Fine Art PR Publicity Announcements News and Information
Fine Art PR Publicity Announcements News and Information

Dale Chihuly Installation at the Columbia Museum of Art

The Contemporaries of the Columbia Museum of Art announce the completed installation of the Dale Chihuly art acquisition chandelier in the museum’s David Wallace Robinson, Jr. Atrium. The installation marks the first of its kind in the state and measures 14’ tall, 5’ wide and 11’ deep. The design was chosen to enhance the asymmetrical design of the museum’s atrium space and a “Carolina Sunset” color-scheme will incorporate Columbia’s “Famously Hot” shades of golds, oranges and reds. The public celebration of the installation will be held in conjunction with this year’s Museum gala, Red Hot…Cool! 60 Years of Color on Saturday, April 17.
The completion of this installation also marks the success of a public-fundraising campaign by which the Contemporaries raised over $360,000 through private donations and fundraising events – led entirely by the young professional affiliate group of the museum with the generous support and guidance of a team of community mentors, the Board of the Museum of Art and the staff of the museum. The fundraising total covers the cost of the acquisition, long-term maintenance of the piece, educational support, lighting and a documentary video.

“This project represents a commitment by our organization to the museum and to the community as a whole. We understand that we are the first young-professional organization in the nation to undertake the commissioning of a project of this magnitude. Our hope is that through this project we will begin to foster and cultivate a new generation of philanthropy in Columbia and beyond,” said Ryan Hyler, the organization’s president.
The commission is a significant work by the internationally renowned artist, Dale Chihuly of Washington State. Chihuly installations are found in numerous museums and private collections around the world, including: The Victoria and Albert Museum in London, The Seattle Museum of Art, The de Young in San Francisco, and the Bellagio in Las Vegas, Nevada. Dale Chihuly’s expertise in glass-blowing has transformed the medium and his works are recognized by the organically inspired shapes and bold colors of his design.
For more information on the Art Acquisition Fund, on volunteering with the Contemporaries, or on the Artist, Dale Chihuly, please contact Maryanne Belser at 803.730.3757 or [email protected].
ABOUT THE CONTEMPORARIES:

The Contemporaries of the Columbia Museum of Art are comprised of an active membership of over 400 young professionals from the Columbia area. The mission of the Contemporaries is to provide an opportunity to support the Museum through: promoting the Museum and its programs, diversifying the Museum’s membership, and leading the next generation of Museum supporters.

GENERAL MUSEUM INFORMATION: The Columbia Museum of Art is South Carolina’s premier international art museum and houses a world-class collection of European and American art. Founded in 1950, the Museum opened its new building on Main Street in 1998 with 25 galleries. The collection includes masterpieces of the Italian Renaissance, Baroque and Rococo from the Samuel H. Kress Collection, porcelain and works by significant furniture and silver makers, as well as American, Asian, and modern and contemporary art. In recent years the Museum’s collection of Asian art and Antiquities has grown through generous gifts to the collection. Of particular interest are Sandro Botticelli’s Nativity, Claude Monet’s The Seine at Giverny, Canaletto’s View of the Molo, and art glass by Louis Comfort Tiffany. The Museum’s newly commissioned Chihuly chandelier is now on view in the Museum’s David Wallace Robinson, Jr. Atrium. The Museum offers changing exhibitions from renowned museums as well as educational programs for all ages that include art classes, art camps, lectures, films and concerts. It is the recipient of a National Art Education Association award for its contributions to arts education and an Elizabeth O’Neill Verner Governor’s Award for the Arts for outstanding contributions to the arts in South Carolina. Generous support to the Museum is provided by the City of Columbia, Richland County, the South Carolina Arts Commission and the Cultural Council of Richland and Lexington Counties.

General Info: 803.799.2810 For information on group rates and tours, call 803.343.2163.

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