Andy Warhol: Endangered Species

Andy Warhol: Endangered SpeciesFebruary 4 – April 30, 2023Andy Warhol was one of the most influential artists of the 20th century, creating some of the most recognizable images ever produced.  A founding member of the Pop art movement, his work was across several media ......More

Andy Warhol: Endangered SpeciesFebruary 4 – April 30, 2023Andy Warhol was one of the most influential artists of the 20th century, creating some of the most recognizable images ever produced.  A founding member of the Pop art movement, his work was across several media including painting, printmaking, photography, drawing, and sculpture.  Challenging former concepts of modern art and veering away from abstraction, he embraced popular culture and commercial processes to produce work that appealed to the masses. Environmental activism and Andy Warhol are rarely associated, but Endangered Species was one of Warhol’s most influential artworks. He created the entire project in 1983, ten years after the passage of the Endangered Species Act of 1973, which defined endangered species as a humanitarian matter, banned trade involving the endangered animals, and made steps to protect the animal’s original habitats. Warhol’s Endangered Species series consists of ten oversized silkscreen prints of the nearly extinct animals identified in 1973. Each animal was given Warhol’s artistic star treatment in the same style as his iconic celebrity portraits.  Warhol fondly referred to this series as his “animals in makeup,” given the bold pop colors he used to portray the animals as larger than life. Warhol’s elevation of the series to pop culture status played a huge role in raising awareness of these endangered species and generated funds for their preservation.  Likewise, Warhol propelled the efforts of conservation forward.  As of 2021, six of the ten animals are still threatened with possible extinction. The Upcountry History Museum is one of only three museums selected by Art Bridges Foundation/Crystal Bridges Museum, Bentonville, AR, to host the Andy Warhol: Endangered Species exhibition project.  In addition to the ten Endangered Species prints by Andy Warhol, the exhibition examines the works through four engaging and multi-disciplinary themes: Activism, Animals, History and Art. The bilingual exhibition (English and Spanish) also features experiential components specifically designed for individuals who are blind or have low vision. Support provided by                     

Works by Warhol

  One of the 20th century’s best-known artists, Andy Warhol (1928-1987) made his name in the early 1960s with paintings and prints of brands, celebrities, and foods ranging from Marilyn Monroe and Elizabeth Taylor to Coca-Cola and Campbell’s Soup.  These brash, innovati......More

  One of the 20th century’s best-known artists, Andy Warhol (1928-1987) made his name in the early 1960s with paintings and prints of brands, celebrities, and foods ranging from Marilyn Monroe and Elizabeth Taylor to Coca-Cola and Campbell’s Soup.  These brash, innovative works are considered icons of Pop Art, a movement that both critiqued and celebrated postwar American consumer culture.  By the end of the decade, Warhol had become a celebrity in his own right, equally famous for his platinum wig and the star-studded parties he threw in his studio, the Factory, as he was for his paintings, drawings, sculpture, and films. Before spearheading the Pop Art movement, in the 1950s Warhol achieved success on Madison Avenue as one of New York’s most popular advertising artists.  A skilled and inventive illustrator, Warhol won several Art Director’s Club awards for his work on Columbia records LP cover designs, I. Miller shoe drawings, and additional advertising work for Martini & Rossi, Glamour, Harper’s Bazaar and Vogue magazines. Once his Pop art career exploded in 1962, Warhol focused on silkscreen painting and filmmaking.  He based his paintings on imagery he found in the American mass media: news photos, celebrity head shots, film stills, comics, logos, and advertisements. To convert his source images into paintings, Warhol made them into photo silkscreens and printed them on canvas.  Smudges, misalignments, and inconsistencies were accepted, giving the paintings a handmade appearance.  Sometimes the paintings included a single image, as in John Wayne (1986) and the Endangered Species series (1983).  These became larger-than-life iconic portraits, while those printed in grids, suggested the way that repetition can simultaneously embed an image in one’s memory and deaden its effect. Works by Warhol, at the Upcountry History Museum, on loan from The Cochran Collection, LaGrange, GA, will feature 36 iconic masterworks by Warhol, dating from 1968 through his last series done in 1986. This once-in-a- lifetime exhibition includes a broad cross-section of examples from Warhol’s storied career. The exhibit explores Warhol’s responses to major moments in U.S. history, including the assassination of John F. Kennedy, Neil Armstrong’s moon landing, and the perception of Native Americans in the aftermath of the bicentennial of the United States. Also included is Warhol’s entire series of “Myths”.  This body of work was completed in 1981 and showcases Warhol’s lifetime fascination with Hollywood imagery.  “Myths” marks a return to Warhol’s formative encounters with figures such as Howdy Doody, the Wicked Witch of the West, Superman, Mickey Mouse and many more. Support provided by Becky and Bobby Hartness                          

