In Memoriam – Wim Roefs
This has been a particularly difficult week for the Columbia Arts Community. On Monday May 9th, Wim Roefs, founder and owner of If Art Gallery and one of the founders of 701 Center for Contemporary Art, suffered a crashing heart attack at his gallery on Lincoln Street. On Thursday, the 12th, Wim passed away, leaving his wife Eileen Waddell and hundreds, if not thousands, of international friends and colleagues behind.
The pain of the loss of Wim Roefs from our arts community cannot be overestimated. Wim brought a sense of gravitas to us that many people didn’t know was missing. He reminded us that while art is in no way an endeavor of the elite, it should be taken seriously and respected for the vital role it plays in daily life. Wim made contemporary art accessible to all of us and, thankfully, his legacy will live on as long as art in Columbia does.
When I first realized we would be losing Wim I felt certain that he had done his job well and that the cultural legacy he leaves behind would continue to thrive and inform us.
But I worried a bit about his social legacy. Social media being what it is, there has been no shortage of folks chiming in about how “sweet” Wim was—that he was “nice” and “pleasant.” This disturbs me. I’m not saying Wim couldn’t be sweet or nice, but congratulations to those who had the unique experience of being around Wim when he was in such a mood.
For the most part, Wim did not indulge in the subterfuge of Southern hospitality or the artifice of American social politics. I don’t know if it was because he was Dutch or because he was Wim, but he and his personality defied any number of platitudes about how we are meant to interact with one another. Instead, he behaved with complete and transparent honesty. Wim was my favorite kind of person in that there was no second-guessing when it came to how he felt about you and your work. His honest and straightforward demeanor required a tough skin and a healthy sense of self. If you didn’t have both when you entered into a relationship with Wim, it was imperative that you develop them for your relationship to continue. I appreciated that.
Sweet? Sure, at times. Sincere? Always.
To that end, we turn this editorial over to some of the folks who knew Wim best and will miss him most. I asked them to share, with sincerity, their thoughts and feelings on the loss and legacy of Wim Roefs.
Condolences to all as we mourn the passing of one of our most respected—and beloved—community members.
And thank you, Wim, for everything you taught us.
-Cindi Boiter
Coming out of teaching at Benedict College Wim was well versed in Delta Americana and its accompanying political and social American commentary. I recall first meetings at his home where he and his wife Eileen would host cutting edge artist showings complete with an impressive euro cuisine and assemblage of artists that rarely ventured from their studios, which in turn led to incredible gatherings that ignited discourse on art and culture and cultivated new friendships and ideas.
The founding of if Art marked the debut of a New York standard gallery presence in Columbia. Early on, Wim populated the gallery with a cutting-edge stable of artists, local and international, all with a common thread of Art Spirit; art being who they are, not what they did, this often manifested itself by continuous exhibitions of work challenging patrons and the general public. This if Art gallery model presented a thoroughness which included artist cataloging, lectures, and talks with showings, and meticulous hanging and presentation, this would shortly expand to include poetry readings and exploratory music concerts as well.
Wim was quick to recognize the art spirit in young artists and go to lengths to encourage and supply support and materials to further their unique callings, he was also quick to herald iconic artists such as Laura Spong and showcase their work as assets to the rich fabric of urban culture. He constantly pushed to highlight The Vista and its rightly achieved formal status as Cultural District in Columbia, and knowingly worked consistently toward an ongoing goal of Columbia as a cultural destination for future citizens not fixated on collegian over emphasis.
Wim's youthful background as a former band drummer, and a political reactionary
surreptitiously pasting political bills at night served him well to establish his distinct curatorial criticism concerning art and culture. He united Columbia artist with our German sister city Kaiserslautern to produce an ongoing relationship of international exchange exhibitions and public sculpture. This in turn established the Lady Street Sculptural Corridor as a hallmark of urban design and international influence raising the bar for future architectural and green space concepts.
And, he loved his cats.
-Stephen Chesley
It is difficult to express in words the void that's left by Wim Roefs departure. he set the standard for Contemporary Art in Columbia both through his gallery, and his advocacy work in civic organizations including 701 CCA.
His work throughout the state and southeast region as an independent curator was important in laying the path for new voices. He had exacting standards, he believed in risk taking and championed challenging art and conversations. He made space for emerging talent. His interests were broad. Music, film, theatre, visual art, and dance. His politics were clear. he believed in and practiced inclusion, not as an exercise in political correctness, but as a way of living, a way of being. He brought lots of different kinds of people into shared orbits. He called bullshit when he saw it. He was sincere.
-Michaela Pilar Brown
Wim’s passing is a staggering loss. His passion, intellect, and commitment to the arts in this region are gigantic. We all loved to participate in his presentations of local and international talent. His carefully curated exhibits at If Art, 701CCA, and Art Fields have become a part of our cultural psyche. The wealth of talent here and abroad Wim found and represented is vast and diverse. His boundless energy has raised our cultural consciousness and will continue to elevate the visual arts throughout our community. Wim, Thank you. You are forever in our hearts and minds…
-Clark Ellefson
Wim with the late Laura Spong
During the 11 plus years my office has been two doors down from if Art there were many days and nights where I was able to stop in and just enjoy a talk with Wim about any number of interests we shared.
