Erwin Redl’s Ascension (circle 24) is a fountain of Ping Pong balls. In his recent show “Rational Exuberance,” a circle of 24 glass tubes hung from the ceiling of the gallery, and each tube contained a ball dramatically lit with LED lights. A fan at the bottom of each tube caused the balls to rise and clink against the glass. When they fell, we heard the low sound of a timpani. The movement and the sounds set up a regular rhythm like breathing (watch another piece in the series here). Sometimes they rose in unison. Sometimes one by one. Sometimes they rise a little bit, then go halfway up the tube, then ¾ up, and finally reach the top. But they never quite match up. One ball is usually a little behind, while others might rise in perfect lockstep.

Fahamu Pecou joined Lois Reitzes, with Atlanta NPR affiliate WABE, for a conversation on the intersection of art and activism, the philosophies behind his work, and his upcoming exhibition at the Halsey Institute DO or DIE: Affect, Ritual, Resistance opening August 26th.

Art-making is not a particularly reliable career. Even the most talented painters and sculptors often will struggle to earn a living wage. But certain factors increase the odds of success, especially good teachers, advocates and opportunities.

The annual Young Contemporaries show mounted by the Halsey Institute of Contemporary Art provides one such opportunity. And for some College of Charleston studio art students, it has paid off.

Erwin Redl investigates the process of “reverse engineering” by (re-)translating the abstract aesthetical language of virtual reality and 3D computer modeling into architectural environments by means of large-scale light installations. In his current show at the Halsey Institute, his work displays strict methodologies which employ binary logic as well as tropes of minimalism to exuberant extremes. As demonstrated in his light installations and most recent kinetic works, a very restrained vocabulary due to the scale, repetition, and variations leads to a sense of deep corporeality. 

Earlier today, I took a walk through downtown for a Spoleto dry run when I dropped in the Halsey to see Redl’s LED installation. While I could go into more detail about the overall exhibit, I just don’t feel any of that’s necessary, particularly when talking about the individual pieces with any degree of weight is to impart unnecessary meaning to what is little more than a couple of delightful doohickies and a few tapestries.

If you’re not familiar with the concept of correspondence art, you’re not alone. In a time when the handwritten letter is almost extinct, the notion of turning mail into art seems like a far-fetched one. But, as a subject, it is truly fascinating and offers a glimpse into the working mindset of long-form correspondence and the artistic process.

Mark Sloan was first introduced to Erwin Redl when the artist was chosen to work on Seeing Spartanburg in a New Light, a public art project in the conservative heart of the Upstate that the Halsey director was working with. Redl collaborated with the city to design and develop LED light installations which would not only help beautify the city but create safer, more vibrant neighborhoods. Although Sloan was already aware of Redl’s work when they met, the encounter ultimately led to Redl’s latest installation Rational Exuberance, which opens this week at the Halsey.

Washington artist Renee Stout contains multitudes. She makes paintings, sculptures, photographs and mixed-media pieces and roams the mystical terrain where African gods meld with Christian saints. Sometimes she even becomes a different person altogether — “hoodoo” woman Fatima Mayfield, who deals in potions and predictions.

Ever been to a show you’d love to experience on repeat? That’s what the Groundhog Day Concert is like, which makes its title a fitting one. When the who’s who of Holy City musicians gather on the Charleston Music Hall Stage, magic happens — and that’s why the Groundhog Day Concert has become one of the local music scene’s most anticipated events of the year.

Look out, Valentine’s Day. There’s a new holiday tradition in town that just might overshadow the fancy dinners and pink-hued candies that typically get all the attention in February.

The Groundhog Day Concert at the Charleston Music Hall reaches its fourth installment Saturday, solidifying itself as the reason to look forward to an otherwise unremarkable holiday in Charleston. Featuring an all-star cast of local musicians who don’t often find the time or opportunities to play together, the performance is essentially a pu-pu platter of Charleston’s diverse music scene.