Through The Years: Kenny Rogers' Photographs of America

Through the Years: Kenny Rogers’ Photographs of America March 4 – June 18, 2023                                                              “Music is what I am, everything else is what I do” – Kenny Rogers   Through the Years: Kenny Rogers’ Photographs of America, a sp......More

Through the Years: Kenny Rogers’ Photographs of America March 4 – June 18, 2023                                                              “Music is what I am, everything else is what I do” – Kenny Rogers   Through the Years: Kenny Rogers’ Photographs of America, a special exhibition organized by The Kenny Rogers Estate, highlights a little-known facet of a multi-talented man, shedding new light on the seriousness of Rogers’ pursuit of his hobby of making great images.  Through the Years presents a selection of 60 of Rogers’ stunning color and black and white photographs of America, its celebrities, and working people. Although Kenny Rogers wrote and sang “You Can’t Make Old Friends,” the worldwide music icon, multiple Grammy Award-winner, and Country Music Hall of Fame Member made many new friends in the process of creating hundreds of celebrity portraits.  Eighteen of these, many inscribed to Rogers by the subject, are among the highlights in the exhibition. Rogers began shooting pictures with a Kodak Brownie Hawkeye in the mid-1960s, and his interest grew when he was introduced to fashion, and celebrity photographer Milton H. Greene famed for his Marilyn Monroe portraits. Rogers’ two most notable mentors were famed portrait photographer Yousuf Karsh, and John Sexton, a noted landscape photographer who served as Ansel Adams’ late-in-life assistant. Photography gave Rogers a creative outlet apart from the fast-paced life of an entertainer.  Crisscrossing America on his travels and concert tours Rogers took every opportunity to get out and shoot pictures, documenting unique views of North America and the people he met. He made friends with many of them, and they subtly informed his art along the way. A revered photographer, Rogers received an Honorary Master of Photography degree from the Professional Photographers of America in 2014. In 2017, he was honored with the inaugural Lifetime Achievement Award from the International Photography Hall of Fame and Museum in St. Louis, MO.  Rogers published three books of his photography in 1986, 1987, and 2001. The Upcountry History Museum is the second museum to host the stunning results of Rogers’ photography.  In addition to the selection of 60 photographs, the exhibition will include artifacts and archival materials from Rogers’ personal vault, providing a comprehensive look at Kenny Rogers’ diverse artistic outlets. Support provided by                         

The Global Language of Headwear: Cultural Identity, Rites of Passage, and Spirituality

 “Hats and headdresses are a unique and powerful lens through which one can view the human experience.” Stacey W. Miller, Curator, The Global Language of Headwear Exhibition   The Global Language of Headwear: Cultural Identity, Rites of Passage, and Spirituality, a nati......More

 “Hats and headdresses are a unique and powerful lens through which one can view the human experience.” Stacey W. Miller, Curator, The Global Language of Headwear Exhibition   The Global Language of Headwear: Cultural Identity, Rites of Passage, and Spirituality, a national traveling exhibition, organized by International Arts and Artists, Washington, DC, will make its only Southeastern United States stop in Greenville, SC, at the Upcountry History Museum. Developed by independent ethnographic curator Stacey W. Miller, the exhibition explores the vital role of ceremonial headwear throughout diverse cultural customs, beliefs, and rituals.  The exhibition features approximately 89 hats and headdresses from 43 different countries spanning Asia, Africa, Europe, the Middle East, and North and South America. Organized in five distinct categories – Cultural Identity Power, Prestige, and Status Ceremonies and Celebrations Spiritual Beliefs and Protection – the exhibition showcases these mutual themes amid a range of traditions. The exhibition pays tribute to the stunning diversity of the world’s cultures.  The hats and headdresses are part of a private collection of 1300 extraordinary pieces of international headwear that date from the mid to late 20th century. From headdresses and helmets to turbans and crowns, visitors will explore the vital role of ceremonial headwear throughout diverse cultural customs, beliefs and rituals.  Transcending utilitarian purposes, each head covering is a work of art – not merely because of the skill required to make it, but also as a singular expression of creativity and cultural meaning.  The profusion of shapes, styles, and materials, as well as the ingenious use of embellishments to decorate the hats, are limited only by imagination. The beliefs and rituals of these many cultures, and the ceremonial objects that accompany them, ultimately unite an international community.  Comparatively, both the Plains Indian feathered war bonnet and the Congolese Misango MaPende crown, both featured in the exhibition, though from vastly different regions and civilizations, represent a position of leadership and status, and only those who have earned the right to wear one may do so. The Global Language of Headwear exhibition colorfully demonstrates that each distinct society can be viewed through a similar lens of rites of passage, heritage, and identity. Support provided by                                          

Family Fun Day!

