Number: 11. That’s how many days remain to check out The Ironic Curtain: Art from the Soviet Underground at the Columbia Museum of Art in Columbia, SC.

We recently took a tour and were blown away by the artwork, its history, and the uniqueness of the exhibition, which was organized and curated by the museum’s own Dr. Catherine Walworth. Here’s a peek behind the curtain of our visit + how you can #TryThis.

What we tried (with pricing):

We spent a Friday morning roaming through the exhibition’s galleries, filled with art created in the decades just before the fall of the Soviet Union. As Socialist Realism was the only legal, state-sanctioned art during this time, all other forms — like Sots Art, a variation on Pop Art — were driven underground + had to be created in secret.

The exhibition features many examples of Sots Art, or Soviet Pop Art | Photo by the MKTtoday team

Tickets to the museum are $10 for adults, $8 for seniors, and $5 for kids and students.

What not to miss:

If your Russian history is a little rusty, no worries. The CMA has transformed a portion of the exhibition into an illuminating, wall-spanning timeline.

Want to dive deep into the history behind the artwork? The CMA has you covered. | Gif by the CHStoday team

What we’re still talking about:

The layout of the exhibition is excitingly unique, with each gallery organized by theme + named with titles from Russian literature.

The exhibition will be on display through Sun., Sept. 12 | Photo by the CHStoday team

How you can experience this:

Enjoy your trip to the CMA. You may also want to mark your calendar for these events:

Life Underground | Wed., Sept. 1 (tonight) | 6:30-8 p.m.; galleries open til 7 p.m. | $10, $8 for seniors, $5 for students, free for members | Enjoy a candid conversation about life + artistic freedom (or lack thereof) under Soviet government control, ft. panelists like artist Irina Nakhova, whose work is included in the exhibition.
Arts & Draughts | Fri, Sept. 10 | 7-11 p.m. | $10, $5 for members | Enjoy live music, gallery tours, art activity stations, and live screenprinting, plus food trucks, beer, and wine.

“Malevich-Marlboro” by Alexander Kosolapov, 1986 | Photo by the CHStoday team

In the meantime, you can check out our visit on our Instagram Story.

“Volley of Aurora” by Leonid Sokov, 1984 | Photo by the CHStoday team

Pieces from Leonid Sokov’s “Deficit Series,” 1978-79 | Photo by the CHStoday team

Things to know if you go:

Experience: The Ironic Curtain: Art from the Soviet Underground at the Columbia Museum of Art
Price: $10 for adults, $8 for seniors, $5 for kids and students
Website: https://www.columbiamuseum.org/view/ironic-curtain-art-soviet-underground
Address: 1515 Main St., Columbia, SC 29201
Hours: 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Tues.-Wed. + Fri.-Sun.; 10 a.m.-8 p.m. Thurs., closed Mon.
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