Termespheres exhibit opens at South Dakota Art Museum

The South Dakota Art Museum at South Dakota State University will open its newest exhibition, “Termespheres: Without Beginning or End,” with a free public reception and artist talk from 5-7 p.m. Saturday, March 23. 

Artist Dick Termes will speak at 6 p.m., discussing the spherical paintings in this exhibition, known as Termespheres, and his process for creating them. 

“Termespheres: Without Beginning or End,” open from March 16 through July 14, invites visitors to step into a world of captivating optical illusions with 28 original Termespheres. These globes provide a mind-bending inside-out view of entire 3D environments. Inspired by the likes of M.C. Escher and Buckminster Fuller, Termes has carved his own niche by blending math, science and art in his creations. He introduces viewers to his innovative six-point perspective, which allows for a seamless representation of a visual world without boundaries. 

Enhancing the exhibition is a virtual reality experience that transports visitors “inside” selected Termespheres, enabling them to explore these 3D landscapes just as the artist does. 

“I am excited for visitors to the South Dakota Art Museum to engage with Termespheres in a space that really lends itself to up-close viewing,” Termes said. “Each Termesphere is a revolving 3D space/time exploration of an entirely closed universe, meaning that what you see rotating in front of you is a complete environment. Through the virtual reality experience, you even get to see it from inside the Termesphere, which is really cool.” 

Termes' artwork has gained international recognition and has been exhibited across the globe. He is esteemed within his home state, as a longtime recipient of the South Dakota Arts Council Touring Arts Grant and an inductee into the South Dakota Hall of Fame. He holds a bachelor’s degree in education from Black Hills State University, a master's degree from the University of Wyoming, and a Master of Fine Arts from Otis College of Art and Design in Los Angeles. Termes currently resides in Spearfish, where his Termesphere Gallery attracts art enthusiasts from around the world. 

“People of all ages are mesmerized by Dick Termes’s creations,” South Dakota Art Museum director Donna Merkt said. “There is so much to discover in each Termesphere, sparking wonderful discussion and connections as people interact with the artwork and with each other. This exhibit will certainly inspire people of all ages to think and create.” 

Visitors to the museum are welcome to explore on their own and enjoy free hands-on engagement areas throughout the museum. Free group tours and school field trips are also available by calling the museum. Termes will return to the museum in July to for additional programs to be announced. 

About the South Dakota Art Museum 

Since 1970, the South Dakota Art Museum at South Dakota State University in Brookings has been a destination for people from around the world to enjoy the artistic legacy of South Dakota in all its diversity. With a vision to serve the diverse peoples and communities of the state and its visitors as South Dakota's premier visual arts resource, its mission is to inspire creativity, connect people and enrich lives through art. 

Significant operational support for the South Dakota Art Museum is provided by SDSU. Additional support is provided by the South Dakota Arts Council (with funds from the State of South Dakota, through the Department of Tourism and the National Endowment for the Arts) and museum members and donors. 

The South Dakota Art Museum is accredited by the American Alliance of Museums. The museum is located at 1036 Medary Ave. in Brookings and is open daily, except on state holidays and Sundays from January through March. Admission to the museum is free. Parking is also free in the museum’s reserved lot just west of the museum on Harvey Dunn Street. For more information, call 605-688-5423, email the museum or visit the museum website.