The Carolinian

USC Upstate has a new free art gallery at Chapman Cultural Center featuring the artist David Yaghjian. It is in the Carlos Dupre Moseley building. This art gallery is open now and ends on December 6. Yaghjian was born in Columbia, SC, in 1948. Yaghjian is an accomplished artist who has been doing art for 50+ years. Throughout his life, he has worked on multiple paintings and sculptures in the United States and abroad. The gallery presents Yaghjian’s oil paintings featuring his line of separation or impression of the universe, other humans, creatures, or of self. Each painting shows him trying to be more connected with the world. Walking through the gallery gives you a sense of what Yaghjian was feeling, especially if you go alone. It’s a solid experience.  

The point of the gallery is to be educational, but also for students to get out there and experience the world for themselves and expand the little world they have. I got to interview Leah Cabinum, one of the directors of the art gallery, who says, “Introducing our students to what’s going on in the world outside of their own realm, their own experience. They can see what’s going on and grow an appreciation for it. Also, to see things they can relate to and maybe discover something new about themselves and their world.” Not only do you see a new artist that you possibly have not seen before, but get to explore the Chapman Culture Center, which has other free galleries. You should see these paintings yourself in person to experience the art gallery and to figure out your own opinion of the paintings. In the gallery, not only are there paintings, but an artist statement and a bio, which tell you more about the artist and the art.  

So check out the USC Upstate Art Gallery, which is an experience everyone should at least check out once, but you should check out the Chapman Cultural Center as well, since they have a free art museum and performances if you really enjoy the art gallery. If you really enjoy David Yaghjian, then you should check out his feature in Acrobats Mike Brown Contemporary in Columbia, SC, which shows more of his paintings and his sculptures as well.