Arts Planner: ‘Dada Days,’ Southern films, book talks

Everything is Dada at 701 Center of Contemporary Art

In 1917, French artist Marcel Duchamp signed his name on a porcelain urinal and called it art.

Duchamp didn’t make the urinal. He took a ready-made object and proclaimed it was art simply because he said it was so.

That rebellious ethos was at the heart of the Dada movement, a form of artistic expression that began in Switzerland as a critical response to World War I and characteristically challenged established norms.

The movement is at the heart of 701 Center for Contemporary Arts’s “Dada Days,” which celebrates the 100th anniversary of the first organized manifestation of Dada.

“A lot of people think if you do something outrageous, it’s Dada,” 701 CCA board chair Wim Roefs said. “But it was different with a purpose.”

Dada artists didn’t just paint or sculpt, they put on performances, made poetry with sounds and manipulated photography. Collage was also a major aspect of Dada, Roefs said.

With that in mind, CCA brought in South Carolina’s premier collage artist, Aldwyth, to create two wall-sized murals for “Dada Days.”

The mononymous artist from Hilton Head Island is the center’s current artist-in-residence and is known for her complex collages and assemblages.

“Aldwyth’s collages often deal with aspects of art history. She comments on art history through her collages, including Dada,” Roefs said.

Adwyth’s works will be up at 701 CCA beginning Sunday with an artist talk at 2 p.m. and running through Feb. 28 at 701 Whaley on the second floor. The talk is free for members, and there is a $5 suggested donation for nonmembers. There will be additional events at CCA throughout February featuring actors, poets, musicians and other performers who work in the Dada spirit. A full schedule of events is available at www.701cca.org/.

OTHER ARTS EVENTS AROUND TOWN

Watch for ‘Reel South’ series on ETV

The Carolinas’ two statewide public television networks, South Carolina ETV and North Carolina UNC-TV, have partnered with the Southern Documentary Fund to create a new TV showcase called “Reel South.” The series will air on ETV for five weeks on Thursday nights and showcases independently produced documentaries about the South.

The upcoming films are “Tommy! The Dreams I Keep Inside Me” at 4 p.m. and 9 p.m. Thursday; “Cotton Road” at 8 p.m. Feb. 11; “Counter Histories: Rock Hill” at 9 p.m. Feb. 18; “Can’t Stop The Water” at 9:30 p.m. Feb. 18; and “Bending Sticks” at 9 p.m. Feb. 25.

Dance Theatre of Harlem

Dance Theatre of Harlem: The world-renowned company comes to Columbia for one night, hosted by the USC Department of Theatre and Dance.

7 p.m. Tuesday Koger Center for the Arts, 1051 Greene St., $20-$40. http://www.kogercenterforthearts.com or (803) 251-2222.

One Book, One Community author discussion

This year’s One Book, One Community author Carla Damron will discuss her novel, “The Stone Necklace,” set in Columbia and published by Pat Conroy’s Story River Books imprint at USC Press.

7 p.m. Tuesday at the Lexington County Public Library - Irmo Branch, 5261 St. Andrews Road. Free and open to the public.

A conversation with Ron Lieber

Central Carolina Community Foundation is hosting “The New York Times” columnist and bestselling author Ron Lieber Tuesday. Lieber will speak about his book, “The Opposite of Spoiled,” which is about how to raise kids who are grounded and smart about finances.

7 p.m. Tuesday at Katie & Irwin Kahn Jewish Community Center, 306 Flora Dr. Free, but registration required. www.yourfoundation.org/calendar/events/ron-lieber

South Carolina Philharmonic presents ‘All that Jazz’

The South Carolina Philharmonic will explore its jazzy side in “All That Jazz.” Clarinetist Joseph Eller and pianist Phillip Bush join music director Morihiko Nakahara for music with jazz or blues roots, including a contemporary work by composer and Columbia native Andy Akiho.

7:30 p.m. Feb. 6 at Koger Center for the Arts, 1051 Greene St. $23-$53. KogerCenterForTheArts.com or (803) 251-2222.

New exhibit at Fine Arts Center of Kershaw County

“Southern Exposures: From the Mountains to the Sea” features the works of landscape artists Helen Smith Warren and Mary Deas Boykin Wortley, both of whom have strong ties to the Camden area through family, friends and the equestrian world. The exhibit will run through March 4.

The Fine Arts Center of Kershaw County is at 810 Lyttleton St. in Camden. Free. (803) 425-7676, or www.fineartscenter.org.

This story was originally published January 30, 2016 at 6:00 AM with the headline "Arts Planner: ‘Dada Days,’ Southern films, book talks."