Collections Winter 2014 Volume 98 | Page 2

FROM THE EXECUTIVE Director An article about Columbia in Southern Living in December gave the Columbia Museum of Art prominent mention as the cultural anchor of Main Street. The article touted the downtown Columbia area as the next great neighborhood, highlighting the vibrant transformations occurring here. The life being breathed into the corridor, with the CMA at its center, is making Columbia and Richland County a more exciting place to be. We are living up to the compliment! This year is also one of transformation at the CMA, with provocative changes to our atrium and lobby. A large-scale, abstract mural by New York-based artist Henry Mandell has been commissioned to be installed in the atrium. It is generously funded by our membership affiliate group, the Contemporaries. The piece explores the ancient Japanese practice of melting sacred objects down to make samurai swords, relating that transformation by fire to Columbia’s own rebirth from ashes after it was burned during the Civil War. Karen Brosius Executive Director The Columbia Museum of Art is a charitable nonprofit organization that enhances lifelong learning and community enrichment. Your gift is 100% tax deductible. New CMA Online Resource We’re happy to announce the creation of a new one-stop shop for everything you need from the CMA. You can purchase and renew memberships, buy event tickets, RSVP for exhibition openings, and make donations—all at columbiamuseum.org.    If you’re a member, you’ll receive a registration email from us and you’ll need to register to take advantage of your discounts.  If you had an account with us before, you’ll still need to create a new one. Make sure we have your email on file by calling 803.799.2810. Thank you for your continued support of the CMA! 2 columbiamuseum.org We will also begin displaying contemporary works in the atrium, allowing us to share even more of our collection with the public. The pieces selected—mainly glass, sculpture, and ceramics— revamp the atrium into a more engaging space for our visitors. This addition necessitates another exciting change—moving the upstairs Community Gallery to the Caroline Guignard Gallery on our main floor. The new location offers more wall space to feature innovative community shows and interactive components. Finally, large ceramic sculptures by Virginia Scotchie will be placed on the landing above the entrance to captivate viewers from the lobby, atrium, or on their way into Boyd Plaza. Opening in February, Japan and the Jazz Age is a spectacular exhibition of Japanese Art Deco from a time marked by change and modernization. The beautiful and historically fascinating works tell the story of how the traditional transformed into the modern. To complement the spirit of this sleek and stylish period of revitalization and the exotic nature of this show, we are transforming the gallery like never before. An attractive design featured on walls and display cases inside continues with an elaborate façade spilling into the lobby, inviting guests to explore the electricity and thrill of the era. We hope that you will come see all that is new within the CMA in 2014 and experience the dynamic neighborhood around us. We are exhilarated to be the cultural center of a creative and inspiring community that continues to grow more enticing year after year. Board Member Highlight: Allen Coles Columbia is my adopted city. The reasons for choosing to live here are many, but being close to quality cultural venues was a major consideration. Discovering the Columbia Museum of Art was a pleasant surprise. It offers a variety of quality programs throughout the year and its size and reasonable cost of admission make it accessible to all residents. It even offers a free admission day once a week. As a member of the Board of Trustees, I take satisfaction in being able to contribute in a small way to the Museum’s growth and development. Chairing the Museum’s Education Committee has allowed me the chance to interact with dedicated staff and enthusiastic community volunteers to offer input in programming for young people, and extending the Museum’s reach to a more diverse population of youth. The Columbia Museum of Art’s reputation continues to grow, not just locally and statewide, but regionally and beyond. It is one of my favorite stops when I have out-of-town guests, and they all leave impressed by what the Museum has to offer. It is a delight to be part of such a quality organization.