works of art that make us want to move. Join us as we look at vibrant colors, expressive lines, and rhythmic patterns that activate us in Sam Gilliam: Printmaker. Gladys’ Gang is specially designed for 2- to 3-year-old participants and their adult companions to explore art through movement and play. This program includes story time, gallery exploration, and a creative studio activity related to the art exploration theme. Free. Registration required for all participants as space is limited. Siblings welcome!
Free First Thursday at the CMA
Thursday, June 5 | 10:00 a.m. – 8:00 p.m.
Enjoy free admission, extended hours, and a guided tour at 6:00 p.m. of featured exhibitions. Last gallery entry at 7:30 p.m. Free. Plaza events by First Thursday on Main. Generous support provided by Art Bridges Foundation’s Access for All program.
Public Tour: Sam Gilliam and Let’s Have a Talk
Thursday, June 5 | 6:00 – 7:00 p.m.
Saturday, June 14 | 11:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.
Join us for a tour of current exhibitions. Free with membership, SC residency, or admission. Generous support provided by Art Bridges Foundation’s Access for All program.
With a prolific career marked by innovation and experimentation, Sam Gilliam is one of the most celebrated postwar artists and the first Black artist to represent the United States at the Venice Biennale. Sam Gilliam: Printmaker examines his decades of work exploring prints, featuring vibrant compositions that combine elements of collage, assemblage, and sculpture.
Let’s Have a Talk: Black Artists from the CMA Collection considers the pivotal, though often obscured, role of Black artists in abstraction in the 20th and 21st centuries. See the work of 15 artists including drawing by Bing Davis, sculpture by Sanford Biggers, photography by Carrie Mae Weems, and more.
FAAAC Annual Meeting
Thursday, June 5 | 6:00 – 8:00 p.m.
The Friends of African American Art & Culture is dedicated to championing Black art and culture. This museum affinity group supports the CMA through educational and entertaining programming that uplifts Black art, artists, and arts professionals. FAAAC regularly provides sponsorship for exhibitions, summer camps, museums tours, lectures, and Black-art-centered events. This year, FAAAC’s annual meeting includes an introductory conversation with the CMA’s newest curator, Sadé Ayorinde, whose scholarship centers Black art. Attendees may also enjoy a silent auction featuring original pieces by Black artists, live music, and food catered by Perfectly Plated. Free. Cash bar. Registration requested to assist with catering estimates.
Yoga on the Plaza
Fridays, June 6 and 27 | 8:00 – 9:00 a.m.
Join Juliet Hewitt, E-RYT 500 and yoga program manager for Corazon Holistic Health on Main Street, for a yoga class designed for beginners as well as seasoned practitioners who want to refine their practice. This class focuses on the shapes and general alignment of basic yoga poses along with variations of sun salutations. Breathwork and meditation round out this fun before-work practice. Participants should wear comfortable clothing and bring whatever props they need (for example a pillow and/or blanket) to be able to rest lying down on the floor for an hour. Mats are provided, but participants are welcome to bring their own. Ages 15 and up. No unaccompanied minors. Free. This program is offered at no cost thanks to the generous support of Healthy Blue.
Summer Camp: Make Your Mark
Monday – Friday, June 9 – 13 | 9:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.
Ages 4 – 6. Campers explore texture, shape, and pattern through various two- and three-dimensional mediums, taking inspiration from art history and the exhibition Sam Gilliam: Printmaker. Instructor: Glenna Barlow. $175 / $140 for members.
Summer Camp: Project Funway
Monday – Friday, June 9 – 13 | 9:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.
Ages 10 – 12. From drafting to crafting, campers learn all about fashion design as they create and update their own wardrobe into wearable art. The week culminates with a fashion show to shine a light on these fabulous designs. Instructor: Becky Groth. $200 / $160 for members.
Summer Camp: Creative Jewelry Design
Monday – Friday, June 9 – 13 | 1:00 – 4:00 p.m.
Ages 10 – 12. In this beginner metals and jewelry making class, campers gain the primary skills to create their own wearable art. Instructor: Sarah McNab. $200 / $160 for members.
Summer Camp: Comic Creations
Monday – Friday, June 9 – 13 | 1:00 – 4:00 p.m.
