Nickelodeon Celebrates New Home With 33 Films From 33 Years

by Christopher Rosa, Jasper Intern  

The movies are moving.  And it is causing a swirl of emotions.

The Nickelodeon Theatre, Columbia’s flagship local film theatre, and one of the most acclaimed in all of the Southeast, will be moving to a new home starting on August 31, 2012. The theatre will be taking a trip down Main Street, from its original 937 address to 1607. The move, according to Nick marketing director Isaac Calvage, has been in the works for several years now. “The Nickelodeon Theatre simply has needed to expand our offerings and capacity.  We currently have a maximum of 75 seats in an aging building, and we needed to expand. In our current location, we simply do not have space to grow.”

Physical expansion was certainly a top priority for Nick leaders as they planned this move; however, the new space will allow them to artistically expand as well. “The move will also allow us to delve deeper into experimental film, and also show more mainstream independent films. The Nick is also really excited that we'll own our space. We're currently just renting this building.”

The move from 937 Main to 1607 Main is quite the financial endeavor. What sealed the deal for the move were two generous donations from the Ford Foundation and the Nord Family Foundation. Both were integral to the Nick’s journey up the street. “We could not have been more excited to receive grants from such truly inspiring organizations. The fact that they really want to invest in creative place-making, further encourages us that this move is absolutely the next step for the Nick. These prestigious organizations are making it possible to make our move,” Calvage said.

Picking the spot to move was a difficult decision, but 1607 was eventually chosen for its already rich cinematic past. “1607 Main St. was the former home of the State Theater, and then later the Fox Theater.  It is also the only remaining theater that was left on Main St. All of the other spaces were either demolished, or completely changed into other spaces.  We want to save the cinema history of our city, and also provide a new space on Main Street to help revitalize downtown,” Calvage notes.

Calvage also believes that the new location will have a positive economic impact on the surrounding area. “When we open, we will be open 7 days a week providing a space that is open not only in the daytime, but also at night, and we're projecting that we'll welcome 60,000 unique visitors to Main Street each year, which means that those folks are also spending money in our downtown restaurants and shops.”

The new space is going to be innovative in both its interior and exterior. “We are expanding to offer media education and filmmaker services in the future.  Once the capital campaign is fully finished, we will also be opening a second screen, which has a capacity of 192 seats,  and which will allow us to offer two different films at one time. We have improved concession areas, bathrooms outside of the movie theater, and greatly improved offices for our ever-growing staff,” Calvage beams.

The new Helen Hill Media Education Center is of particular interest. Calvage cites the digital age as the primary reason for the center’s inception. “In this modern age, where media is thrust at us from every direction, it is important to be able to analyze and interpret these messages, and their roles in our lives.”

There is only a little over a month left in the old space. “We are feeling great, but are quickly realizing how little time is left here.  We are so proud to be offering the  33  films. 33 years retrospective at our current location, and we hope the community will use this as a time to say goodbye to this theater,” Calvage says.

The 33 films. 33 years event is a commemorative cinematic experience that pays tribute to the dozens of movies shown at the Nick.  One film from each year that the Nick’s doors have been open to the public will be screened. Titles and dates are as follows:

'79 - Sunset Boulevard - Friday, August 10 at 5:30pm

'80 - Casablanca - Friday, August 10 at 8:00pm

'81 - The Seventh Seal - Saturday, August 11th at 5:30pm

'82 - Annie Hall - Saturday, August 11th at 8:00pm

'83 - Breaking Away - Sunday, August 12th at 3:00pm

'84 - Rashomon - Sunday, August 12th at 6:30pm

'85 - Weekend - Monday, August 13th at 5:30pm

'86 - Monty Python's The Meaning of Life - Monday, August 13th at 8:00pm

'87 - Rear Window - Tuesday, August 14th at 5:30pm

'88 - Touch of Evil - Tuesday, August 14th at 8:00pm

'89 - Heathers - Wednesday, August 15th at 5:30pm

'90 - Do the Right Thing - Wednesday, August 15th at 8:00pm

'91 - Cinema Paradiso - Thursday, August 16th at 5:30pm

'92 - Slacker - Thursday, August 16th at 9:00pm

'93 - Like Water for Chocolate - Friday, August 17th at 5:30pm

'94 - Orlando - Friday, August 17th at 8:00pm

'95 - Three Colors (Blue/White/Red) - Saturday, August 18th at 3:00pm (Blue) 5:30pm (White) 8:00pm (Red)

