September Issue 2001
Cameo Fine Art in Columbia, SC, Recognizes "Sister City" Project Artists
Cameo Fine Art in Columbia, SC, is pleased to recognize local artist, Britta Cruz, for her recent contribution and collaboration on a two-city cultural exchange project between Columbia, SC and Kaiserslauntern, Germany in mid-July. The "Sister City" project was similar to that of the Palmetto Tree project sponsored by The Cultural Council of Richland and Lexington Counties.
Cruz, along with local artist Meg McLean, whose Palmetto Tree sculpture was presented to the city of Kaiserslauntern in 2000, was invited to participate in the creative exchange project by Kaiserslauntern's Mayor, Bernhard J. Deubig. A native of Munich, Germany, Cruz served as liaison as well as translator as she and MCLean visited Germany to collaborate with 240 of Kaiserslauntern's local artists. Each artist involved in the project was responsible for creating and painting a large fish. The painted fiberglass fish sculpture painted by Cruz and McLean will be shipped to Columbia in October as a symbol of the on-going collaboration between Columbia and Kaiserslauntern.
German artists Thomas Brenner, Klaus Hartmann, Roland Albert and Rainer Mahrlein who worked on the project in Kaiserslauntern with Cruz expressed an interest in coming to Columbia to continue their collaboration. Mayor Deubig had agreed to arrange for the four artists to visit Columbia. Cruz contacted Dot Ryall of The Cultural Council of Richland and Lexington County, who immediately started planning an itinerary. Thanks to Erwin Saile, City Council Official, and Werner Stumpf, Bank Executive, of Kaiserslauntern, the four members were able to receive travel financing for their trip.
The idea for the German artists to create sculpture from "found objects" left behind in the old City Garage at Gervais and Pulaski Street was born just shortly after the four members arrived in Columbia. With the help of Donna Pullen, PR officer for First National Bank, and a friend of Cruz's, she set in motion the idea of a public project in which approximately 50 local artists will have a year to complete creative works of art to be auctioned in a 50-50 artists and charity split.
During the German artists' eleven-day visit, local community artists, public and business officials and media interested in following their progress often visited them. Cruz provided the four with tours of galleries and museums for an overview of the capitol city arts community. Very generous local merchants provided meals, housing as well as workspace at the old Surroundings building. Successfully, this two-city project netted numerous avant garde sculptures created from the salvaged and recycled objects from the City Garage. What started out as a cultural exchange between two sister cities, has culminated in an extraordinary exchange of friendship and good will all - for the sake of art!
Brenner, Hartmann, Albert and Mahrlein will come back to the capitol city in a year to attend the grand opening of The First National Bank and to proudly show their works of art.
Cameo Fine Art is also pleased to announce their representation of two of those German artists that visited - Rainer Mahrlein and Roland Albert. An exhibit is planned next year for the two artists that will also coincide with the City Garage Project.
For further information check our SC Commercial Gallery listings or call the gallery at 803/799-8869.
Mailing Address: Carolina Arts, P.O. Drawer
427, Bonneau, SC 29431
Telephone, Answering Machine and FAX: 843/825-3408
E-Mail: carolinart@aol.com
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