Ages 7 – 9. Develop the character and background design skills to create a compelling plot through storyboarding. Campers create comics of their own while collaborating with each other and applying drawing and illustration techniques. Instructor: Jason Schoonover. $200 / $160 for members.
Hard Hat Tour with Executive Director Della Watkins
Wednesday, June 11 | 4:00 – 5:00 p.m.
Join CMA Executive Director Della Watkins on a behind-the-scenes tour of your museum’s current gallery lighting renovation project. The CMA has been a cornerstone of the Main Street community since moving 25 years ago into the historic downtown building formerly occupied by Macy’s department store. It has become a vibrant destination of world-class art and innovative programming. This tour offers a unique look at preparations for the next display of the CMA Collection, including details on lighting and infrastructure. Don’t miss this opportunity to see the CMA from a new perspective and learn about upcoming happenings. Free. Registration required. Ages 18 and up. Please wear close-toed shoes; hard hats will be provided. Limit of 15 guests per tour.
Summer Camp: Fabricadabra!
Monday – Friday, June 16 – 20 | 9:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.
Ages 4 – 6. From little looms to wee weavings, young artists explore the many ways to create fantastic fiber art. Dress for a mess as we work with inks and dyes. Instructor: Emelyn Guild. $175 / $140 for members.
Summer Camp: Paper to Print
Monday – Friday, June 16 – 20 | 1:00 – 4:00 p.m.
Ages 7 – 9. Using Sam Gilliam: Printmaker as inspiration, campers learn a variety of printmaking techniques and experiment with relief, monoprint, and screenprinting while printing on their very own handmade paper. Instructor: Addison Graham. $200 / $160 for members.
Gladys’ Gang Preschool Edition: Squiggles and Wiggles
Wednesday, June 18 | 10:00 – 11:00 a.m.
Sam Gilliam was an expert at creating works of art that make us want to move. Join us as we look at vibrant colors, expressive lines, and rhythmic patterns that activate us in Sam Gilliam: Printmaker. Gladys’ Gang program is specially designed for 4- to 5-year-old participants and their adult companions to explore art through play and inquiry. This program builds skills for kindergarten readiness through story time, gallery conversations, and a creative studio project related to the art exploration theme. Free. Registration required for all participants as space is limited. Siblings welcome!
Focal Points Tour: Art in the Elements
Thursday, June 19 | 10:00 – 11:00 a.m.
Elements of art or art in the elements? That’s just what the CMA has going on outside on Boyd Plaza. Come explore this exciting gathering place designed to welcome the Columbia community. Learn some of the plaza’s interesting history before taking a closer look at a few of the striking sculptures. Focal Points is a series of gallery talks featuring topics and themes near and dear to the hearts of docents and staff. In the event of rain, this tour will be canceled. Free. Generous support provided by Art Bridges Foundation’s Access for All program.
Juneteenth at the CMA
Thursday, June 19 | 10:00 a.m. – 8:00 p.m.
In celebration of Juneteenth, the CMA is offering free admission. Enjoy exhibitions Sam Gilliam: Printmaker and Let’s Have a Talk: Black Artists from the CMA Collection. At 11:00 a.m. and 2:00 p.m. take a tour of both exhibitions led by Dr. Nancy Tolson, CMA commissioner and USC assistant director of African American Studies. Generous support provided by Art Bridges Foundation’s Access for All program and BlueCross BlueShield South Carolina.
Arts & Draughts
Friday, June 20 | 6:00 – 10:00 p.m.
Celebrate the summer solstice with your favorite museum party! Enjoy live music from Cubs and Hrlum, unique perspective tours with Darion McCloud of NiA Company, art activities, food trucks, and more. Check out featured exhibitions Sam Gilliam: Printmaker and Let’s Have a Talk: Black Artists from the CMA Collection. Enjoy DJ sets with Folk Tech and an immersive dance performance with the Power Company Collective (PoCoCo). Get colorful at a DIY dyeing station with Chris Scott of Dyes Effx Art Ware (buy the Arts & Draughts t-shirt or bring your own), make an experimental print with USC Printmaking, make your own mini Gilliam-inspired sculptural print, check out the solstice-themed photo booth and abstract flower crown making station, and see live screenprinting from Bluetile Print Studio as they make the official Arts & Draughts t-shirt. Creature Comforts is on hand to answer questions about their beer and share some swag. Food for purchase by Los Chicanos, Doggone Good Dogs, and The Reizod Vegan Experience. Cash bar by WECO Bottle and Biergarten. $15 / $10 for members. Join or renew or volunteer for a short shift that night and get in free. Sponsored by WECO Bottle and Biergarten and WXRY 99.3 FM. Music at the CMA is presented by the Baker & Baker Foundation. Silver Sponsors: Nancy and Richard Layman. Patron Sponsors: Barbara Boyd; Harold and Clarke Friedman. Friend Level Sponsors: Dr. Mary Baskin-Waters and Mr. Samuel C. Waters.
