Virginia Berg

Students returning to campus should be sure to check out the South Dakota Art Museum’s current exhibits. The museum features seven different galleries full of art for students and community members to enjoy.

“Students are actually considered members of the museum,” said John Rychtarik, South Dakota Art Museum Curator of Exhibits.

This means that students receive a ten percent discount on purchases in the store and on any museum workshop.

In addition to the store discount, Rychtarik says it is a nice place to “hang out and look at exceptional art.”

One of the exhibits of exceptional art that is currently up features Dale Bendel, an artist from Gary, S.D. Bendel’s exhibit, “Centaurs and Flappers”, features original paintings and sculptures, including a full-sized carousel horse.

“Bendel is sort of a well-kept secret as an artist. He has done a lot of woodwork, but this is his first real show as an artist,” said Rychtarik.

Dianne Hawks, the museum’s Marketing Specialist, said the exhibit is part of an ongoing South Dakota Artists series at the museum and will be up until Dec. 13.

Another exhibit that is currently up at the museum is “Works on Paper.” According to the exhibit’s brochure it contains “thirty-eight pieces by thirty-six artists.”

“‘Works on Paper’ consists of an assortment of photos, paintings, drawings, illustrations and 3-D work,” said Hawks.

The collection is owned by the museum and will remain hanging until Sept. 20. It will be followed by a collection of contemporary quilts entitled “Don’t Fence Me In”.

“The contemporary quilts are more like small fabric collages,” said Rychtarik. “These quilts feature western motifs and have used very interesting techniques and subject matter.”

An exhibition of Amish Quilts will be coming to the museum from the International Quilt Studies Center at the University of Nebraska in Lincoln. This exhibit will be titled “Collector’s Eye”.

“Because the Amish did not believe in mechanized sewing machines, these quilts are all hand sewn,” said Rychtarik.

The quilts on exhibit are all from the 1880s to 1900s. “They are neat not only because of the age and craftsmanship, but because the quilts were handmade from the very first steps of weaving the cloth to the finished product,” said Hawks.

The Amish Quilts exhibit will be featured until April 18.

Another cloth exhibit on display is the “Marghab Linen Collection”. The collection is a grouping of linens that were distributed to many of the finest salons throughout the world during their time. The collection is from a donation of one of the Marghab Linen Company’s founders, Vera Way Marghab of Watertown, S.D.

According to the exhibit’s pamphlet, “‘The Marghab Linens’ are an example of how quality materials and expert skills, when combined, produce beautiful yet functional works of art.”

The linens on display are from the early 1900s, and will be changed out for further selections from the collection on Jan. 17.

There will be an Oscar Howe exhibit titled “Paintings from the South Dakota Art Museum Collection” beginning this week.

Howe is a contemporary Native American artist from South Dakota that has become very important in the art world, said Rychtarik. “His art is a bridge between the white and native cultures.”

Rychtarik calls the museum’s collection a “good representation of the works that he did.” The current display will be up until June.

The current Harvey Dunn exhibit at the museum features illustrations and is entitled “Select Works”. This exhibit contains approximately one-third of the museum’s Harvey Dunn collection.

“These 30 selections are ones that are not often displayed,” said Rychtarik. “It’s a good representation of his work as an illustrator.”

The basement of the art museum features the work of children’s author and illustrator Paul Gobol. This exhibit of the illustrations of his book “Iktomi and the Buffalo Skull.”

“The Iktomi stories are all about Native American traditions for children,” said Hawks.

This exhibit is part of an ongoing display of Gobol books for children.

“The Art Museum is a peaceful place to get away from the hectic life of the student,” said Rychtarik. “We are here for the people of South Dakota, visitors and the students.”

There will be a public reception for the Amish Quilt exhibit and for Dale Bendel on Sept. 11 and will feature Bendel and former SDSU Professor Dr. Harriet Swedlund.