Visual Arts Exhibitions

Through Apr. 22: Gibbes Museum of Art presents The Art of Alfred Hutty: Woodstock to Charleston. Exhibit features evocative landscapes and realistic studies of the human condition created by Alfred Hutty (1877–1954) in Woodstock, New York and Charleston and includes sixty works in oil, watercolor, pastel, and most importantly, etchings, drypoints, and lithographs. Following the premiere at the Gibbes, the exhibition will travel to the Greenville County (S.C.) Museum of Art and the Morris Museum of Art in Augusta, Georgia. Among the first artists to settle in the Art Students League colony at Woodstock, New York, in the early 1900s, Hutty established himself as a leading painter of the town’s natural environs. For more than a decade, he honed his skills in oil and watercolor, producing intimate portrayals of Woodstock’s mountains, lakes, and streams before his career took him to South Carolina. Hutty first visited Charleston in 1920 and according to one of the main legends of the Charleston Renaissance he excitedly wired his wife back in Woodstock: “Come quickly, have found heaven.” Hutty began dividing his time seasonally between homes and studios in Charleston and Woodstock, teaching art classes for the Carolina Art Association at what is now the Gibbes Museum of Art—a relationship that eventually led to the Gibbes’ status as the largest public repository of Hutty’s work. In Charleston, Hutty was inspired to try his hand at printmaking for the first time, and it is this artistic medium for which he is best known. His skillful prints depicting the city’s surviving colonial and antebellum architecture, its rural environs, and its African American population drew unprecedented national attention to both Hutty and to Charleston. Gibbes Museum of Art, 135 Meeting St. Admission: $9/Adults; $7/Seniors, Students, Military; $5/Children ages 6–12; FREE/Members and children under 6. For more info, call (843) 722-2706, email mloftus@gibbesmuseum.org, or visit www.gibbesmuseum.org.

 

Through Apr. 22: Gibbes Museum of Art presents Jill Hooper: Contemporary Realist. Exhibit features recent work by Charleston artist Jill Hooper, a classically-trained, realist painter whose extraordinary portraits have earned international recognition. The exhibition includes a number of Hooper’s acclaimed portraits, along with large-scale landscapes and exquisite still-life paintings that demonstrate her mastery of technique. Through the inclusion of both paintings and drawings, the exhibition offers insight into Hooper’s working process while showing her development as an artist over the past decade. Throughout her career, Hooper has trained with a number of renowned realist painters, including D. Jeffrey Mims, Charles Cecil, and Ben Long. Her training is grounded in the techniques of the Old Masters, and she mixes her own pigments and paints from life with natural, northern light. Engagement with her subject matter is essential to Hooper’s working process and carries through in her finished work. Her portraits convey powerful emotion, with many of the works in the Gibbes exhibition revolving around themes of personal struggle and resilience. Hooper’s talent gained notice at an early age and in 2000, at the age of 30, she became the youngest living artist included in the Gibbes collection. In 2006, she earned a prestigious BP Portrait Award, presented annually by the National Portrait Gallery in London, for her 2006 self-portrait Pugnis et Calcibus, which is included in the exhibition. Gibbes Museum of Art, 135 Meeting St. Admission: $9/Adults; $7/Seniors, Students, Military; $5/Children ages 6–12; FREE/Members and children under 6. For more info, call (843) 722-2706, email mloftus@gibbesmuseum.org, or visit www.gibbesmuseum.org.

 

Through Apr. 28: The Halsey Institute of Contemporary Art presents Young Contemporaries: Annual Student Exhibition. Each spring, current College of Charleston students are eligible to submit their recent work to the Young Contemporaries, giving them an opportunity to have their work chosen by a nationally prominent juror and exhibit in a professional gallery setting. For the 2012 Young Contemporaries exhibition, NY visiting artist, Julie Heffernan, has been chosen to select the student works. The Halsey Institute of Contemporary Art, Marion and Wayland H. Cato Jr. Center for the Arts, 161 Calhoun St., 1st Fl. Mar. 30-Apr. 28, open 11a.m.-4p.m. Mon.-Sat. Admission: FREE. For more info, call (843) 953-4422 and visit www.halsey.cofc.edu.