Columbia Design League Presents: Every Story Inspires A Journey: Affinity Trip to Charleston’s IAAM
Saturday, June 21 | 8:30 a.m. – 8:30 p.m.
Be a part of history with this first-ever collaboration between all three Columbia Museum of Art affinity groups: the Columbia Design League, Friends of African American Art & Culture, and the Contemporaries! This exclusive experience features a visit to Charleston’s renowned International African American Museum (IAAM) for a powerful exploration of African American history, culture, and legacy with Dr. Bobby Donaldson, professor of history and executive director at the Center for Civil Rights History & Research at University of South Carolina, and Ija Charles, self-taught artist and entrepreneur. Beforehand, kick off this Holy City outing with a delicious brunch at Kiki’s Chicken and Waffles catered by James Beard Award nominee Kitwanda Cyrus. After the museum visit, explore Charleston independently before hopping back on the bus to return to Columbia. $100 includes transportation via luxury coach to and from Charleston, museum admission to IAAM, and brunch at Kiki’s Chicken & Waffles. Drive-yourself tickets available for $60. Sponsored by The Cheer Lender.
Stroller Tour: Sam Gilliam and Let’s Have a Talk
Saturday, June 21 | 10:30 – 11:30 a.m.
Take a tour of featured exhibitions with infants in tow! Bring your little ones along for the ride on a stroller-friendly tour for caregivers with babies up to age two. Fussy, crying, or wiggly babies welcome! Baby wearing is encouraged. Free with membership, SC residency, or admission. Registration required as space is limited. Generous support provided by Art Bridges Foundation’s Access for All program.
With a prolific career marked by innovation and experimentation, Sam Gilliam is one of the most celebrated postwar artists and the first Black artist to represent the United States at the Venice Biennale. Sam Gilliam: Printmaker examines his decades of work exploring prints, featuring vibrant compositions that combine elements of collage, assemblage, and sculpture.
Let’s Have a Talk: Black Artists from the CMA Collection considers the pivotal, though often obscured, role of Black artists in abstraction in the 20th and 21st centuries. See the work of 15 artists including drawing by Bing Davis, sculpture by Sanford Biggers, photography by Carrie Mae Weems, and more.
FAAAC presents Backyard BBQ: A Day of Art, Community, and Family
Sunday, June 22 | 1:00 – 5:00 p.m.
This year FAAAC celebrates Juneteenth on Boyd Plaza with an event centered around games in the African American community. Throughout the afternoon, enjoy playing popular card games, line dancing with a DJ, a scavenger hunt in Sam Gilliam: Printmaker, and live music. At 3:00 p.m., hear from Dr. Nancy Tolson, CMA commissioner and USC assistant director of African American Studies, on the history of these games. Free to attend. Food for purchase. Gallery entry, including the scavenger hunt, is free with membership, SC residency, or admission. Generous support provided by Art Bridges Foundation’s Access for All program.
The Friends of African American Art & Culture is dedicated to championing Black art and culture. This CMA affinity group supports the museum through programming that includes exhibition, celebration, and education-related events that uplift Black art, artists, and arts professionals.
Summer Camp: Making Faces
Monday – Friday, June 23 – 27 | 9:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.
Ages 4 – 6. From drawing to prints, painting, sculpture, and beyond, campers take inspiration from portraits throughout art history to put their best faces forward. Instructor: Ashley Dunbar. $175 / $140 for members.
Summer Camp: Clay Creations
Monday – Friday, June 23 – 27 | 9:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.
