New Halsey Institute of Contemporary Art Exhibit offers additional discussions and interactive events – August 23 – December 7, 2024

With the Opening Reception of the new exhibition Demond Melancon: As Any Means Are Necessary (to be displayed from August 23 to December 7) on Friday, August 23, from 6:30-8 p.m. at The Halsey Institute of Contemporary Art, Charleston’s ultimate destination for adventurous contemporary art, the institute has announced an array of free and interactive events open to the public along with for-purchase workshops. 

List of Events

Artist Talk: August 24, 2 p.m. 

The Halsey invites locals and visitors alike to dive deeply into the work behind the current exhibition As Any Means Are Necessary with renowned New Orleans-based artist Demond Melancon on the Saturday following the exhibition’s Opening Reception. Free and open to the public, guests can join in on the conversation at the institute’s galleries.

WGS Intersections: September 4, 4 p.m. 

Organized by the Women’s and Gender Studies Program (WGS) at the College of Charleston, art lovers are invited to join the Halsey for a panel discussion examining the themes explored in the current exhibition Demond Melancon: As Any Means Are Necessary. Panelists include the below:

• Kenneth Johnson II- Department of English & Halsey Faculty Fellow 2024
• John Thomas III- Department of Political Science & Halsey Faculty Fellow 2024
• David Dulceany- Department of Hispanic Studies & Halsey Faculty Fellow 2024
• Martina Morale- Director of Curatorial and Special Exhibitions, International African American Museum
• Lauren Ravalico (moderator)- Department of French, Francophone and Italian Studies & Director of Women’s and Gender Studies Program

Beading Workshop with Divine Diva G Designs: September 21, 5-7 p.m.

Join Divine Diva G Designs for a beading workshop inspired by the works in Demond Melancon: As Any Means Are Necessary! Attendees are invited for a creative evening in the Halsey galleries to learn contemporary bead weaving techniques to create dynamic square patterns and warped square units, which can later be made into jewelry, fidget toys, etc. All materials are included, and no experience is necessary. Tickets can be purchased HERE: $65 for members and $75 for not-yet members. 

Halsey After Hours: September 27, 5-7 p.m. 

The Halsey invites members and not-yet members to enjoy happy hour at Halsey After Hours! Attendees can drink in the views of the current exhibition, Demond Melancon: As Any MeansAre Necessary, meet Halsey staff and advisory board members, and walk away with a fun and memorable experience. The event is free to members; not-yet members will be asked to make a $10 donation at the door.  

Jennifer Wen Ma on Art and Community: October 1, 5:30-7 p.m. 

Based in Beijing and New York, internationally renowned artist Jennifer Wen Ma will discuss her upcoming fall residency at Charleston’s Foundation for Spirituality and the Arts (FSA), connecting it to her past works in the Holy City, including the installation opera Paradise Interrupted at Spoleto Festival USA (2015) and the exhibition Cry Joy Park – Gardens of Darkness and Light at the Halsey (2019). She will explore themes of paradise, dystopia and the interplay between spiritual ideals and material realities, as well as discuss the influence of Chinese classics such as Book of Rites (Liji), The Analects of Confucius (Lunyu) and Lao Tzu’s The Book of the Way (Tao Te Ching). The hour-long discussion will conclude with an interactive Q&A session with FSA and the Halsey curators, offering audiences a chance to engage with Ma’s artistic journey and insights firsthand.

Family Day!: October 6, 10 a.m.-2 p.m.

Free and open to the public, families are welcome to join the Halsey staff for guided tours, art activities that explore the current exhibition, healthy snacks and more for a fun-filled, family-friendly celebration of Demond Melancon: As Any Means Are Necessary. 

FILM SCREENING | All on a Mardi Gras Day & We Won’t Bow Down: November 19, 7 p.m.

Join the Halsey for a screening of two films connected to the current exhibition, Demond Melancon: As Any Means Are Necessary. The first screening will be All on a Mardi Gras Day (2019), an award-winning short film that presents an intimate portrait of Big Chief Demond Melancon’s obsessive journey through the secret 200-year culture known as the Black Masking Culture of New Orleans. The film will be followed by We Won’t Bow Down (2014), a feature-length documentary film that explores the many leaders and facets of the Black Masking Culture of New Orleans.