ARTS & CULTURE
New Exhibits Explore Cultural Diversity PHOTO/ THE JAMES MUSEUM
As they open their doors after nearly five months, two museums bring forward new exhibits focusing on diverse voices and cultures. In Blake Little: Photographs from the Gay Rodeo, the James Museum of Western & Wildlife Art once again steps outside the box, this time with images exploring the complex nature of individual and community identities in American Western rural culture. Blake Little: Photographs from the Gay Rodeo features 41 black and white images taken between 1988 and 1992. From broncobusting action shots to intimate views into the lives of rodeo participants, the exhibit invites an expansive redefinition of cowboy identities. “We are proud to host this exhibition celebrating diversity in the West,” said Emily Kapes, Curator at The James Museum. “With so many different perspectives within the Western experience, we see this exhibition as an opportunity to feature the gay community, create dialogue, and inform museum visitors on these little-known competitions. The James Museum strives to be a welcoming and inspiring space for all and to amplify voices that are not often at the forefront of popular culture and mainstream Western art.”
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StPeteLifeMag.com
September/October 2020
After getting hooked on going to rodeos, Blake Little wanted to become a part of the action. He learned to ride a steer, then a bull and slowly began to master the technique. In 1990 he was named Bull Riding Champion of the Year at the International Gay Rodeo Association. He says of the experience, “The sport, camaraderie, and atmosphere of this first rodeo experience transformed me. I was completely drawn to it and I had to be a part of it. I wanted to be a cowboy.” An overview of the special exhibition along with book and movie recommendations, art activities and more will be featured online as part of The James Museum from Home. Blake Little: Photographs from the Gay Rodeo continues through January 31, 2021. For more information, call (727) 892-4200 or visit www.thejamesmuseum.org. Facial coverings are required for entry. At the St. Petersburg Museum of Fine Arts, Derrick Adams: Buoyancy is a series of large-scale, vibrant paintings depicting relaxing at the pool. But what appears calm on the surface has undercurrents. Adams has observed that in art and in reality, images of Black people at play and simply enjoying life are not the norm. To fill this void, he created a painting and collage