 

Through Apr. 28: The Halsey Institute of Contemporary Art presents Salon des Refusés. Concurrent with Young Contemporaries 2012 is the Salon des Refusés exhibition. The origin of the “Salon des Refusés” dates to Paris in 1863, when artists who had been rejected from the official Salon caused such a protest that Emperor Napoleon III ordered another exhibition held for them. Hill Gallery at The Halsey Institute of Contemporary Art, Marion and Wayland H. Cato Jr. Center for the Arts, 161 Calhoun St., 1st Fl. Mar. 30-Apr. 28, open 11a.m.-4p.m. Mon.-Sat. Admission: FREE. For more info, call (843) 953-4422 and visit www.halsey.cofc.edu.

 

Through Apr. 30: M Gallery of Fine Art SE presents Art of the Real. “Art of the Real” consists of four extremely successful artists who have found each other as a confluence finds its meeting place. The exhibition features watercolorists Denis Ryan RWS, Angus McEwan RWS ARWS, DavidPoxonRI and Sandra Walker RI. As with many movements in the history of art, these artists have come together in celebration with common ideals. The show will be composed of 40 original watercolors with 10 pieces from each artist on exhibit. M Gallery of Fine Art SE,11 Broad St. For more info, call (843) 727- 4500 and visit www.mgalleryoffineart.com.

 

Through April 30: Charleston Artist Guild Gallery presents Russell Buskirk as the featured artist for April. Russell is known for his work with pastel. Although he studied art in high school he did not pursue his love of art until 2004 when a friend’s pastel work motivated him to paint the stunning green summertime marsh vistas on Folly Road. After taking workshops with Bill McCullough, Don Nagle, James Sulkowski, and Dee Beard Dean; his artwork improved and he became an Exhibiting Member of the Guild. He has been accepted into many exhibitions and has won several awards for his paintings.  Opening Reception Friday April 6, 5-8p.m.  The Reception is open to the public.  Charleston Artist guild Gallery, 160 East Bay St.  For more information call (843) 722-2425, Charlestonartist@bellsouth.net, or visit www.charlestonartistguild.com.

 

Through April 30: City of North Charleston Cultural Arts Department: presents North Charleston City Gallery Exhibit: Works by Lyn Calahorrano. Inspirations: Photographs of the Lowcountry by Lyn Calahorrano, on loan from the SC State Museum Traveling Exhibition Program, features places and faces of South Carolina’s Lowcountry through the lens of photographer Lyn Calahorrano. Her captivating photographs and creative juxtaposition, skillful camera angles and artistic views make these pictures of common and recognizable places, people and things unique. Opening Reception April 5 from 5-7p.m. City of North Charleston Cultural Arts Department.  2500 City Hall Lane For more information call (843)740- 5854, e-mail culturalarts@northcharleston.org, or visit www.northcharleston.org.
Through Apr. 30: M Gallery of Fine Art presents Art of the Real, Exhibition featuring Watercolor Artists Angus McEwan, David Poxon, Denis Ryan and Sandra Walker. M Gallery of Fine Art SE is pleased to present “Art of the Real,” an exhibition featuring watercolorists Angus McEwan RWS ARWS, David Poxon RI, Denis Ryan RWS and Sandra Walker RI. As with many movements in the history of art, these artists have come together in celebration of common ideals. The show will be composed of approximately 40 watercolors, with 10 pieces from each artist. At the end of the show, the exhibit will travel to other cities in the U.S. ‘Art of the Real’ consists of four extremely successful artists who have found each other, as a confluence finds its meeting place. The term ‘real’ imbues thoughts of realism, could ‘Art of the Real’ be a realist revival? Angus McEwan RWS ARWS, David Poxon RI, Denis Ryan RWS and Sandra Walker RI, have common threads running through their work, not only the fact that they all use watercolour, but many other facets that binds them together as a group. The groups’ love of ‘craftsmanship’ and the ability to provide a realistic interpretation of their chosen subjects is apparent. However, their art is not just about portraying the realistic elements of their subjects, or proving their superb technical ability, but an endeavor to give meaning to their subjects. Their endearment towards and emotional attachment to each and every subject they choose, is in itself a reason to form a collective celebration of real art and is at the heart of ‘Art of the Real’. Opening reception on Apr. 6. M Gallery of Fine Art, 11 Broad St. For more information, call (843)-727-4500, email cquinn@mgalleryoffineart.com, or visit www.mgalleryoffineart.com.

