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THE GAMECOCK ♦ Friday, October 4, 2002 5 W - __ CONTACT US || pi, MTY THEY SAID IT Story ideas? Questions? Comments? I II j IWII/m E-mailusatgamecockmixeditor@hotmail.com —I— —I-1—-JL— T _l_ JL m LIONEL TRILLING: “Immature artists imitate. Mature artists steal.” ===_===_=___=^_ BY MEG MOORE THE GAMECOCK Forget the famed paintings of Monet and Picasso, and eschew the work of M.C. Escher; this weekend, “Ugly Art” will be on display in Columbia. Though the title might suggest a collection of New York gallery cast-offs rather than a one act, ensemble production, “Ugly Art” is a play written by Rock Hill native Terry Roueche that will be performed at Columbia’s Benson Theatre tonight through Monday. In “Ugly Art,” fictitious artist Bernard Surio’s latest offerings are on exhibit, and his monochromatic masterpiece “Dancing Woman with Red Flowers” becomes a focal point for gallery banter. As they offer interpretations of and opinions about Surio’s work, the muse um’s clientele subsequently explore aspects of human desire and the nature of relationships. This weekend’s performance of “Ugly Art” comes from a collaboration of the Puppet Regime and Gallery 701. Larry Hembree, the South Carolina Arts Commission’s program director for performing arts, introduced Gallery 701 to Roueche, who contacted the Gallery two years ago about staging a produc tion of “Ugly Art” in its exhibition hall. But production plans were put on hold be cause of structural problems in the century old building. Renovations are still under way. USC theater student Amanda Reyelt, who was then a high school student in Myrtle Beach, discovered Roueche’s work and became enamored with “Ugly Art.” Once she came to USC, Reyelt heard of Gallery 701’s interest in Roueche’s play. She contacted Jack Gertsner, Gallery 701’s executive director, and plans for production were reconsidered. Gertsner said he finds “the serendipity of the way this production came about - Amanda choosing Gallery 701 without prior knowledge of the plans we’d made with Terry - an amazing coincidence and completely charming.” “With that kind of power to make itself known, I get the feeling ‘Ugly Art’ will produce itself without us, so we might as well go along for the ride,” he said. Gallery 701, a nonprofit cultural organiza tion, has collaborated before with USC and con siders the university an integral part of the theater community in Columbia, as well as the arts scene in general. Gertsner said, “The uni versity is a real cultural treasure for Columbia and is one of the major reasons I came back to Columbia when looking for a place to start Gallery 701." This weekend’s presentation of “Ugly Art” is not Gallery 701’s first involvement with USC’s theater program; it also helped sponsor a production of the opera “Dido and Aeneas” at Longstreet Theatre. It 4s, however, the organi zation’s first collaboration with USC’s Puppet Regime. “We strive to give all students the chance to work in all facets of theater production,” Reyelt said. The group enjoys producing new and avant-garde scripts. Reyelt said the script for “Ugly Art” is particularly appealing because of its exploration of “the judgments we have to wards art and those we have towards people.” Gertsner said: “It has been a wonderful ex perience working with Amanda Reyelt and this talented, young, and enthusiastic group of hard- working theater majors and other ac tors. The performances promise to be of ex ceptionally high quality, and I look forward to future partnerships with the Puppet Regime.” “Ugly Art” will be performed several times this weekend at Benson Theatre, at Pickens and Catawba streets. Evening performances will begin at 8 Friday, Saturday, Sunday and Monday. A reception will be held at 7:30 p.m. before each performance. On Sunday, a mati nee performance will be held at 3 p.m., with a reception at 2:30 p.m. Comments on this story?E-mail gamecockmixeditor@hotmail.com Above: The cast of “Ugly Art” performs * an improvisation exercise called flocking. Right: Sarah Price mimics someone looking at art. Far right: Ben Compton and Nicole Cabe imitate a couple at an art reception. PHOTOS SPECIAL TO THE GAMECOCK •Authors talk about inspiration from art BY JESSICA MANNING THE GAMECOCK “American Vision: Writing on Art,” a series held by USC’s English department and the Columbia Museum of Art, will be gin tonight with a presentation from USC English professor Kwame Dawes. Dawes is a 2001 recipient of the Pushcart Prize, an award for au thors whose works are published in small magazines or literary journals. He teaches as an associ ate professor of English at USC .^and is also the director of USC’s ^Master of Fine Arts Program. Charlene Spear an, a student in Dawes’ Master of Fine Arts Program, persuaded him to work with the museum on this project. “She asked me if I would be in terested in marrying art and poet ry,” Dawes said. “This is impor tant work for me, as much of my poetry derives from art that moves me.” During the event, Dawes will fo cus on sharing a selection of po ems that he has written based on the art displayed at the museum. He will also reference other poems that have emerged from his in depth study of art. “My hope is to try and convey an appreciation for the art and an appreciation for the craft of poet ry,” Dawes said. “American Vision: Writing on Art” will take place the first Friday of every month at the Columbia Museum of Art’s per manent collection galleries. The focus of the program is on influential pieces and artists from the museum that have inspired authors to write a poem, short sto ry, or a non-fiction piece. The event will last up to an hour and