Outdoor Advertising from the collection of South Carolina Arts Commission

Discovery

John Petty
Outdoor Advertising, 1977
watercolor painting
17 x 24 in
Signature: signed on lower right

“Life without tradition can only produce art without memory; both suffer from amnesia. I cannot see how anyone with a conscience can live in a world of now, in a world without reason and meaning. Those who have lost sight of their past are condemned to re-live it, and it seems that this rule, according to history, applies to nations as well as to individuals. Living in the past produces the disease of nostalgia; living only in the present produces irresponsibility; living only in the future is impossible because the future is yet to be. The real art of living, I believe, is blending equally the past, present, and concern for the future; and real art, it seems to me, should reflect this principle.”

Collections: South Carolina Arts Commission State Art Collection

See all artwork from South Carolina Arts Commission

The mission of the South Carolina Arts Commission is to promote access to the arts and support the cultivation of creativity in South Carolina. We envision a South Carolina where the arts are valued and all people benefit from a variety of creative experiences.

A state agency created by the South Carolina General Assembly in 1967, the SCAC works to increase public participation in the arts through grants, direct programs, staff assistance and partnerships in artist development, arts industry, arts learning, creative placemaking, and folklife and traditional arts. Headquartered in Columbia, S.C., the SCAC is funded by the state of South Carolina, by the federal government through the National Endowment for the Arts, and other sources.

South Carolina Arts Commission

Columbia, South Carolina