Experience South Carolina Art and History in two new exhibits at the State Museum

The South Carolina State Museum will unveil two new exhibits focused on South Carolina art and history this month. Holocaust Remembered, the stories of South Carolina Holocaust survivors and liberators will open March 19 and ART: A Collection of Collections, a new art exhibit focusing on South Carolina art collections dating back to the 1950s,  will open March 26 in the Lipscomb Art Gallery.

Holocaust Remembered

This exhibit tells the personal stories of South Carolina survivors and victims of the Holocaust. Each panel explores the progression in Europe from life before, during and after the war, showcasing the survivors and families who settled in South Carolina. Holocaust survivors and liberators make-up many of the 24 exhibit panels of Holocaust Remembered. From the rise of Adolf Hitler to the liberation of concentration camps throughout Poland and Germany, the exhibit describes the terror and horror at the hands of the Nazis, but also describes the determination and heroism of many others. Guests will learn the stories of Columbia survivors Ben Stern, Bluma Goldberg and her sisters Cela Miller and Marie Gross. They’ll also discover the story of liberator T. Moffatt Burriss and Rev. George Chassy. Docents will be on hand to answer questions and help tell the stories of one of the darkest periods of the 20^th Century.

Holocaust Remembered is presented in partnership through the Columbia Holocaust Education Commission, the South Carolina State Museum, the Columbia Jewish Federation and Historic Columbia Foundation. The exhibit will be open March 19 through April 16 and is free for guests.

A special panel discussion, Confronting the Holocaust and the Aftermath, will be held on April 3 at 2 p.m. at the State Museum. This panel discussion will feature Henry Miller, Henry M. Goldberg and Lilly Filler, all representing families of Holocaust survivors. They will be joined by T. Moffatt Burriss, a liberator of concentration camps. Robin Waites, executive director of Historic Columbia, will moderate the discussion. This event is free and open to the public. Visit scmuseum.org for more information.

ART: A Collection of Collections

The South Carolina State Museum is home to over 4,000 works of art, hand-made objects and various collections within its collection. Many of these pieces have never been on display in the museum. ART: A Collection of Collections will highlight some of these one of a kind collections within the museum’s entire collection. Guests will get to explore works of fine, folk and decorative art made by South Carolina artists that are being grouped into collections within the exhibit based on medium, subject or artist. Each area of focus within the exhibit will also focus on sub-collections of a specific artist’s work.

“This exhibit will showcase rarely seen artwork of South Carolina artists grouped uniquely together that are housed within the museum’s overall collection,” said Paul Matheny, director of collections. “The artwork is enhanced by the fascinating stories of their inception and why they belong with other works of art that give us a new look at South Carolina and its visual culture.”

The earliest piece, one of nine in the museum’s de Bry collection, dates back to 1591, by Theodore de Bry, an engraver, editor and publisher. Bry never traveled to America, but produced beautiful renditions of work based on native cultures from present day Florida to Virginia.  Other notable artist’s work will also be on display, like Winnsboro native Laura Glenn Douglas, who introduced new techniques to South Carolina after traveling through Europe in the early 20^th Century. Guests can discover the Wild West Town collection made entirely of coat hangers, by folk artist Herman Thompson, who will be appearing in the Lipscomb Art Gallery occasionally through the duration of the exhibit doing live demonstrations of his work.

Additionally, this exhibit will give guests a unique and in depth look at a rare collection of Catawba Indian Pottery. A craft that is over 6,000 years old and native to the Carolinas, Catawba pottery is one of the oldest and purest art forms of its kind. Each piece is hand made from sacred clay without the use of technological advances. Art: A Collection of Collections is a fascinating exhibition of South Carolina and will open March 19.

General admission to the State Museum is $8.95 adults, $7.95 seniors and $6.94 children. Visit scmuseum.org for more information or to purchase tickets. The State Museum is open from 10 a.m. – 5 p.m., Monday; 10 a.m. – 8 p.m., Tuesday*; 10 a.m. – 5 p.m., Wednesday – Friday; 10 a.m. – 6 p.m., Saturday; and 12 – 5 p.m., Sunday. *The Boeing Observatory is open until 10 p.m. each Tuesday. Observing is dependent on clear skies.

About the Columbia Holocaust Education Commission

The Columbia Holocaust Education Commission was established in June, 2001 following the dedication of the Columbia Holocaust Memorial in Memorial Park, Columbia, SC. Lilly Filler, the chair of the Columbia Holocaust Memorial Committee, and the committee members felt that through the successful fund raising of the project, that all donated money needed to reflect the desires of the donors, Holocaust Education for grades K-12. The Columbia Holocaust Education Commission was created with Lyssa Harvey as co-chair. New Committee members have been added over the years with expertise on Holocaust Education.

About the South Carolina State Museum

As the state’s largest and most comprehensive museum, the South Carolina State Museum offers a unique, entertaining and educational experience to visitors throughout its 225,000 square foot facility located in the heart of downtown Columbia’s Congaree Vista.  The State Museum is housed in one of its largest artifacts, an 1894 old textile mill full of character and charm.  Guests can explore outer space in one of the largest planetariums in the Southeast, watch an interactive 4D movie and look through a vintage telescope in a one-of-a-kind observatory. These opportunities are all in addition to the four floors of South Carolina art, cultural history, natural history and science/technology. Visit scmuseum.org to learn more.