Ages 7 – 9. Learn the tools of the ceramics trade with both additive and subtractive techniques. Campers explore clay through hand-building and add color to their fired pieces using a wide range of methods. Instructor: Ashley Greene. $200 / $160 for members.
Summer Camp: Canvas Concentrations
Monday – Friday, June 23 – 27 | 1:00 – 4:00 p.m.
Ages 13 – 18. Teens develop painting techniques using oil, acrylic, and watercolor, using the exhibition galleries to learn about styles of painting throughout art history and color theory. Instructor: Austin Reynolds. $200 / $160 for members.
Gallery Talk: Growing Up in the Shadow of Black Abstraction with Michaela Pilar Brown
Thursday, June 26 | 11:00 – 11:45 a.m.
Celebrate the work of Sam Gilliam during a gallery talk led by Michaela Pilar Brown, South Carolina artist, 2024 Joan Mitchell fellow, and owner of Mike Brown Contemporary Art Gallery. Learn about what it was like to be an artist in her formative years during Gilliam’s time in the Washington, D.C., area, and the value of exposure to working Black professional artists for aspiring young talent. Q&A to follow. Free with membership, SC residency, or admission. Generous support provided by Art Bridges Foundation’s Access for All program.
Brown is an independent curator and multidisciplinary artist using photography, installation, collage, painting, and performance. She is the 2018 grand prize winner of ArtFields’ juried art competition and a 2018 inaugural resident artist of the Volcanic Residency, Whakatane Museum, Whakatane, New Zealand. She was one of the six American artists selected to participate as a Resident Artist for OPEN IMMERSION: A VR CREATIVE DOC LAB produced by the CFC Media Lab, The National Film Board of Canada (NFB), and JustFilms | Ford Foundation in Toronto, Canada, an Inaugural Resident Artist at the 2016 Sedona Summer Colony and a 2016 Artist in Residence, Kunstlerwerkgemeinschaft Kaiserslautern, Germany, and has held residencies at the Vermont Studio Center and the McColl Center for Art and Innovation. Brown’s work can be found in private and public museum collections in the United States. She is the former executive director of 701 Center for Contemporary Art, where she served from 2020 to 2022. She currently serves on the board of directors for One Columbia for Arts and Culture, a nonprofit organization formed to support and promote tourism in Columbia, and is also a board member of the Barabara Deming Memorial Fund, the oldest ongoing feminist granting agency. She is the new owner/director of Mike Brown Contemporary Art Gallery, formerly If ART.
Art Class: Stitched Typography
Saturday, June 28 | 10:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m.
Discover the art of modern embroidery and its connection to typography in this hands-on workshop. Using both fabric and paper, participants learn fundamental embroidery techniques and explore how to transform stitches into stunning, one-of-a-kind letterforms. Perfect for beginners and enthusiasts alike. Taught by designer and educator Stephanie Nace. All supplies and equipment provided. Ages 15 and up. $80 / $64 for members.
Stephanie Nace holds a B.F.A. in graphic design from Penn State University and an M.F.A. in visual communication design from Kent State University. A professor in graphic design and illustration at the University of South Carolina for over 22 years, she is an award-winning designer and educator. Her research focuses on conceptual development, experimental typography, letterpress, and three-dimensional design forms. Nace also serves as the faculty coordinator and creative director of The Design Studio, a student-run, faculty-led agency.
Art History 101: European Art, Medieval to Modernist
Mondays, June 30 and July 7, 14, and 28 | 11:00 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.
The CMA Collection consists of four main collecting areas: modern and contemporary, European, Asian, and American art. While the collection galleries are temporarily closed for an exciting revamp, visitors are invited to explore these categories in Art History 101, a casual lecture series. This month, dive into European works of the CMA Collection with art historian Dr. Anna Swartwood House. European Art Series: $80 / $64 for members. Individual classes: $25 / $20 for members.
Weekly Topics:
June 30: Medieval
July 7: Renaissance
July 14: Baroque & Rococo
July 28: Early Modernism
Dr. House is an associate professor of art history at the School of Visual Art and Design at the University of South Carolina. Her research focuses on intersections between Renaissance art and artists north and south of the Alps, artists’ biographies, and the reception of art. She is the author of the book Antonello da Messina and the History of Art (2025) |
