Fall CMA exhibition to put focus on fashion, design arts
Garments and photographs document a shared artistic journey and friendship
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The Columbia Museum of Art announced that it will present Lee Alexander McQueen & Ann Ray: Rendez-Vous, a major fashion and photography exhibition on view beginning Saturday, Oct. 7 and running through Sunday, Jan. 21, 2024.
Curated and organized by Barrett Barrera Projects,
Rendez-Vous débuted at the Crocker Art Museum in Sacramento, California, and will make its second stop at the CMA this fall before continuing its multi-city tour.
“McQueen continues to endure, inspire, and fascinate, and this exhibition gives rare access to be up close to a designer who transcended the world of fashion,” says CMA Director of Art and Learning
Jackie Adams. “The intimate portraits Ann Ray captured of her friend reveal genuine moments of the designer’s creativity, strength, vulnerability, and individualism, giving viewers authentic moments of the person versus the persona.”
Rendez-Vous explores the 13-year friendship and intimate creative collaboration between the late British contemporary fashion designer Lee Alexander McQueen and French photographer Ann Ray, personally selected by McQueen to document his design process and the behind-the-scenes experience of his runway shows.
The exhibition features more than 60 photographs taken by Ray, reflecting her unique relationship with McQueen between the years of 1997 and 2010, alongside garments McQueen gifted to her over the course of their work together.
McQueen and Ray’s friendship began with a simple agreement in which money, business considerations and fashion had no place. "You know, it was simple. He was part of my life, we loved each other, I had rendez-vous," Ray said. "I like your images but I’m broke. Give me your photos, I’ll give you clothes," she recalls McQueen expressing to her early in their relationship.
Rendez-Vous also features more than 50 spectacular McQueen pieces from Barrett Barrera Projects’ collection, the largest private collection of McQueen’s work and owner of Ray’s full McQueen photographic archive. These garments, photographs, and corresponding ephemera tell the story of the iconic duo’s intertwined artistic journey and friendship.
“With Columbia being central to fashion-loving cities such as Charleston, Atlanta, Savannah, and Charlotte, Rendez-Vous has great potential to attract visitors regionally, and we're excited to be a hub for folks from our community and beyond to experience the work of a revered and respected icon of fashion,” says Adams.
About the artists
- Lee Alexander McQueen was born in 1969 to a working-class East London family. At the age of 16, he dropped out of high school to pursue his love of fashion — first as a tailor’s apprentice on Savile Row and later in the prestigious MA Fashion program at Central Saint Martins. In 1993, he founded his eponymous label, which he oversaw until his death in 2010. Between 1996 and 2001, McQueen served as the creative director of the storied Parisian couturier Givenchy, a subsidiary of the luxury conglomerate L.V.M.H. He was awarded British Designer of the Year multiple times, and in 2003 he was awarded the C.B.E. (Commander of the Order of the British Empire) by Queen Elizabeth II. Over the course of his brief 18-year career, McQueen singlehandedly altered the course of modern fashion with his decade-defining silhouettes and expressive runway presentations that combined the conceptual depth of avant-garde performance art with the high glamor of luxury fashion.
- Ann Ray is a multidisciplinary French artist, filmmaker, and author. Her professional career began while working for Givenchy in Japan in the 1990s. While living there, she became immersed in Japanese culture and craftsmanship, learning philosophies of creation from senseis in various trades such as ceramics, painting, and kimono design. These relationships had a fundamental impact on her own art and professional life at Givenchy. When she met Lee Alexander McQueen at Givenchy in Paris in 1997, marking the start of their 13-year creative partnership and friendship, the artistic point of view she acquired during her time studying under Japanese masters formed the basis of their early conversations. In the performing arts sphere, Ray works for Opéra Garnier in Paris and New York’s Metropolitan Opera. Her work has been exhibited at venues worldwide, including Palais du Tau in Reims, Palais Garnier in Paris, Ca’Pesaro Museum in Venice, the Museum at FIT in New York, and Rencontres d’Arles. Ray's artworks appear in art collections internationally, including the Victoria & Albert Museum, Museum of Fine Arts Boston, and Fondation Carmignac (Paris). She has published seven books, including Nicolas Le Riche (2008), Love Looks Not with the Eyes (2012), Les Inachevés (2018), and Eyes Shut (2022). Ray works and lives in France between Paris and Brittany.
Lee Alexander McQueen and Ann Ray: Rendes-Vous is organized and produced by Barrett Barrera Projects.
- Haute Couture Sponsor: Generous anonymous support to celebrate the extraordinary life of Joe Blanchard
- Platinum Sponsor: Melissa Blanchard
- Gold Sponsors: Joyce and George Hill
- Silver Sponsor: Cool Care Heating, Air, Plumbing & Refrigeration
- Bronze Sponsors: Governor and Mrs. James H. Hodges; Truist; Barbara B. Boyd
- Benefactor Sponsors: Joseph Bruce; Toni Elkins; Sandy and Sam McGuckin.
