Vista Guild Plans 25th Annual Artista Vista, April 21-23
April 11, 2016
Artista Vista, the Midlands’ most celebrated gallery crawl, returns from Thursday, April 21 – Saturday, April 23, 2016. Vista galleries will open their doors from 5-9 p.m. Thursday, April 21 (for Art Night), and for regular gallery hours April 22-23 for this free, signature Vista gallery crawl.
In its 25th year, Artista Vista will feature regionally and nationally renowned artists, as well as local artists from the Midlands. Attendees can chat with gallery owners and artists while taking in paintings, sculpture, pottery and jewelry. The event will also feature live music artists at their craft on the streets in the Vista during Thursday night’s Art Night party. Several galleries are also planning special talks and lectures by artists on Friday and Saturday of the event. Visit ArtistaVista.com to view the full Artista Vista schedule.
Art Night (Thursday, April 21):
Participating Artista Vista galleries include: Carol Saunders Gallery
• City Art
• Ellen Taylor Interiors + Design
• if ART Gallery
• Lewis + Clark
• One Eared Cow Glass
• Studio Cellar
• The Gallery at Nonnah’s
• Vista Studios/Gallery 80808
New this year: Members of the public are invited to participate in Libera Me: A Lantern Parade and Group Performance with 701 CCA artist in residence Janke Klompmeker. The parade will gather at 8 p.m. at the entrance to the Vista Greenway tunnel at Lady and Lincoln Streets. The parade will leave as the sun sets at 8:15 p.m. and make its way through a short route in the Vista. Members of the public can participate by making lanterns in workshops at 701 CCA before the parade (more information on workshop dates and times at ArtistaVista.com) or carrying lanterns that have been made already. Members of the public are also encouraged to just watch the parade as it makes its way through the Vista.
Klompmaker, an artist from the Netherlands, will be the CCA artist in residence from early April through the end of June. Her lanterns, produced at Furman University, will be in the exhibition Dadaesque, which will open at 701 CCA April 13.
Installation Art:
The Vista Guild has commissioned artist Michaela Pilar Brown to curate “Consider the Revolution,” several installation and temporary performance pieces by artists that will be in place for Artista Vista. The exhibit features South Carolina artists looking at change mediated through mark making, objects, performance and movement.
Participating installation artists include: Susan Lenz, Shannon Lindsey, Kenneth Eric Adams, Sara Schnecloth, Roni Nicole Henderson, The Nia Company, Jason Kendall and Kara Gunter. A map of installation locations and curator’s notes is available at ArtistaVista.com.
Public Art Sculpture dedication:
As in recent years, the Vista Guild will also install another permanent sculpture, by artist Mike Williams, near 707 Gervais Street between Newk’s Eatery and the Twisted Spur. The short dedication will take place at 5:30 p.m.
More Artista Vista on Friday, April 22 and Saturday, April 23:
Free, guided walking tours of the installation art and sculpture will be offered by volunteer guides and One Columbia on Saturday, April 23 at 10 a.m., 12 p.m. and 2 p.m. Tours will meet and depart from the corner of Lady and Lincoln Streets.
Participating Artista Vista galleries will be open for their regular gallery hours and several are offering special artist talks. For a full schedule of special gallery events and talks on Friday and Saturday, visit ArtistaVista.com.
“The Arts Commission recently officially designated the Vista a South Carolina Cultural District. We can think of no better way to celebrate the 25th anniversary of Artista Vista than by celebrating the arts in our cultural district with fresh installations curated by one of our favorite artists, lectures in the galleries and mixing and mingling with art lovers in the Vista,” said Meredith Atkinson, executive director of the Congaree Vista Guild.
Artista Vista is free for attendees, and free parking is available in the Vista’s parking decks located on Lincoln Street near Lady, Park Street near Pendleton and Lady Street near Wayne Street on Thursday, April 21 from 5 p.m. – 2 a.m.
Stay tuned to ArtistaVista.com for event maps and plans as galleries finalize their Artista Vista shows and as the Vista Guild announces installation artists and sites complete gallery and installation exhibition information. For more information about the Vista, please visit VistaColumbia.com or call Meredith Atkinson at (803) 269.5946. Follow the Vista Guild on Twitter, Instagram and on Facebook.
