Arts Planner: Pull handle, get art
Columbia gets an Art-o-mat
The new vending machine in the Nickelodeon Theatre’s lobby dispenses not junk food, but original works of art.
The Art-o-mat arrived in Columbia about a month ago, and for $5 spits out cigarette-pack sized illustrations, photography, jewelry and screenprints.
North Carolina artist Clark Whittington created the first Art-o-Mat in 1997 by repurposing a cigarette machine to sell his photographs, and now they can be found in bookstores, museums and coffee shops across the country.
“We brought it here because it creates an accessible way to get art and build a small collection of art,” said Lee Snelgrove of One Columbia, the group that is leasing Columbia’s Art-o-mat.
Whittington formed a group called Artists in Cellophane to supply artwork for the machines.
Proceeds are split among the artist, the sponsor and Whittington.
Snelgrove said One Columbia hopes to get local artists involved in AIC, as it gets their work in front of people.
“A lot of artists use this as a calling card,” he said. “It’s a sample of their art that people can get at a really low cost.”
The Art-o-mat will be at The Nick until the end of the month. Then it will be at the Columbia Museum of Art for Arts and Draughts on Feb. 5, before moving to Tapp’s Art Center for the rest of February, Snelgrove said.
“All the art that it came stocked with has already been sold,” he added. “We just made another big order. So people are excited about it.”
OTHER ARTS EVENTS AROUND TOWN
A SPIRITED TOUR AND TASTING
Sunday is your last chance to see the Georgia O’Keeffe and Independent Spirits exhibitions at the Columbia Museum of Art. There will be a guided tour and tasting with wine and light appetizers at 6 p.m. led by Doug Aylard from The Vino Garage.
1515 Main St. $55 for members, $65 for nonmembers. (803) 799-2810, www.columbiamuseum.org/
7TH ANNUAL USC PHOTO FESTIVAL
The University of South Carolina Photo Festival is Jan. 12-16. There will be a keynote lecture with Daniel W. Coburn in the Skyline Room at Tapp’s Art Center from 5-7 p.m. Friday and a student portfolio walk throughout the gallery from 8-10 p.m. The Photographic Society at USC’s juried student photo show will be on view in Tapp’s Fountain Room. Join them for a reception from 6-8 p.m. Thursday.
1644 Main St. Free. (803) 988-0013, www.tappsartscenter.com
‘JOSEPH AND THE AMAZING TECHNICOLOR DREAMCOAT’
Broadway in Columbia presents “Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat” at the Koger Center Tuesday and Wednesday. One of the most enduring shows of all time, Tim Rice and Andrew Lloyd Webber’s musical is a reimagining of the Biblical story of Joseph, his eleven brothers and the coat of many colors.
1051 Greene St. $46-$56. (803) 777-7500, www.kogercenterforthearts.com/
BEYOND THE WHITE T-SHIRT
“Identi-Tee: Beyond the White T-Shirt” explores how the simple t-shirt has evolved into a wardrobe staple over the past 100 years and how its function and meaning changed over time. This exhibition considers different cultures that wear t-shirts, the time periods that forged new cultural meanings for them, prominent people who donned them and the historical moments that made the t-shirt an important symbol of youth, activism, and change. The exhibit opens Saturday and runs through April 23 at McKissick Museum.
816 Bull St. (803) 777-0169, artsandsciences.sc.edu/mckissickmuseum/
AUDITIONS FOR CHAPIN THEATRE COMPANY’S UPCOMING PRODUCTION
Auditions for “The Sensuous Senator” by Michael Parker will be held at 7 p.m. Monday and at the Harbison Theatre rehearsal room, 7300 College St. in Irmo. In this farce, a senator is running for President on a “morality” platform, but when his wife leaves for a conference in Chicago, he invites his secretary and lover over. Performances will be April 8-17 at Harbison Theatre. There are roles available for four men and five women. Contact Director Tiffany Dinsmore at TheFunDinsmores@gmail.com for more information. www.chapintheatre.org/
This story was originally published January 8, 2016 at 11:30 AM.