Scavenger hunts, crafts among activities at museum's Arts & Draughts
Museums are generally thought of as sanctuaries for the quiet study of fine collections.
But the Columbia Museum of Art was far from quiet Friday night, as the institution allowed visitors to get hands-on at Arts & Draughts, a cultural carnival that provided seemingly endless opportunities to listen, learn, eat, drink and be creative.
Upon entering the museum Friday, it was hard for participants to pick where to begin. Both floors presented a variety of activities, each as exciting as the next.
On the first floor of the museum, visitors could make do-it-yourself valentines, or anti-valentines, as many participants chose to do. Guests used construction paper, scissors, glue sticks, foam stickers and stamps to make cards with personal messages, some sweet and some that bordered on vulgar. Sample greetings ranged from "Take Me Home" to "It's Not Me. It's You."
Visitors could challenge each other to a variety of games provided by the museum, including playing cards, Bananagrams and a vintage "Sexual Trivia" game. Throughout the evening, several groups of friends played Spades and Hearts while enjoying a few bottles of beer.
The Whig, an event co-sponsor, provided small samples of Czechvar beer for guests. Other types of beer, as well as wine and water, were available for purchase. Vendors from Bone-In Artisan Barbecue on Wheels and New York's Famous Hot Dogs sold food outside the venue, and guests were allowed to eat in the museum lobby. Food and drinks were not permitted inside the galleries.
In the main lobby, many guests signed up for one or both of the museum's scavenger hunts. The museum created two hunts, one for the museum's permanent collection and one corresponding with the traveling exhibit "Nature and the Grand American Vision." Upon completing the scavenger hunts, participants were entered into a drawing for prizes from brewing companies like Magic Hat and Stella Artois.
In the Orientation Gallery, visitors could take part in "Dr. Sketchy's Cabaret Life Drawing Mini Sketch Sessions." A live model dressed as a cancan dancer posed for aspiring artists, who took turns drawing.
More interactive activities were set up on the museum's second floor. A 3-D figurative sculpture made of hot pink duct tape was displayed above altered MC Hammer lyrics, inviting guests to "Touch This." A Post-It note wall allowed guests to sound off and answer the question, "Why are art museums important?" (which garnered responses like "Art nourishes the soul, dude" and "They break down borders and inspire").
Guests sketched on interactive easels created by local artist Thomas Dempster. When a participant drew on the canvas, speakers attached to the easels responded with noises.
The creative team from Columbia-based screen printing company The Half and Half created an interactive puzzle wall for the event. Guests were invited to move around large framed tiles, which were attached to the wall with Velcro, until the pieces formed a picture of a dog.
Live music was a major crowd-pleaser at Arts & Draughts. Brooklyn-based singer/songwriter Andy Friedman played an hourlong set in the museum auditorium. Friedman's acoustic set was more mellow than the activities happening outside the auditorium, but the crowd didn't seem to mind listening to the folk singer's storytelling lyrics and passionate voice. In addition to making music, Friedman works as an illustrator and painter. His drawings of pop culture icons have been featured in The New Yorker, Spin and Rolling Stone magazine. Friedman's set was sponsored by The UU Coffeehouse, a Columbia live music venue.
Local band Those Lavender Whales performed in the museum lobby. All of the band members wore green felt beards and brought a lively energy to the crowd. The band invited the audience to dance with them, especially when playing "Shake Your Palm-Palm Branches." The audience's dancing provided an amusing view from the second floor. While most of the audience was attentive, the noise from people participating in other activities on the first floor sometimes drowned out the music. Those Lavender Whales have a new album out on local label Fork & Spoon Records.
Self-described "party band" The Get Wets closed out the evening with a rousing performance filled with "woo hoo" shouts, shimmying and three-part harmonies. The band's set turned the event into a full-on celebration, bringing to life the bassist's statement, "You can't spell 'party' without the word 'art.'"
Tickets for Arts & Draughts were $8 for general admission and $5 for museum members. The museum's next Arts & Draughts event will be held on May 4.