FROM THE EXECUTIVE
Director
Major Exhibitions
I Heard a Voice: The Art of Lesley Dill
Through January 23, 2011
Lesley Dill, American, born 1950.
Dress of Inwardness 2006,
white painted bronze, unique,
Collection of Karen and Robert Duncan,
Lincoln, NE
Gallery 15
Presence of Absence
January 18 - May 1, 2011
Lee Friedlander
American, born 1934
Canyon de Chelly, 1983
Upcoming Major Exhibitions
An Artist’s Eye : A Journey through Modern
and Contemporary Art with Sigmund Abeles
June 17 – August 14, 2011
Edward Hopper,
American, 1882-1967,
Night Shadows, n.d,
etching,
Museum purchase
CMA 1980.6
Nature and the Grand American Vision:
Masterpieces of the Hudson River School Painters
November 17, 2011 - April 1, 2012
Thomas Cole, American, 1801-1848, Catskill Creek, N.Y., 1845,
Oil on canvas, 26 1/2 x 36 in. (67.3 x 91.4 cm) Frame 37 5/8 x
47 5/8 x 4 ½ in., The Robert L. Stuart Collection, S-157
Cover image: Ernest Withers Ike and Tina Turner, Club
Paradise, Memphis, taken 1962, printed 2002
Gelatin silver print 15 x 19 in. (38.1 x 48.3 cm)
Credit Line: Courtesy, Panopticon, Inc., Boston, MA
2
columbiamuseum.org
As we kick off the New Year, I am looking back on how our 60th
anniversary year really fueled the spark for our future. Museums
across the world are moving toward content and audience-driven
experiences and diverse partnerships. Our 60th anniversary year
certainly put us in the forefront of this new trend. A combination
of unique and diverse exhibitions, a growing, hip audience and
resourceful partnerships is fueling us on track toward greater
creativity, collaboration and innovation.
2010 brought a plethora of splendid exhibitions, beginning with contemporary AfricanAmerican art in The Chemistry of Color, moving to centuries-old tapestries in Imperial
Splendor: Renaissance Tapestries from Vienna, one of the most important ceramics collections
in the country, Innovation and Change: Great Ceramics, and ending with I Heard a Voice: The
Art of Lesley Dill, with contemporary art bridging language and the human form. Our
community gallery brought in new audiences thanks to partnerships with cutting-edge
area organizations including Pour It Now, Izms of Art and Palmetto Y Luna for unique
shows such as Skate & Create, Post Graf?ti and Break! Artistas Latinos in South Carolina.
Public programs centered around these exhibitions brought concerts, fashion shows,
break dancers, ballet and more, enticing energetic and diverse audiences and helping our
reputation grow.
Now we are launching the New Year with a national traveling exhibition centered on
photography and rock & roll—a favorite for generations old and new. I recently visited
the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in Cleveland, Ohio, for some inspiration on rock & roll’s
history and overall vibe in a museum setting. I am so excited to see how Who Shot Rock &
Roll will provide us an opportunity to learn more about the photographers who shaped
our memory and to connect with ?rst-time visitors and grow membership. Great new
programs, such as Arts & Draughts (more information on page 8) will target the young
crowd, and current programs will reinvent and transform for an even more innovative
experience. Hold onto your seats, because we are going to be rocking Columbia in 2011!
Board Member Highlight: Susan Thorpe
My Dad’s love of painting and photography was how I came to the arts. Because the arts are so
important for the quality of all our lives, it is a pleasure to serve on the board of an institution
that brings such diverse and outstanding art to the community. My husband and I are happy
to be able to sponsor some of the excellent
traveling exhibitions and musical events that
come to Columbia because of the Museum.
As a retired educator and researcher, I also
greatly appreciate the Museum’s educational
programming. I serve on the Building &
Grounds Committee and have helped in the
development of the Friends of African American
Art and Culture Advisory Committee. A major
goal for me is to enhance public participation in
the wonderful resources available through our
museum.