Generation x

We’ve been seeing a lot of ‘x’ lately.

In recent years the letter ‘x’ has come to represent the collaboration of two creative forces. Think street artist Kaws doing package design for Kiehls, or Kings of Leon designing clothes for Surface 2 Air. It’s a trend that we can get behind and it’s crept its way into the Charleston art scene.

At Redux Contemporary Art Center through March 6, 1 x 1 is a student/faculty exhibition celebrating the 20th Anniversary of the School of the Arts at the College of Charleston.

In what turns out to be more of a collaboration through osmosis, the show is a celebration of the relationship between teacher and student. For the exhibition, each of the nine tenure studio art faculty at the college have chosen a student to pair up with and mentor through the process of showing in a gallery. For example, Assistant Professor of Drawing Sara Frankel chose her student from drawing class, Maddie Reyna, because she “was impressed with her evolution from a kid dabbling in charcoal to a serious, focused young woman determined to be an artist.”

With a wide array of concentrations represented in the show, there’s guaranteed to be something for everyone with a taste for contemporary. Expect to see sculpture, photography, painting, drawing and printmaking from both seasoned faculty artists and up-and-coming studio art students.

Though you may not realize it, The College is a hotbed of artistic talent. Art stars Max Miller, Sally King Benedict, Bob Snead, Seth Curcio and Benjamin Hollingsworth are all CofC graduates. And it’s not just the students. Studio art faculty members include a Prix de Rome winner, two Guggenheim Fellowship holders, and a Fulbright Fellowship holder. Coincidentally, 1 x 1 marks the first time an exhibition has featured all nine tenure studio art faculty members under one roof.

Redux has become a sort of half-way house for CofC graduates as they enter the intense world of contemporary fine art, so holding the 1 x 1 show at Redux was a natural fit.

“It’s amazing to me that the faculty in the Studio Art Department at the College of Charleston are not well known in the community. It is a hidden gem here in Charleston. 1 x 1 is a great opportunity for Redux to introduce Charleston to the remarkable talent at CofC, both of the faculty and students,” Karen Ann Myers, executive director of Redux, tells us.

Trust us, Redux openings are the place to be. They’re free, open to the public and of course it wouldn’t be a Charleston art event without the free booze and food. But unlike most local venues, Redux isn’t dependent on the sale of artwork. The facility is maintained with contributions from supporters like yourself, so be sure to take some cash for the donation box or even sign up for a membership to get special discounts and invites for upcoming events.

Let’s review. Where do you want to be on Friday, Jan 22 from 6-9pm? ‘x’ marks the spot.

Redux Studios
Studio Art Department at CofC

Story by: Justin Harris