 

Through May 6: Charleston Museum presents Fashion Plates: Illustrating History’s Latest Styles, 1760’s-1920’s. Once the most important resource for current styles, fashion plates are now a valuable source for historic research. These plates appeared in many publications, such as Godey’s Lady’s Book, La Belle Assemblée, Les Modes Parisiennes and Ackermann’s Repository of Arts among others. Essentially, fashion plates did not exist before the French Revolution began in 1789, though the Museum does have several rare hand-tinted fashion illustrations dating to the 1760s. Charleston Museum, 360 Meeting St. Exhibit on view Mon.-Sat. 9a.m.-5p.m.; Sun. 1-5p.m. Admission: $10 Adults; $5 Children; FREE kids under 2. For more info, call (843) 722-2996 and visit www.charlestonmuseum.org.

 

Through May 6: Redux Contemporary Art Center presents The Plantation (Plan-ta-shun) by Colin Quashie.ReduxContemporaryArtCenter is proud to present new works by local artist Colin Quashie. Quashie is an artist of this time. The controversy that surrounded the Battle Flag of the Confederacy which flew defiantly aboveSouth Carolina’s State Capitol building engenders precisely the form of polemic exchange in which he feels most at ease. Quashie’s wry, ironic, and irreverent art works are especially timely, forcing his audience to consider difficult cultural problems which they may often prefer to avoid. In this Post-modern era, Quashie’s highly political art may be categorized as “conceptual” and “journalistic”. Artistically, and aesthetically, much of his work is closely allied to the ideals of the Pop-Art Movement of the 1960s & 70s. However, the subject matter he presents is radically different from the topics explored in the earlier Pop-Art genre. What is singular about a “Quashie” point of view? What does this Charleston iconoclast have that demands our notice?  In this post-modern era, Colin Quashie’s highly charged political art may be called “conceptual”. Artistically and aesthetically, much of his art is closely allied to the ideals of the pop-art movement of the 1960’s and 70’s, but the subject matter is radically different from that explored in the earlier genre. By exploring the reservoir of possibilities offered by the resources of popular cultural imagery and using the mechanisms of representation, media based communication and satire, artist Colin Quashie investigates serious cultural, social, and political ideas and issues, with sometimes raucous, sometime genial, tongue-in-cheek humor. On occasion, Quashie addresses cultural issues using witty, scathing sarcasm intended to spark popular debate and discussion among his viewing audience. Operating in the tradition of the avant-garde, Quashie challenges status quo social and cultural assumptions. His works often play upon various popular stereotypes and ridicule irrational cultural assumptions in order to trigger an awareness of our personal limits in understanding each other’s daily life experiences. Functioning through the use of positive “social” anger, fed by his frustration with the vision of the masses, a vision which he hopes to help re-shape and determine, Quashie uses his artwork to raise questions that involve scrutinizing the power bases of our social system, causing us to examine our collective political perceptions. Quashie’s works challenge us to be more thoughtful, expressive, and aware.  Opening Reception March 30 from 6-9 p.m. Redux Contemporary Art Center, 136 St. Philip St. Gallery Hours: Tuesday-Thursday 12-8p.m., Friday-Saturday 12-5p.m.  For more information, call (843) 722-0697, email info@reduxstudios.org, or visit www.reduxstudios.org.

 

Through May 13: The City of Charleston Office of Cultural Affairs presents Look Away, Look Here: Work by David Boatwright, at the City Gallery at Waterfront Park. In this retrospective, of his more than 25-year career, Look Away, Look Here showcases new works alongside studio paintings as well as the Raval murals by David Boatwright. The new works include depictions of a mythological Charleston to be created by the artist in two, large-scale murals on the gallery’s center walls. The public is invited to visit the gallery to watch Boatwright produce these murals for the duration of the exhibit on Wednesdays and Fridays from 10 a.m. to noon. Opening reception April 6 from 6 to 8p.m. City Gallery at Waterfront Park, 34 Prioleau Street, Unit A. For more information call (843) 958-6484, e-mail CityGallery@charleston-sc.gov, or visit www.citygalleryatwaterfrontpark.com.

 

Through May 26: City of North Charleston Cultural Arts Department: presents Art & Fine Craft CoOp Gallery & Sale Show.  A collection of works by local artist cooperative – a wide range of pieces including paintings, prints, sculpture, fine crafts, jewelry and more will be available for sale.  Opening Reception hosted by the artists May 9 and 5:00-8:00pm during the North Charleston Arts Festival Art Walk. City of North Charleston Cultural Arts Department.  2500 City Hall Lane For more information call (843) 740- 5854, e-mail culturalarts@northcharleston.org, or visit www.northcharleston.org.

 

Through June 19: The Charleston Museum: presents The Life and Times of Congressman Robert Smalls.  This special traveling exhibit tells the story of Robert Smalls’s daring 1862 escape from slavery, his service to the Union forces during the Civil War, and his political career during Reconstruction. Consisting of narrative panels, photographs, artwork, ship models, artifacts and reproductions which underscore the historical significance of Robert Smalls, this exhibition is an important contribution to Civil War and African American history. Visitors will become more familiar with Smalls’s heroic exploits and be inspired by his legacy of bravery, leadership and public service to all Americans. Exhibit highlights include furniture from the house where Smalls lived as a slave, scaled replicas of the CSS Planter and the USS Keokuk, the two ships that Robert Smalls piloted during the Civil War, a replica of the musket owned by Smalls, letters he wrote to Booker T. Washington, Frederick Douglass, and other dignitaries of his time, and photographs of his house in Beaufort, SC, his family and his descendants through the generations.  Cost: general museum admission.  The Charleston Museum.  360 Meeting Street.  For more information call Rachel (843)722-2996, e-mail info@charlestonmuseum, or visit www.charlestonmuseum.org

Through Sept. 10: Charleston Museum presents Blasted: Assorted Projectiles and Explosives of the Civil War. This original exhibition explores the varied and sometimes revolutionary artillery shells and small arms projectiles that were used during this country’s defining conflict. Artifacts on exhibit include a rare Quinlivan shot designed to penetrate Federal ironclads and a two-chambered incendiary shell likely intended for use in Charleston’s defense. Charleston Museum, 360 Meeting St. Jan. 13-Sept. 10, open 9a.m.-5p.m. Mon.-Sat., 1-5p.m. Sun. Admission: $10/Adults; $5/Children. For more info, call (843) 722-2996 and visit www.charlestonmuseum.org.

 

Through Nov. 4: Charleston Museum presents Charleston Couture. High fashion and style has been of paramount importance to Charlestonians from its earliest days. The emphasis on grand design, apparent in the architecture, gardens, art and clothing favored by the region, was facilitated by the port city’s easy access to fine goods, including textiles, fashion plates and magazines, imported from around the world. An original Charleston Museum exhibition, Charleston Couture, will showcase the area’s finest garments and accessories from the 1770s to the 1970s. Charleston Couture will include some true haute couture garments brought back by privileged Lowcountry residents from their wide travels. Of significance are pieces designed and made by Charles Frederick Worth and Mariano Fortuny, along with fashionable examples of lesser-known clothiers and Charleston dressmakers. Charleston Museum, 360 Meeting St. For more information call Rachel Chesser (843) 722-2996, rchesser@charlestonmuseum.org, or visit www.charlestonmuseum.org.

 

Ongoing: Gibbes Museum of Art Presents The Charleston Story. With over 10,000 objects, the permanent collection housed at the Gibbes Museum of Art presents a rich, vibrant history of the Lowcountry. This exhibition highlights significant people, places, and periods from Charleston’s beginning as a British colony, through the American Revolution, the later ravages of the Civil War, and culminating today as a culturally diverse and dynamic community. Gibbes Museum of Art, 135 Meeting St. Exhibit on view Tues.-Sat. 10a.m.-5p.m., Sun. 1p.m.-5p.m. Admission: $9/Adults, $7/Seniors, Students, & Military, $6/Children (6-12, FREE/Children under 6. For more info, visit www.gibbesmuseum.org.

 

May 25-Jul. 7: The Halsey Institute of Contemporary Art presents Return to the Sea: Saltworks by Motoi Yamamoto. The centerpiece of the exhibition will be a site-specific installation created entirely out of salt by the artist during his two-week residency at the Halsey Institute. Curated by Mark Sloan, director and senior curator of HICA, the exhibition will also feature a series of recent drawings, paintings, sketchbooks, a video about the artist’s process and the importance of salt in Japanese culture to be produced by the Halsey Institute, and a 116-page color catalogue documenting 14 years of the artist’s saltworks around the world. The Halsey Institute of Contemporary Art, Marion and Wayland H. Cato Jr. Center for the Arts, 161 Calhoun St., 1st Fl. May 25-Jul. 7, open 11a.m.-4p.m. Mon.-Sat. Admission: FREE. For more info, call (843) 953-4422 and visit www.halsey.cofc.edu.

 

Aug. 24-Oct. 5: The Halsey Institute of Contemporary Art presents F. Scott Hess: The Paternal Suit. The Paternal Suit consists of over 100 paintings, prints, and objects created by Hess, but presented as legitimate historical artifacts, and supported by photographs, documents, and historical ephemera. Each object and artwork bears an artist’s name and detailed provenance and has been executed in the style of the century from which it supposedly originates. Sculpture, ceramics, furniture, toys, newspaper clippings, historic photographs, guns, and costumes advance the story. Hess does not claim authorship for the works on display. Instead, he ascribes to them fictional artists, referring to himself as the Director of the “F. Scott Hess Family Foundation.” The Halsey Institute of Contemporary Art, Marion and Wayland H. Cato Jr. Center for the Arts, 161 Calhoun St., 1st Fl. Aug. 24-Oct. 5, open 11a.m.-4p.m. Mon.-Sat. Admission: FREE. For more info, call (843) 953-4422 and visit www.halsey.cofc.edu.

 

Oct. 26-Dec. 8: The Halsey Institute of Contemporary Art presents Don Zanfagna: Pulse Dome. This exhibition will present a series of paintings, drawings, sketchbooks, and 3-D models by Don ZanFagna that explicate the futuristic concept of “growing your own house.” Conceived in the 1970s, the artist imagined a home created, constructed, and maintained by all-organic processes and in perfect harmony with nature. The Halsey Institute of Contemporary Art, Marion and Wayland H. Cato Jr. Center for the Arts, 161 Calhoun St., 1st Fl. Oct. 26-Dec. 8, open 11a.m.-4p.m. Mon.-Sat. Admission: FREE. For more info, call (843) 953-4422 and visit www.halsey.cofc.edu.