August 30, 2024

The Coastal Discovery Museum, a Smithsonian Affiliate, is pleased to present an exhibition of the rarely seen works of Hilton Head-based artist Aldwyth, from October 16 to March 23, 2025. The public is invited to the opening reception on October 17, from 5-7 pm. Guest Curator Mark Sloan, former director of the Halsey Institute of Contemporary Art in Charleston, will conduct a tour of the exhibition before the reception at 4 pm. Admission to the museum is free.

This is Not: Aldwyth in Retrospect spans nearly 70 years of her work, including early examples of photography, painting, and fiber, as well as her later bricolages and epic-scaled collages that resemble medieval manuscript pages. Now in her late 80s, the artist who goes by the single name Aldwyth, arrived on Hilton Head Island in 1967, and has lived and worked in an octagonal house overlooking a salt marsh for decades.

“We are thrilled to present the works of Aldwyth, one of SC’s most important living artists,” said Elizabeth Greenberg, Director of Exhibitions. “Aldwyth’s unique, often sly perspective on the art world, culture, and history is reflected in works that are at once bold and meticulous, transcending categories.”

Gallery hours are Mondays – Saturdays, 9 am – 4:30 pm; Sundays, 11 am – 4:30 pm.

The retrospective traces the contours of Aldwyth’s work over the years, while touching on themes that have remained consistent throughout her career. Early on, Aldwyth adopted a simple strategy, choosing to stay on the outskirts of the mainstream art world and seldom submitting her works for consideration by curators, jurors, galleries, museums, or grant panels.

Once, when applying to the South Carolina Arts Commission for a fellowship, Aldwyth ignored the guidelines requesting a work sample and a resumé. Instead, the rule-breaking artist submitted a work sample that was her resumé; that fellowship application was rejected. It is this contrarian attitude that has fostered Aldwyth’s creativity, while limiting mainstream recognition. The work, aptly titled, re-su-mé/re-sume, is one of more than 50 pieces featured in the exhibition.

Gallery Tours, Creative Collage Project, Film Screening
To complement the exhibition, the museum is offering free gallery tours, open to the public, on the following dates: Thursday, December 5, at 1 pm; Saturday, January 25, at 11 am; and Tuesday, February 25, at 1pm.

In addition, the museum will launch a collaborative art-making project, Creative Collage: A Community Art Experience, on January 16, 2025, from 5 to 7 pm, in the Sea Island Room. During this special event, participants will engage with the artist's process by placing the first elements on a 20-foot-long piece of Okawara paper, the same Japanese paper Aldwyth uses for her large-scale collages. Attendees will also create their own collaged cigar box to take home, inspired by her iconic Cigar Box Encyclopaedia. The cost is $25 per person and registration is required for this unique Discovery Night at the Museum.

The aim is for the collage project to grow and evolve as visitors contribute to it throughout the exhibition's run.

In early 2025, the museum will also host a screening of Aldwyth: Fully Assembled, the 2022 PBS documentary by award-winning filmmaker Olympia Stone.

The exhibition comes to the Coastal Discovery Museum following successful runs at the Greenville County Museum of Art and the Gregg Museum of Art & Design at North Carolina State University, in Raleigh.

About the Coastal Discovery Museum
The Coastal Discovery Museum, a Smithsonian Affiliate, is an educational and cultural organization whose mission is to provide experiences that inspire people to care for the Lowcountry. Founded in 1985, and located on Hilton Head’s historic Honey Horn grounds, the Museum offers exhibitions, programs, lectures, hands-on workshops and events, covering Lowcountry history, culture, art, and the environment.