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April Issue 2006
South Carolina State Museum in Columbia, SC, Offers Works by Brian Rutenberg
The colorful, bold work of Brian Rutenberg, nationally known painter and South Carolina native, is on view at the South Carolina State Museum in Columbia, SC, through Sept. 2, 2006. This major exhibition entitled, Brimming Tides: Paintings and Drawings by Brian Rutenberg, on view in the Museum's Lipscomb Gallery, traces the development of Rutenberg's work from 1991 to 2006.
"Brian is a painter who uses abstraction to convey the essence of the coastal and tidal landscape he grew up around," said Paul Matheny, chief curator of art and the exhibit's organizer. "He creates nonrepresentational paintings based on nature and music and inspired by writing and poetry including the works of Archibald Rutledge."
Born in Myrtle Beach, SC, in 1965, Rutenberg grew up there and went to school at the College of Charleston. The coast, where rivers merge with the ocean, became a part of Rutenberg's consciousness and has been one of the major influences in his paintings.
After receiving a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree from the College of Charleston, Rutenberg moved to New York where he was awarded a Master of Fine Arts from the School of Visual Arts in 1989. Rutenberg continues to live and work in New York City.
"Brian is well received in the art world and with the public because of his skill, his methods of putting paint on canvas and his overall design," said Matheny. 'His paintings can range in size from 8" x 12" to as big as 63" x 158". With some of his works paint is applied very thick, perhaps as much as two inches, creating a three dimensional feeling. Guests will thoroughly enjoy this exhibit.
Pale River
"When you visit the exhibit, pay particular attention to the painting Pale River," added the curator. "It was painted specifically for our exhibition, and is part of his series, Carolina."
Rutenberg is the visiting artist-in-residence during the Spring 2006 semester at the University of South Carolina. USC Department of Art spokesperson Jodi Salter is excited at the prospect of working with Rutenberg. "You have to see his work first hand to really experience it. His paintings literally jump off the canvas!" Salter said.
While at USC, Rutenberg will work with the art department's Atelier on various printing techniques, some of which Rutenberg will be experiencing for the first time. "He is so excited to be working in a medium that he has not worked in before, and we are eager to see what he creates," commented Salter. During his tenure, students will have the opportunity to work with Rutenberg as well.
These original works of art will become part of Phase II of the exhibit on Apr. 28, 2006, during Artista Vista weekend in Columbia and limited editions of these works, monoprints and variable etchings will become part of the exhibition.
Other events taking
place at the State Museum during the Artista Vista weekend
include: On Apr. 28, at 7:30pm, the premier of a dance performance
(duet) by the USC Dance Company; on Apr. 29, from 10am-4pm - Congaree
Arts Festival, featuring works by some of SC's best studio
artists; at 11am, Brian Rutenberg will give a talk about his exhibition
on view at the Museum; at 1:30pm, a panel discussion will be offered
about contemporary art with Michael Tyzack, David Voros, Edward
Rice, Philip Morsberger, and Rutenberg; and at 3pm, USC School
of Music Prof. Joseph Rackers will perform with the USC Dance
Company. Prof. Miriam Barbosa of the dance department is choreographing
3 dances (solo, duet and ensemble) inspired by Rutenberg's paintings.
"We are very honored to have Brian with us," concluded
Salter. "His generosity will help us to further grow the
Atelier and bring in future artists. What a wonderful opportunity
for students and the public to experience the work of such a prestigious
artist." Phillip C. Dunn Ed.D., Louise Fry Scudder Professor
and Department of Art Chair offered the following about the USC
Department of Art Atelier: "In 2004, the USC Department of
Art partnered with internationally renowned artist Jonathan Green
to produce a series of serigraphs intended to help defray the
production costs of a new ballet based on his depictions of Gullah
life. Green worked with USC printmakers and students for the better
part of 15 months. The result of this partnership was so visually
stunning, so educationally significant, and so successful that
the department decided to devote time, funding, and creative resources
to continuing in this vein. The USC Department of Art Atelier
was born."
"Essentially, the Atelier exists to bring world-class artists on campus to interact with students, faculty and community members in the creation of limited fine art editions," adds Dunn. "Knowing full well that the southeast produces any number of wonderful artists, and that imagery from the southeast resonates with our students, alumni and citizenry the USC Atelier has chosen to focus on that region in identifying visiting artists in residence. At the end of each artist's residency the editions are divided equally between the artist and the USC Department of Art. Ultimately, funds generated from sales of the prints enable us to bring in our next artist and provide an income stream for departmental programs."
"In just over two years we have brought in three world-class artists, Green, Sigmund Abeles and Brian Rutenberg, and have begun to amass a significant and valuable inventory of limited edition prints by some of the southeast's most prominent artists. We have secured a second fully equipped printmaking studio and have added a Centenary Professor to our staff to work with our guest artists. Our immediate plans call for inviting three guest artists per year to work in the Atelier and the creation of a summer institute for aspiring printmakers. Three years from now we hope to have the works of at least a dozen major artists in our collection and sales to support our efforts."
All of Rutenberg's prints will be available for purchase through the USC Department of Art to support their Atelier Program. For further information, contact Jodi Salter at 803/777-4236.
For further information
check our SC Institutional Gallery listings, call the Museum at
803/898-4921 or at (www.museum.state.sc.us). To hear and see an
interview with Ruterberg, go to (www.cas.sc.edu/art/).
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