For Charleston audiences, this story is more than a piece of art history. It happened here.  In March 1936, the Gibbes Museum of Art hosted the first public exhibition of Solomon R. Guggenheim's collection of non-objective paintings. The landmark exhibition featured 128 works by some of the most important artists of the modern era—including Rudolf Bauer. Rudolf Bauer himself traveled to Charleston for the opening—the first time he had ever visited the United States. Now, South of Broadway Theatre Company explores this turbulent story, and the final chapter in the life of the brilliant German-born painter.

But fame, money and love would ultimately collide.   After Bauer came to America, he signed an agreement concerning his artwork that he later regarded as a profound betrayal. His relationship with former lover and champion, Hilla von Rebay, deteriorated, his relationship with Guggenheim collapsed, and the artist who had once been celebrated as one of the great innovators of abstract art eventually stopped painting.

Gunderson's play imagines a charged confrontation between Bauer, his wife Louise, and Rebay—a confrontation filled with passion, resentment, artistic ambition, jealousy and questions about what it means to give one's life to art.  “Bauer" asks a provocative question: What happens when an artist loses not only his audience, but his reason to create?  It is a story of art, love, ambition, betrayal and the price of being forgotten.

For Charleston audiences, this story is more than a piece of art history. It happened here.  In March 1936, the Gibbes Museum of Art hosted the first public exhibition of Solomon R. Guggenheim's collection of non-objective paintings. The landmark exhibition featured 128 works by some of the most important artists of the modern era—including Rudolf Bauer. Rudolf Bauer himself traveled to Charleston for the opening—the first time he had ever visited the United States. Now, South of Broadway Theatre Company explores this turbulent story, and the final chapter in the life of the brilliant German-born painter.

But fame, money and love would ultimately collide.   After Bauer came to America, he signed an agreement concerning his artwork that he later regarded as a profound betrayal. His relationship with former lover and champion, Hilla von Rebay, deteriorated, his relationship with Guggenheim collapsed, and the artist who had once been celebrated as one of the great innovators of abstract art eventually stopped painting.

Gunderson's play imagines a charged confrontation between Bauer, his wife Louise, and Rebay—a confrontation filled with passion, resentment, artistic ambition, jealousy and questions about what it means to give one's life to art.  “Bauer" asks a provocative question: What happens when an artist loses not only his audience, but his reason to create?  It is a story of art, love, ambition, betrayal and the price of being forgotten.