AUGUST 2016 PROGRAM HIGHLIGHTS
AT THE JOHN & MABLE RINGLING M– USEUM OF ART
Graphicstudio: Collaborating across Borders
July 8–Oct. 9, 2016, Museum of Art
Founded in 1968 at the University of South Florida in Tampa, Graphicstudio is an acclaimed workshop dedicated to realizing collaborative projects with contemporary artists. Inspired by the tradition of the printmaker’s atelier, Graphicstudio works in partnership with artists to create art work in editions. What has made Graphicstudio exceptional in its nearly 50 years of operation is the fact that it has been an innovator in both the technical practices of art, and the concept of collaboration. The workshop has pushed the boundaries of the traditional forms of graphic arts, developed new processes and extended the concept of the auditioned multiple into mixed-media and sculptural forms. Since the 1990s, Graphicstudio has expanded its scope of collaboration in an on-going series of invitations to contemporary artists from across Latin America to work at the studio. These projects have resulted in provocative new artworks while creating meaningful connections between artists and new audiences across cultures. This exhibition showcases The Ringling’s collection of Graphicstudio multiples that features collaborations with Latin American artists. Free with admission.
Circus Celebrities: Portraiture in the American Circus Poster
Through Oct. 3, 2016, Circus Museum
Celebrities today rely on the wide distribution of their images to build audiences and enthusiasm. It was not so very different 100 years ago for the center ring stars of the American circus. During the heyday of printed circus advertising, one of the most difficult measures of fame for performers to achieve was to merit their own “paper.” Especially impressive were those select few performers whose portraits were included alongside images of their fantastic accomplishments. Posters helped potential audiences form opinions about the quality and excitement of the show that was coming to their town. Today these same posters offer modern eyes a glimpse of the extraordinary art of commercial lithography while also enticing us with the images of the men and women who entertained the masses in the early 20th century.
This exhibition is made possible through the generosity of Howard and Janice Tibbals, the Howard Tibbals Collection, and the Howard Tibbals Endowment. Free with admission.
Phantom Bodies: The Human Aura in Art
Through Sept. 11, 2016, Museum of Art
Organized by the Frist Center for the Visual Arts in Nashville, Tennessee, the installation of Phantom Bodies: The Human Aura in Art at The Ringling will be overseen by Dr. Matthew McLendon, Curator of Modern and Contemporary Art. This exhibition considers the relationship between mind, body and soul through a selection of paintings, photography, videos, sculpture and installations that are designed to inspire compassion and commemoration. The four thematically distinct sections – “Objects and Absences,” “Violence, Empathy, and Erasure,” “Sublimation,” and “The Mind-Body Problem” – each offer a particularly compelling lens through which to view contemporary works of art.
Phantom Bodies is supported in part by grants from the National Endowment for the Arts and the Dedalus Foundation, Inc. Support for this exhibition was also provided by the Amicus Foundation Endowment, the Robert G. and Diane D. Roskamp Endowment, and the Arthur F. and Ulla R. Searing Endowment. Free with admission.
Exposure: Naked before the Lens
Through Sept. 25, 2016, Museum of Art
The subject of the nude human form has played a significant role in the history of Western art for millennia. With its origins in Greco-Roman antiquity, the idealized male nude form was a metaphor for virtue and moral excellence, while the beauty of the female nude celebrated fertility. Because of its defining characteristics, photography has had a more complicated relationship to the subject of nudity. Since the camera is designed to capture minutiae and detail indiscriminately, photographs often connect us more immediately to the specifics of time, place and the relationship between photographer and model. Although many photographers have used their medium to perpetuate the form of the idealized nude, others have used photography’s unique qualities to explore aspects of desire, intimacy or even vulnerability – or what we might define as “nakedness.” Exposure: Naked before the Lens presents the many ways in which 20th and 21st century photographers have presented the undressed human body in their work. Free with admission.
Special Events and Tours
Art and a Movie – The Man Who Would be King
Aug. 13, 1:30 p.m. Museum of Art, Chao Lecture Hall
Sean Connery and Michael Caine portray two British men who stumble on the isolated kingdom of Kafiristan, bearing a strong resemblance to the mountainous areas of South Asia. The Westerners plot and scheme to take advantage of the trusting local inhabitants and their treasure. This inaugural film series celebrates The Ringling’s expanded galleries devoted to Asian art. We begin our connection by exploring the complex historical relationship of America and Asia through a critical examination of films that have played an integral role in American popular culture. While we’ve since mostly moved beyond simplistic depictions of stereotypical Asian characters, these films indicate that it wasn’t always so. Our discussions will focus on the ways in which American culture has fostered such images. $5/Free for Members. Limited seating available.
