Monday, June 27, 2022

Face to Face at the South Carolina State Museum

Face to Face is the current art exhibit at the South Carolina State Museum. All artists are associated with SC. These unique pieces express many different human connections.

Below is MLK/RFK/JFK By Dan Robert Miller in 1975. Carved from a single black gum tree are 3 iconic figures of the Civil Rights movement who were assassinated. 

Odhin (a magician amongst gods as well as the god of poets) is a wood carving, painting by L.C. Carson in 1975.

Panethnikon is by Jack Levine 1978. It is political satire of world leaders in a smoky, poker playing environment.

Certain portraits catch my eye like this below by an unknown artist circa 1849. These are the daughters of prominent silver smith of South Carolina. The oldest daughter died at age 3 shown with her younger sister at an older age. Beautiful and filled with symbolism like the missing shoe.

This piece is particularly interesting to me. I always found it ironic that the bible belt states seem to love their violent guns more than other states. Maybe I'm wrong.

Virgin Mary Gun Altar is by Peter Lenzo in 1993. Here the artist contrasts "feminine" Mary with the "masculine" association American's have with guns. Close up, this is filled with images of the Virgin Mary and guns.

Assembly Church is by Prentiss Taylor, 1936. This artist spent a lot of time in Charleston, SC where he created works of daily life.

These sculptures are by Roy Paschal in 2012. Why these are interesting is the skulls of these 2 soldiers were discovered by a private developer in 1987. They were part of the 55th Massachusetts Volunteer Infantry. The artist created casts of these 2 skulls to come up with these busts. A beautiful tribute!    

I am in love with the painting style of August Charles Cook II. This is a portrait of
his wife circa 1950.

 

The exit of the Face to Face exhibit features a fun self portrait wall filled with mirrors.
It is quite a unique exhibit that would catch anyone's interest with all the styles involved.
 
If you go, the museum is located at: 
301 Gervais Street
Columbia, SC
Sunday noon - 5pm
Monday - closed
Tuesday thru Saturday 10am - 5pm

Have a marvelous day/evening (wherever you are on the clock)! ~Val

17 comments:

  1. great collections to understand history ....
    Thank you for sharing interesting images and story

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  2. This is such a fabulous find. I especially loved learning about the history behind the art.

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  3. Neat exhibit! My fave is the wooden carving of Odhin, "dad bod" and all.

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  4. What a wonderful exhibition! The wood carvings are cool.
    xoxo
    Lovely
    www.mynameislovely.com

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    1. Thank you Lovely. There was certainly some talent to enjoy in this exhibit!

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  5. lovely paintings...
    a lot of items to see in the exhibition.... wish to visit the museum

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    1. It is a wonderful museum here filled with so much more than art.

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  6. What an interesting theme. I like many of the things you shared.

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    1. Thank you Jeanie. It was an interesting theme the encompasses so much art!

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  7. that's a wonderful exhibition! love your photos
    I hope you have a lovely week


    style frontier

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  8. I haven't been to SC State Museum in a few years. It looks like they're keeping the exhibits interesting!

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    Replies
    1. It had been a few years for us too. The museum is always fun to stroll through!

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