'96 - Bottle Rocket - Sunday, August 19th at 3:00pm

'97 - Waiting for Guffman - Sunday, August 19th at 5:00pm

'98 - Smoke Signals - Monday, August 20th at 5:30pm

'99 - Buena Vista Social Club - Monday, August 20th at 8:00pm

'00 - Timecode - Tuesday, August 21st at 5:30pm

'01 - Yana's Friends - Tuesday, August 21st at 8:00pm

'02 - 8 Women - Wednesday, August 22nd at 5:30pm

'03 - Bowling for Columbine - Wednesday, August 22nd at 8:00pm

'04 - Lost in Translation - Thursday, August 23rd at 5:30pm

'05 - Junebug - Thursday, August 23rd at 8:00pm

'06 - The Squid and the Whale - Friday, August 24th at 6:00pm

'07 - Volver - Friday, August 24th at 8:00pm

'08 - Man on Wire - Saturday, August 25th at 2:30pm

'09 - Let the Right One In - Saturday, August 25th at 5:00pm

'10 - A Single Man - Saturday, August 25th at 8:00pm

'11 -  The King's Speech - Sunday, August 26th at 2:30pm

'12 - The Artist - Sunday, August 26th at 5:00pm

The last screening will be followed by a party on August 26^th to officially say goodbye to the 937 address. The new Nick will open its doors on August 31^st. “We cannot believe the success we have had. It is our goal to become more than a movie theater, and really be a community center, as well as a resource for filmmakers and film education in the realm of media literacy,” Calvage says.

Arts & Draughts at Columbia Museum of Art, this Friday, August 3rd - Art, Drink, and Be Merry!

Art, drink, and be merry!  On August 3rd, the Columbia Museum of Art will host its seasonal Arts & Draughts night. The event, according to CMA Public Programs Coordinator Shannon Burke, "gives people the opportunity to experience the Columbia Museum of Art in an entirely new way." And what a new experience it will be!

On this night, attendees will get to experience an explosion of the senses as the event gears to "expand a visitor's way of thinking about what they can see, hear, and explore at the CMA," according to Burke.

The night is truly an event. Filled with live local music and tastings of a special beer - this time a naturally cloudy Hefeweizen from Widmer Brothers - the evening aims to  get people in the door, then entice them to stay through the exciting escapades that take place thereafter. "By combining great live music and beer tastings, the audience stays and experiences all the CMA has to offer," Burke says. Specifically, A&D night's activities include exclusive tours, performances, scavenger hunts, and art projects.

A&D's inception was in January 2011, where it was held the first Friday of the month. Then, the aim of the event was to "introduce the CMA to a young adult audience when we had extended hours," Burke says. Now, the A&D is a seasonal event, and while the target audience remains constant, the evening has evolved. "A&D is always changing, so in a way if you are planning on attending the event, you should expect surprises. Expect new music, new beers to try, new performances, and great new ways to explore and enjoy the Museum as you never had before!"

This August's A&D will include a collaborative drawing table and multimedia games among other exciting activities. Live musical acts include DJ Matt Porter, Elonzo, Brave Baby, and Whiskey Gentry. Tickets are $8 for non-members and $5 for members, but if you become a member that night you have free admission to the event. Doors open at 7 p.m. and the party ends at 11 p.m.

~ Christopher Rosa, Jasper Intern

The Power of the Pistol -- John Acorn at 701 CCA, opens Thursday

 

Contemporary art's purpose is to shock, be bold, daring, and brave. Explosive even. As we view a piece of cutting-edge art, there is a movement unlike anything else-- a visceral and raw, examination of societal, political, and personal issues. The art speaks to us because, frankly, the art is us. Charged with the ideals of humanity and the talent of an artist, contemporary works speak to us in ways that no other form of art can. It is for these reasons and more that South Carolina's renowned contemporary artist John Acorn is revealing his latest endeavor, Project Pistols, at the 701 Center for Contemporary Art from June 28th-August 12th.