“Hats and headdresses are a unique and powerful lens through which one can view the human experience.”  From headdresses and helmets to turbans and crowns, families will have the opportunity to explore the stunning diversity of the world’s cultures. Join the UHM Educati......More

“Hats and headdresses are a unique and powerful lens through which one can view the human experience.”  From headdresses and helmets to turbans and crowns, families will have the opportunity to explore the stunning diversity of the world’s cultures. Join the UHM Education Team for guided exhibit tours, group story times, and craft stations that will be engaging for all ages.   Family Fun Days occur the last Saturday of each month (10AM-12PM). Everything is included with your general admission and free for UHM Members.   10:30 a.m. – Drop-In Tour of Global Language of Headwear10:45 a.m. – Group Story Time in Global Language of Headwear11:00 a.m. – Group activity on 1st Floor (Main Lobby)11:30 a.m. – Drop-In Tour of Through the Years: Kenny Rogers Photographs of America  Family Fun Days are included with your general admission and FREE for children ages 2 and under.     Family Fun Days are generously sponsored by: 

Neighborhood Night

Access for All!UHM is open on the first Thursday evening of select months throughout 2023.  The Museum operates with the firm belief that its exhibits, events, and programming should be accessible to all, regardless of cultural, ethnic, geographic, or socioeconomic diff......More

Access for All!UHM is open on the first Thursday evening of select months throughout 2023.  The Museum operates with the firm belief that its exhibits, events, and programming should be accessible to all, regardless of cultural, ethnic, geographic, or socioeconomic differences. The Neighborhood Night initiative, introduced in 2015,  provides free access to educational programing for underserved children, families, and adults.    WHEN: Thursday, April 6, 2023 | 5:30 p.m. – 8:30 p.m. WHERE: Upcountry History Museum HOW: Drop-in to explore the Museum and its changing exhibitions. No registration required. WHY:   Neighborhood Nights demonstrate the Museum’s commitment to accessibility, regardless of economic constraints by providing full access to the Museum’s diverse exhibitions. COST: FREE! QUESTIONS: Call (864)467-3100 or email info@upcountryhistory.org

Lunchbox Learning

Northern African American Soldiers in the American Civil WarPresented by Dr. Holly Pinheiro Jr., Furman University Dr. Holly Pinheiro Jr. is an assistant professor of  African American history at Furman University and the recipient of the Furman University Humanities Ce......More

Northern African American Soldiers in the American Civil WarPresented by Dr. Holly Pinheiro Jr., Furman University Dr. Holly Pinheiro Jr. is an assistant professor of  African American history at Furman University and the recipient of the Furman University Humanities Center Book Development Grant. His research focuses on the intersectionality of race, class, and gender in the United States military during the Civil War and World War I. His latest book explores the experiences of African American soldiers and their families during the American Civil War.   Lunchbox Learning is generously sponsored by:

Upcountry History Museum, 540 Buncombe Street, Greenville, SC, 29601, United States

Connections Café - Greenville Symphony

Monthly program in partnership with the Alzheimer’s Association for individuals living with early stage Alzheimer’s or dementia. Programs vary each month but usually include a short meeting with updates from the Alzheimer’s Association, a tour of a Museum exhibition, an......More

Monthly program in partnership with the Alzheimer’s Association for individuals living with early stage Alzheimer’s or dementia. Programs vary each month but usually include a short meeting with updates from the Alzheimer’s Association, a tour of a Museum exhibition, and a hands-on activity time in the classroom.Connections Café meets the second Thursday of each month at 2:00 p.m. Admission is free for all participants and caregivers.     April 13 | 2:00 p.m.Greenville Symphony 75 Years: Concerts and Community  Join us Thursday, April 13, and explore the history of the Greenville Symphony.

Homeschool Day - Global Language of Headwear

The Global Language of HeadwearStudents will tour The Global Language of Headwear, a travelling exhibition that explores the vital role of ceremonial headwear throughout diverse cultural customs, beliefs, and rituals.  The exhibition features approximately 89 hats and h......More

The Global Language of HeadwearStudents will tour The Global Language of Headwear, a travelling exhibition that explores the vital role of ceremonial headwear throughout diverse cultural customs, beliefs, and rituals.  The exhibition features approximately 89 hats and headdresses from 43 different countries spanning Asia, Africa, Europe, the Middle East, and North and South America.WHAT: UHM Homeschool Day  WHEN: Friday, April 21 | 1:30 p.m.  WHERE: Upcountry History Museum  HOW: April is open to children in 1st-12th grade.  WHY: Get hands-on with history and art while incorporating state standards  COST: $10 per student & $12 per adult  UHM MEMBERS COST: $6 per student & Adults are FREE