Conversation: Why is that Person Naked?…Or is it Nude?
Aug. 16, 10:30 a.m. Museum of Art, Chao Lecture Hall
The depiction of the human form has almost always been one of the foremost challenges of artists throughout time, whether for religious purposes, capturing the likeness of an individual through a portrait, or just the sheer challenge of it. This summer’s special exhibitions, Phantom Bodies and Exposure, showcase a variety of approaches that artists have used to depict the human body. This discussion will be led by museum staff.
Less formal than a lecture presentation, Conversations are designed to be programs where staff and guests can share research projects or topics of special interest. All programs take place in the Chao Lecture Hall in the Center for Asian Art. $5/Free for Members. Limited seating available.
Gallery Walk & Talk – Phantom Bodies: The Human Aura in Art
Aug. 18, 11 a.m. & 6 p.m. Museum of Art
Though the title of this exhibition may be puzzling, we have all experienced the phenomena presented in this show. Join us for this walk and talk that will address the themes and ideas explored in Phantom Bodies and how a selection of artists have chosen to explore them. Free with admission. Tickets are required, space is limited.
Open Art Making
Aug. 4, 11, 18, drop in between 5–8 p.m. John M. McKay Visitors Pavilion
Open Art Making takes place in the Jenkins Children’s Welcome Center, which is transformed into a studio for the evening. We will provide the materials, you provide the vision. Free to the public and all ages are encouraged to participate.
ROAR! Ringling Order of Art Readers
Aug. 5, 10:30 a.m. Johnson-Blalock Education Center
ROAR! is The Ringling Art Library’s family storytime, designed to engage children ages 3-7 in activities that connect art with early literacy. Stories and illustrations are often a child’s first exposure to the joy of reading and the wonder of art. Join us for storytime and an accompanying activity.
Kids Quest
Aug. 3, 6, 13, 30, 1 p.m. Meet in the John M. McKay Visitors Pavilion
Kids Quests feature conversations and activities while exploring different aspects of The Ringling and its collections. The program is facilitated by a Museum educator and is approximately 45 minutes in length. Caregivers must remain with the group throughout the program and are encouraged to participate! $2 per child/free for Members at the Family/Grandparent Membership level and above.
Family Workshop
Aug. 6, 13, 30, 12–4 p.m.
Families do not need to buy admission or register to participate; simply drop in anytime during the scheduled hours and enjoy an art project at your own pace. Workshops take place in the Jenkins Children’s Welcome Center in the McKay Visitors Pavilion. Adult caregivers are encouraged to participate alongside their children, trying their hand at art-making and modeling their appreciation for the arts. Projects are designed for children ages 4-10 and adults without children are also welcome!
Ca’ d’Zan Private Places Tour
Daily, 11 a.m., 12 p.m., 1 p.m., 2 p.m., 3 p.m., 4 p.m.
Peek inside the life and lifestyle of the one of the world’s richest men: the game room where Broadway producer Flo Zeigfeld, New York Mayor Jimmy Walker and John Ringling may have played poker together and the fourth floor bedroom where Will Rogers always insisted on sleeping and the Belvedere Tower that still provides Sarasota’s most spectacular view. This 45-minute tour takes you to the mansion’s private places and our docents regale you with the stories behind them. This tour is not included with Museum admission. Museum admission is not required to enjoy this tour. $20/$10 for members.
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The Ringling is a center for art and history, situated on 66 magnificent acres on the shores of Sarasota Bay. It is built on the remarkable legacy of circus entrepreneur, collector of art and financier John Ringling and his wife Mable.
The Ringling inspires visitors with an acclaimed collection of Old Master paintings, explores with them the diverse cultures and art of Asia, delights them with the story of the American circus as told through the first American circus museum as well as the world’s largest circus model, and transports them to the Roaring Twenties during a tour of the magnificent Ca’ d’Zan mansion.
The Ringling is also committed to exhibiting the work of an emerging community of living artists whose work moves beyond traditional practice and features dynamic and engaging contemporary visual and performing arts, including a diverse roster of theater, music, dance and film.
The Ringling is the State Art Museum of Florida. Affiliated with Florida State University, it is one of the largest university art centers in the nation.