With his latest installation, which seeks to discover the nuances of human nature through personifying day-to-day objects like a pendent, a pizza, lifesavers, a Palmetto tree, a heart, a crown, a wreath, a T-shirt, a person, and a skull, Acorn achieves new artistic heights. He does this through crafting these confections with something which he feels our culture is fascinated: firearms.

Yes, Acorn, who retired as chairman of Clemson University's art department in 1998, seeks to create a commentary about the aspects of life that bombard us through a medium that frightens, entices, and sometimes controls us. “My interest in using the pistol as a subject or theme for my recent artwork is part of my ongoing search and inquiry into the nature of our species, human beings,” Acorn says. “I do not intend to be a crusader or missionary on issues regarding firearms. I do admit, however, to wondering about the fact that my culture is so enamored with firearms.”

The nature of this installation will be full of harsh contrasts and shocking juxtapositions. In many of his pieces, Acorn associates day-to-day things like cars and books with the hard, daunting feelings of a pistol. For example, in his piece Life Savers for Pistols, Acorn drew inspiration from a normal SUV proclaiming “Guns Save Lives.” John also constructs food in his piece Pie of Pistols, which references a California pizza restaurant that refused to serve men who were armed. The social commentary and everyday occurrences are shrewdly exhibited in these pieces and more of Project Pistols, which even include a large charm bracelet, inspired by “a purchase of a birthday gift for my granddaughter, Mary,” according to Acorn.

Acorn was born in 1937 in Patterson, New Jersey, receiving a fine arts B.A from Montclair State College and later an MFA at the Cranbook Academy of Art. Sculpting was Acorn’s first artistic passion and this fervency has remained constant throughout his career. He cites Paul Harris as one of his many inspirations. He started work at Clemson University in 1961 as an art professor and later became chairman of the department in 1976. “John is an insightful critic, a gentle supporter, a model professional. He’s also a wonderful artist and craftsman,” local architect and 701 CCA board member Doug Quackenbush said. Even through decades and decades of teaching, working, creating, and living, Acorn’s passion for sculpting has stayed fiery and ardent. “I confess to being addicted to making things,” Acorn said. On his latest installation in finding art in everyday life, Acorn confesses that the “enlargement of objects and their positioning alter or transform them into new images.”

These new images are exciting the people at 701 CCA, for they feel Acorn’s project is a breath of fresh air in the world of contemporary art. “It is very good. It is spectacular even. It is ambitious and consists of work that is very smart in its conception and just beautifully executed. What Acorn has created is a brave commentary on our culture in visually spectacular works of art. His work is constantly relevant and cutting edge,” Wim Roefs, chair of 701 CCA board of directors, said. The installations is causing much excitement for Clemson alumni and arts lover alike, and even more so for 701 CCA, whose staff cannot wait to see what Acorn’s works will do for the gallery. “We’ve never done anything like this before. It is visionary,” Roefs said.

The exhibition is sponsored in part by Columbia, S.C., architectural firms Catalyst Architects, Garvin Design Group, J. Timothy Hance, Architect, P.A., Jumper Carter Sease Architects, Quackenbush Architects + Planners, and The LPA Group. Acorn’s reception for Project Pistols will be on Thursday, June 28 from 7 to 9 p.m. The event is free and non-members are suggested to give a $5 donation.

-- Christopher Rosa, Jasper intern

Kristine Hartvigsen launches new book To The Wren Nesting

 

Kristine Hartvigsen is truly an artist.

An Associate Editor at Jasper, Hartvigsen is releasing her first book of poems, To the Wren Nesting, published by Muddy Ford Press. This a dream come true for Hartvigsen, and she feels now is the right time to share her collection of poetry, which spans several years of creative work, to the arts community in Columbia.  “It’s all about opportunity, really. When the people at Muddy Ford Press approached me about publishing a poetry chapbook, I was in. I was thrilled that they thought my poems would make for a good read.”

Poetry, and the arts in general, have been flowing through the veins of Kristine since she was a child. As an “Army Brat,” Kristine grew up in several places around the country and world. Her father, a former Army officer, physician, and hospital commander, unfortunately had a drinking problem and rage control issues. “My formative years were split between San Francisco and Frankfurt, Germany. My dad was brilliant, but he was abusive to the whole family for years. As a child, my self-worth was virtually non-existent.”