We both parked our cars in a garage a block away from our shops. For me, I walked past the large window at the entrance of If Art on my way to my car every day. This was the showcase window. It allowed anyone walking down Lincoln St., one of the busier pedestrian streets in Columbia, to walk past if Art and view what Wim had to showcase that day, week, or month.
My thoughts in the past few days, walking past that large window, have turned to the fact that for the past 11 years I have seen every artist that Wim has hung in that window. There have been local, upcoming artists in that window. There have been nationally recognized and established artists in that window. I’ve seen beautiful small painting of flowers, and large painting that served as a bit of a middle finger to whoever walked by. Wim brought us the art he liked to champion and make no mistake, want you to buy so you could show it off to your friends. I was lucky enough to see it all.
-Wade Sellers
Wim changed the landscape of visual arts in Columbia. He was a powerhouse of knowledge and his demand of excellence and passion helped to create an environment that thrust local artists to a whole new level. As a founder of 701 Center for Contemporary Art his vision helped to shape what has become a leading institution for contemporary art in the region. The team at 701 is saddened by his sudden departure and he will be greatly missed. But we are so grateful for all he has done to raise the bar for cultural arts in this town.
-Lee Ann Kornegay
Since I met Wim thirty years ago, he has been a constant force in the South Carolina arts scene, and it won’t be the same without him. He cultivated friendships and fostered collaborations among artists. His knowledge, enthusiasm, and passion for the arts and making things happen was unmatched in our arts community. Wim will not be forgotten and was a hell of a friend.
-Mike Williams
This is a devastating and sudden loss for our community, within which Wim was such a force at 701, at if Art, and beyond. Such a presence. Deep condolences to Eileen and to Wim’s family. I thought of him as the “old fashioned” type of gallerist: if Art is no pristine white cube with an intimidating attendant, but a jumble of walls and levels all filled with art and with books, open and inviting to all, presided over by Wim from his perch in the loft. There is no prevailing style or medium among the artists represented. Simply those Wim thought were good and to whom he was deeply committed. Wim ran if Art more as an art center than gallery, hosting musical events, performances, and book launches—including mine. When I asked Wim if we could do a launch in the gallery the answer was simply: “Sure, when do you want to do it?” No red tape to cut, no waivers to sign. Just set up the table, put out the books and the chairs and do it. He was always open to conversations and to events that would stimulate them. The first public event we attended during the depths of pre-vaccine COVID was at the gallery: Michaela Pilar Brown’s moving sculptural performance mourning her mother’s passing, compellingly enacted by her and Terrance Henderson. The set and the performances were extraordinary; but just sharing a live experience with other people was cathartic for us, as I hope it was for Michaela. Wim created a space in which you felt safe to have deep and perhaps unsettling aesthetic and emotional experiences like this, even during a pandemic. I hope that as a community we can find ways to honor Wim’s life and extend his legacy and commitment to creating spaces for art and experience.
-Peter Chametzky
Wim with Diane Gilbert, Kirkland Smith and James Smith
Wim was a giant in the art community and his passing is such a loss for his family and friends!
He made a lasting impact through his work with 701 CCA and his gallery if Art, as well as facilitating the artist exchange with our sister city Kaiserslautern, Germany. He was passionate about the value of art and passionate about the artists he valued. He will be dearly missed.
-Kirkland Smith
“I feel heartache for having lost a friend, but also for the wider loss to our art community and the direction of local art. His honesty, drive, and support are irreplaceable. Wim is irreplaceable.”
-Scotty Peak
We were introduced to Wim when we first arrived in Columbia. He and Eileen opened their home and hearts and welcomed us from the beginning. His smile, dry sense of humor, and strong opinion made him the kind of friend we valued and appreciated. We truly loved him. Wim will be missed, and we will miss his voice floating from the loft of If Art Gallery as he greeted us when we arrived.
-Thaddeus and Tanya Wideman-Davis
Wim did so much for Columbia arts and music. But for me personally, during my days at Free Times, his presence offered reassurance that approaching our small but determined creative community with honest criticism (and some well-intentioned snark) was not just OK but necessary for its continued growth.
-Jordan Lawrence
Wim could be disagreeable and cantankerous and have a need to be right at the exact same moment he was incredibly kind and accepting. A person of great integrity who wasn’t above fucking with you in a good-natured way. Fun and sneaky funny. He was a fierce champion not only of the arts but of people. Mostly people. There was only one Wim. We were so lucky to know him. Zaire and Michaela myself will always remember the One Woman show he gave the Bird at If Art when she was five(I think). Or how we used to talk about “real football “ , soccer. And how he was helpful . Always helping. Miss you man. Love you Wim. A singular presence in Columbia.
-Darion McCloud
Wim Roefs was a gift pure and simple.
-David Yaghjian