a half and will feature authors discussing their writing processes and how the visual arts inspires and motivates them. The project will draw different community members together for an evening focused on writing about art. The program is de signed for community members from artists, educators, young adults, and the general public. Stephanie Owen, a museum employee, expresses that “American Vision: Writing on PHOTO BY CANDI HAUGLUM/THE GAMECOCK Professor Kwame Dawes will speak about writing on art. Art” is not an original concept. Owen said a vast number of simi lar programs exist across the na tion. “For the most part, I got the idea from a similar program con ducted at the Butler Museum of Art in Youngstown, Ohio, where I grew up,” Owen said. Owen and another museum em ployee, Leslie Pierce, began the program in hopes that local busi nesses and the Art Council would offer sponsorship and grants for future events. ♦ DAWES, SEE PAGE 6 V state fair FRIDAY POP DAY PAY $15 FOR UNLIMITED RIDES 10 a.m. Gates Open 11 a.m. Midway Opens 5 p.m. Steve Bayner, hypnotist, WLTX stage 6 p.m. Pantasia Steel Band, WIS Spirit of Carolina stage 6:30 to 7 p.m. Richard’s Racing Pigs, front of Cattle Arena 7 p.m. Mapapa Acrobats, WLTX stage GRANDSTAND entertainment 7:30 p.m. Steven Curtis Chapman 7:30 p.m. Mad Science Discovery Fair, Cantey Building 8 p.m. Pantasia Steel Band, WIS Spirit of Carolina stage 8:30 p.m. Steve Bayner, WLTX stage 9 p.m. Dennis Lee, WIS Spirit of Carolina stage The Big Shine (fireworks): About 9 p.m. SATURDAY TWO RIDERS FOR THE PRICE OF ONE (9 A.M. TO 1 P.M.) 9 a.m. Gates Open 9 a.m. Midway Opens 2 p.m. Mad Science Discovery Fair, Cantey Building 2:30 p.m. Mapapa Acrobats, WLTX stage 4:30 p.m. Richard's Racing Pigs, front of Cattle Arena 5 p.m. Steve Bayner, hypnotist, WLTX stage 6 p.m. Mad Science Discovery Fair, Cantey Building GRANDSTAND ENTERTAINMENT 7:30 p.m. La Mafia, with Impacto Latino at 7 p.m. 7:30 p.m. Mad Sciehce Discovery fair, Cantey Building 8 p.m. Carolyn Brailsford, WIS Spirit of Carolina stage 8:30 p.m. Steve Bayner, hypnotist, WLTX stage 9 p.m. Dennis Lee, WIS Spirit of Carolina stage The Big Shine: About 9 p.m. SUNDAY “GREAT AMERICAN SUNDAY” - MILITARY OFFICERS, FIREFIGHTERS, LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS AND EMERGENCY MEDICAL TECHNICIANS IN UNIFORM ARE ■ ADMITTED FREE UNTIL 6 P.M. (FAMILIES ARE NOT INCLUDED.) Greatest grandparents contest 2 p.m. in the Grandstand Noon Gate Opens Noon Midway Opens 2 p.m. Mad Science Discovery Fair, Cantey Building 2:30 p.m. Mapapa Acrobats, WLTX stage 3 p.m. Columbia Community Concert Band? WIS Spirit of Carolina stage GRANDSTAND ENTERTAINMENT 4:30 p.m. Lee Greenwood 6:30 p.m. Richard’s Racing Pigs, front of Cattle Arena 7:30 p.m. Mad Science Discovery Fair, Cantey Building 8 p.m. J.T. Ettes, WIS Spirit of Carolina stage 8:30 p.m. Steve Bayner, hypnotist, WLTX stage The Big Shine: About 9 p.m. i Fridays at museum all about art BY RACHEL BEATTY THE IIAMKCOCK For people looking for a way to broaden their cultural horizons or to fill up Friday nights, the Columbia Museum of Art is of fering the series “Art Fridays After Dark.” For the next 11 Fridays, the museum plans to ex hibit a variety of artists’ perfor mances. “This is the first year these events will be taking place,” said series coordinator and grants manager Kristin Harkey, “Each program is different in nature, incorporating all the dif ferent areas of art,” including dance, theater and lecture, she said. The performances will take place in the museum’s atrium and Lee Alexander Lorick Auditorium areas, both of which are outside the museum, near its front entrance. The museum hopes to give locals a chance to partake in the different arenas of art, while enjoying their week ends and unwinding after the work week. “The idea is really to generate and revitalize an interest on Main Street, make the museum a place of attraction,” Harkey said. Each program encompasses a different genre of art and en courages interaction from pa trons. The Fridays are not meant to be a “look, but don’t touch” exhibit. “Each program is eclectic in nature,” Harkey said. “We want to reach untapped audiences and delve into the characters of stu dents/Some of the programs aim toward minority communities, and we want the programs to be as relevant as possible.” The weekly events start tonight at 7 p.m. with Jazz Friday. Headlining the festivities is young singer-songwriter Titilayo Ngwenya, who blends sounds of jazz, folk, urban funk and the blues. Ngwenya was bom in the United States to Nigerian parents. “Titilayo Ngwenya is a singer from New York City trying to make a name for herself,” Harkey said. “It is a privilege to have her here, as she’s never been to this area before. She’s hoping to gar ner a following.” The jazz program is a depar ture from the museum’s typical musical programs. “We usually have chamber music here, but we wanted to in clude jazz because we want to show people that art can be fun,” Harkey said. Friday activities will include dance, horror films, salsa danc ing and children’s plays. On Oct. 11 at 7 p.m., the Power Company, a professional dance troupe, will be the main per formers. On Oct. 18 at 6 p.m., the museum will hold a cele bration of National Architecture Week. On Friday, Oct. 25, in the spirit of Halloween, the museum will show “A Brief History of Horror Films” for the muse um’s Film Friday. “Art Fridays After Dark” will run through Friday, Dec. 20. Most performances kick off at 7 p.m. The Columbia Museum of Art is at Main and Hampton streets. For more information, the museum’s Web site is at www.col musart.org. Comments on this story?E-mail gamecockmixeditor@hotmail.com