Thursday, Sep. 03, 2009

Myrtle Beach museum features southern scribes

Curt Richter

Alice Walker

The newest Burroughs and Chapin Art Museum exhibit will visually pay homage to the strength of the literary South with "Faces and Stories: A Portrait of Southern Writers" opening Saturday and running through Jan. 3.

The project by internationally acclaimed photographer Curt Richter began as a commission to photograph the founding members of the Fellowship of Southern Writers but was expanded during seven years to include more than 200 writers. Sixty of these black-and-white photographs, including those of Alice Walker, Eudora Welty and Pat Conroy, will be on display at the museum.

Richter, winner of several honors including the Johan Kobal Portrait Award, has created work that has appeared in collections worldwide and on the pages of Esquire, The New York Times Magazine and Rolling Stone, to name a few. The New York native now lives in Finland.

Additional exhibits on display to peruse while visiting the museum include "Benny Andrews: The John Lewis Series," a collection of collages and drawings about the life of civil rights activist and Congressman John Lewis, showcased through Oct. 4; "E.B. Lewis: Story Painter," a display of watercolors by this children's book illustrator, through Oct. 4; and "25 Years of Jonathan Green," part of the Barbara Burgess and John Dinkelspiel Collection of Southern Art, also opening Saturday and running through Jan. 3.

There is no admission charge, but donations are accepted.

Museum hours are 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday, and 1 -4 p.m. Sunday. The museum is closed Mondays.

The Franklin G. Burroughs-Simeon B. Chapin Art Museum is at 3100 S. Ocean Blvd., Myrtle Beach, across from Springmaid Beach Resort.

Call 238-2510 or visit www.myrtlebeachartmuseum.org.