- Media Sponsors: Grace Outdoor; WXRY 99.3 FM.
- Grantors: City of Columbia; Experience Columbia SC; Richland County Government; South Carolina Arts Commission; Discover South Carolina.
Image info: Alexander McQueen (British, 1969-2010). Four-panel minidress, crystal kaleidoscopic print blazer, and multicolor silk moth print kaleidoscope dress. Natural Dis-tinction, Un-natural Selection, Spring/Summer 2009 and Plato’s Atlantis, Spring/Summer 2010. Photo Barrett Barrera Projects. Courtesy of Barrett Barrera Projects & RKL Consulting.
Going forward, you can call it South Carolina Ballet.
In a statement, the ballet says the change "underlines its ongoing dedication to making ballet accessible to all while showcasing the state’s cultural vibrancy throughout South Carolina and the national stage through its extensive touring calendar."
Columbia residents need not fear, according to the ballet, which promises Columbia will remain as the company's heart as they promote its hometown's role as a thriving center for the arts.
A similar change occurred decades ago when the Columbia Philharmonic rebranded as the South Carolina Philharmonic, now recognized as an orchestral leader in the state.
"As South Carolina Ballet, our commitment to accessibility remains unwavering," CEO and Artistic Director William Starrett said. "Many of you know my penchant for things that are bigger, brighter, and better. After 62 years and tremendous popularity throughout South Carolina and the nation, our name has to evolve with the increasing demand for our services. Our expansion has been in no small part due to the enthusiasm of our Columbia audiences, who have actively participated in our growth."
"Although our name has changed, our core values endure, and we will continue our mission of enriching lives through the art of dance. Our non-profit status underscores our dedication to providing diverse audiences with opportunities to experience the beauty and joy of dance through our performances and educational outreach programs."
Starrett was a recipient of the South Carolina Governor's Award for the Arts in 2002 and was featured earlier this year in the SCAC's retrospective celebrating 50 years of the award on South Carolina ETV. South Carolina Ballet is a long-time recipient of SCAC grants, including its signature General Operating Support grant.
Updates to the ballet company's website and social media channels to reflect the new brand are forthcoming. The 2023/2024 season begins in October and runs through April.
Fall Lines will accept submissions of previously unpublished poetry, essays, short fiction, and flash fiction through July 31, 2023. While the editors of Fall Lines hope to attract the work of writers and poets from the Carolinas and the Southeastern U.S., acceptance of work is not dependent upon residence. Publication in Fall Lines will be determined by a panel of judges and accepted authors will be notified by Dec. 31, 2023 with a publication date in early 2024.
This year we are offering three cash prizes of $250 each. The Saluda River Prize for Poetry and the Broad River Prize for Prose sponsored by the Richland Library Friends and Foundation as well as the Combahee River Prize which will be awarded to an S.C. writer of color in either poetry or prose.
Fine Print
The Bamberg native spent more than two decades at South Carolina Educational Television working in the nonprofit public media, arts and cultural sector as a videographer, producer, and director. He served South Carolina artists as a creative mentor for an SCAC Artist Development initiative. His most recent media position was with WMHT Public Media in Troy, New York, but Blake and his family returned to Columbia in January 2023 when he began serving as the community programming & engagement coordinator at Nickelodeon Theater.
Blake is to begin his new role Aug. 7. In a news release, he said, "It is an honor to continue the rich legacy established by Lee Snelgrove and the board's dedication to strengthening the arts in Columbia. I welcome the opportunity to collaborate with all key stakeholders in this capacity to enhance the city's growth and progress as we continue to implement the Amplify Cultural Plan."
“One Columbia is delighted to welcome Mr. Blake as our new executive director,” said One Columbia Board Chairman Tyler Bailey. "[He] brings a wonderful mix of community building, leadership skills and inspired vision to the role. I look forward to working with him and as we continue to expand the organization’s advocacy for artists in our community."
The One Columbia board led an active, "intentional" search, interviewing local and regional candidates for about 10 months, according to Interim Executive Director Margie Reese.
"I believe that Xavier possesses an ideal combination of first-hand knowledge of the arts ecosystem in Columbia, ground-level experience in nonprofit leadership and community engagement, and a deep commitment to public service," Reese said.
Blake earned a bachelor's degree in communication from Newberry College in Newberry. He has a Certificate in Diversity and Inclusion from the University of South Florida and was a member of the inaugural class of Central Carolina Community Foundation’s BIPOC Leadership Training and Coaching Program. He is an annual presenter at the International Public TV Conference and served as a conference moderator at their 2022 convening in Taipei.
Good morning! 
The South Carolina Philharmonic seeks an experienced development associate to guide the organization’s annual fund campaign and work with the development/deputy director and executive director in all aspects of fundraising, including grant writing, donor prospecting and stewardship, special events and fundraisers. This position requires a self-starter with a high level of professionalism, the ability to multitask, strong organizational and people skills and database proficiency.
The person who holds this post will work collaboratively with the professional staff and leadership to advance the artistic vision of the organization and gain financial support through the telling of its story.