These years of relentless pain, however, did expose Kristine to the arts for the first time, and her passion began.  “I believe my love for the arts originated with my very complicated father, who was an avid collector of paintings and he was also a gifted artist himself. It was difficult for him to be truly happy, but he found great pleasure in the arts.”

As did Kristine.

Although it took Kristine several years of school, she eventually focused her broad love for the arts into one specific form: poetry. A former newspaper journalist, Kristine sought to write fiction, but never poetry. However, a 1990 experience changed her life.  “I was invited to participate in an informal writers’ group. It turned out that the majority of people in the group were poets. I initially wanted to write fiction, so I was disappointed. However, I stuck it out in the group and within a year I fell in love with poetry.”

A budding poet was born after this workshop. With this new passion, she found herself running a poetry series at the Art Bar in Columbia from 1997 to 1999. “[The experience] was so much fun. It was a wonderful escape one night a week to sort of let loose and be creative. I made a lot of new friends and got to overcome my basic fear of public speaking.”

Throughout all of this time, Kristine was writing poetry. Her years of writing garnered many eclectic poems, yet at the same time she has a distinctive artistic process.  “I ‘follow [my] nose.’ I will get a little crumb of an idea, or an image, or a phrase that brings all sorts of thoughts to mind.  I will explore that by jotting down words that articulate that.  Usually the first, most instinctive thoughts are the strongest.  Sometimes these thoughts can be linked. If not, they may find a home in another poem.  As I compose, a tiny story starts to form.”

Thirteen years later, when Muddy Ford Press asked her to compile a book, the task was daunting.  “I was a little worried that I wouldn’t have enough for a book, but eventually I decided on 46 titles. The title is actually a poem in the book about the environment and how humans and civilization continue to ignore the consequences of our actions and displace and push out innocent species that have been here so much longer than we have.”

Kristine’s incredible book certainly describes many sensory images and addresses important societal issues. Still, she cannot believe her book is published. “It is a little bit surreal and I still question whether I deserve it, whether the work is really good enough. I’ll always do that. It’s just the way I’m wired.  I like to tell stories, particularly if they can inform and inspire. In the end, my brightest hope is that people will relate to something they read in my book and enjoy it. ”

--

Kristine will be signing and reading from her book, To The Wren Nesting on Saturday June, 30^th from 6 – 8 at Wine Down on Main at 1520 Main Street.

To The Wren Nesting is available online at Amazon.com, Barnes & Noble, and at

MuddyFordPress.com

Muddy Ford Press is a family-owned publishing company located in Chapin, SC and dedicated to providing boutique publishing opportunities for South Carolina writers and poets. For more information find us at www.MuddyFordPress.com, 803.760.4455 or write to publisher@muddyfordpress.com

Jasper Welcomes Summer Interns - Chris Rosa and Austin Blaze

Ahh youth! They're fresh, eager, up on the latest technology, and malleable. Jasper is delighted to welcome our Summer Bitches Interns!

Kidding aside, we are thrilled to have this kind of talent working for Jasper Magazine this summer. Both young men are students at USC and both bring their own special sets of skills to the table. Look for articles by both in the July issue of the magazine, as well as blog posts for What Jasper Said all summer long.

Please welcome Chris Rosa and Austin Blaze to the Jasper family.

Christopher Rosa is a rising sophomore at the University of South Carolina, majoring in journalism. He was born in New York City but calls the town of Lexington, SC his home. Since childhood, Christopher has always  been passionate about the arts, particularly theatre, and quickly discovered his love for writing when he joined his school newspaper in eighth grade. Six years later, his passion has grown immensely and has remained constant. His previous internship experiences and work with student media at USC have further cemented his dream of becoming an entertainment or fashion editor of a magazine. When Christopher is not writing or editing, he is acting. Theatre has been another love of his for years and he has acted in several plays and musicals, including Peter Pan and Seussical the Musical. Christopher is loving his work with Jasper thus far and is learning a prodigious amount from the talented writers and editors of the magazine. In the future, he hopes to one day have a permanent byline as a senior writer for Entertainment Weekly or as a fashion editor for Harper's Bazaar.

I'm a native of Northern California studying English at USC. As the cross-country emigration suggests, I enjoy exposure to foreign environments, people, and ideas. An avid reader and writer, I tend to process the world (and my experiences in it) through the written word. After receiving my bachelor's next Spring, I intend to pursue an MFA in Fiction.