THE JOHN AND MABLE RINGLING MUSEUM OF ART

5401 Bay Shore Road

Sarasota, FL 34243 www.ringling.org

Accredited by the American Association of Museums

Governor

The Honorable Rick Scott

The Florida State University

Dr. Eric J. Barron, President

FSU, College Visual Arts, Theater & Dance

Sally E. McRorie, Dean

Executive Director

Steven High

Board of Directors

Dr. Patrick J. Hennigan*, Chair

Clifford L. Walters, III*, Vice Chair

Michael E. Urette, Treasurer

Michéle D. Redwine*, Secretary

Sara A. Bagley*

Madeleine H. Berman*

Daniel J. Denton

George R. Ellis

Casey Gonzmart

Priscilla M. Greenfield

J. Roderick (Rod) Heller, III

Paul G. Hudson*

Dorothy C. Jenkins

Thomas B. Luzier*

Nancy J. