In Jasper Vol. 3, No. 4: Columbia & the World by Chris Robinson

"There are two art worlds in Columbia, the local arts community and artists at the university--colloquially and sometimes disparagingly referred to as the Town and Gown divide. (Full disclosure, I try hard to participate in both worlds, but am on the faculty in the Department of Art at the University of South Carolina.) While some may say that this magazine concentrates on the former, there is rich content in the latter, and I am inclined to risk characterizing each. The names in the local arts community are probably more familiar and many seek a means of art making that allows sales and survival, thereby dictating and assuring a somewhat more conventional or conservative approach. Conversely, research university faculty artists are encouraged and obliged to create new content and establish national and international reputations, but are often unconnected and/or unknown in the local community. Their work is, by necessity, more exploratory, as a research institution's role is to create new information. However, they do live here in Columbia and have similar and common interests, and it seems unfortunate that there is not more healthy and productive interaction between the two. ..." - Chris Robinson For the full column, click through the photo below:

Quality or Quantity: Choose Your Poison by Chris Robinson

 

It’s summer. The heat has finally hit, kids are home, and everybody feels just a little bit lazy. There have been several good events – hope you had the opportunity to see Philip Mullen’s exhibit at 701 CCA and hear his thoughts about the work. David Furchgott juried 701’s SC Biennial 2013 competitive exhibition and gave a talk, “Swimming Against the Current,” about the difficulties and complexity of being and succeeding as an artist today.

There are some good and interesting shows at the Columbia Museum of Art, and it is very encouraging that the museum seems to be embracing a responsibility to exhibit, educate, and inform the public about contemporary art. There is a wonderful, intimate exhibit of Pablo Picasso’s prints from the Weatherspoon Art Museum collection in Greensboro, North Carolina. The exhibit overview describes Picasso as the most influential artist of the twentieth century. I guess it is a function of who is being influenced and have to admit Picasso for a broader public but would certainly choose Duchamp for the development of the visual arts in general. Duchamp at the beginning of the twentieth century exemplified and predicted every major movement that would follow in the next sixty years, and most successful artists revere his role in contemporary art.

The Steven Naifeh exhibit has a great, powerful, and decorative feel to it but recapitulates concepts of sixty years (Al Held, Sol LeWitt, Frank Stella) and a few millennia (the latter influences noted in the exhibit) past. The work is clean, carefully crafted, geometrically appealing, and exemplifies another popular South Carolina star. After preparation, money and luck play a big role in artistic success.

I continue to lament how few people really look at art. The First Thursday on Main continues to be an attractive social event but begs for both some innovation and artistic refinement. One of the first things I look for in a good show is some element of consistency, both in the content and quality of the work. So many are either ill-advised or hard-pressed to mount an exhibition with a critical mass of those two things.

When I first joined the University of South Carolina, I was encouraged to exhibit frequently – publish or perish – and we seem to have assigned an asset to the idea of production and frequency, often to the detriment of quality and idea. Marcia Tucker of the Whitney and New Museum once advised me to be careful what and how frequently one exhibits – naive or poor quality work can never be retracted. It seems we are at a time when some good, careful, and creative thought – as opposed to continued cluttering – would benefit all. Picasso was unusually prolific, Duchamp just the opposite. Choose your poison.

Welcome Wade Sellers -- Jasper's New Film Editor

It was about this time two years ago when a small group of us gathered in my living room out at Muddy Ford and discussed what we wanted out of the new Columbia arts magazine we were building, Jasper. Having written for national magazines for years, I felt comfortable on the writing side of things. But having always been peevish about people talking -- or worse, writing -- about things they know little about, it was important from the start that we only bring in staff members who know a great deal about their subject matter. Experts in the field, if you will. Folks who have the vocabulary and are proficient in the theory and methods about which they would write.

It was a pretty small group of us at first. Ed Madden took on the literary arts and Kyle Petersen, music. Thankfully, Heyward Sims agreed to be our design editor -- a huge task and a huge load off of my mind to know that our words and photography would be handled by someone who would respect them, as well as enjoy and experiment with the process of putting them on paper. And Kristine Hartvigsen was and continues to be a great source of advice and encouragement.

It didn't take long for the magazine family to grow with long-time theatre aficionado August Krickel joining the staff as theatre editor,  Bonnie Boiter-Jolley as dance editor (it seemed only natural), and Forrest Clonts as photography editor -- another huge job given that Forrest is responsible for arranging for all the photographs to be taken, and then editing them and preparing them for publication. Last summer, Annie Boiter-Jolley signed on as our operations manager -- a tremendous underuse of her skill set, but we're thrilled to have her. Just before Christmas this year, Chris Robinson from USC joined us as our visual arts editor -- a position I had been wanting to fill with the right person since the inception of the magazine. And now, finally, local filmmaker and documentarian Wade Sellers has come on board as our film editor.

Wade is the owner and executive director of Coal Powered Filmworks and, among many other things, the person who brings you the excellent SC ETV series on South Carolinians and their involvement in WWII. Wade is always hopping on a plan and heading for all points exciting so I'm practically over-the-moon that he has agreed to share his wisdom with us. And when I say that he has wisdom and experience, I'm not kidding -- in all aspects of filmmaking. He has served as the director of four films, cinematographer on seven, writer on three, and editor and producer on two, not to mention working as camera, gaffer or grip on nine more. And he's been nominated for two Emmys.

Wade came to work ready to make things happen in the Columbia film community. You'll see the product of his work in the next issue of Jasper coming out on Friday night, July 12th. And you'll also hear him announce some exciting news about an additional film festival in Columbia (organized with the blessing of our friends at the Nickelodeon.)

So please help us welcome Wade to the Jasper family. He fits in so well - it feels like he's been here forever.

Big Fun for Great Causes in Columbia Last Night

Jasper had a great time last night at two wonderful events supporting the arts in Columbia. We started our evening at 5 pm by arriving at the Columbia Museum of Art to select the Jasper Magazine State of the Art award for the Contemporaries Artist of the Year event. Many thanks to Jeffrey Day and Chris Robinson for serving on the panel of judges. It was not an easy choice. But after much deliberation we chose Doug McBee's Clara, pictured below, for its sense of elegance and fun.

Other stand out pieces included Jacob Olsen's Beginning to Understand II, pictured below. We loved the execution of this piece but were disappointed in its presentation. Chris was helpful in pointing out that a solid white piece of this style and size should be presented in pristine condition. Unfortunately Jacob's piece was marred in a few places and showing a bit of wear.

Chris was also impressed by the technique exhibited in The Sleeper, by Margaret Rose Smith, pictured below.

And, having just gotten turned on to the work of local artist David West, I was very much taken by his piece Disconnect below.

We might also mention that at least one of us from Jasper happily took home the piece below by Michael Pope and we look forward to installing it in our new pub room at Muddy Ford where the living room used to be.

After closing down the CAY event at 10, we had the pleasure of heading over the The Hunter Gatherer's 2nd Annual Arts Commission Fundraiser, magnanimously organized by local musician and service industry pro Henry Thomas. The house was packed with  arts supporters and artists and there were some really fantastic auction items. (Jasper took home passes to Indie Grits, tickets to the SC Arts Gala, and two signed books by Pat Conroy.)

And a good time was had by all!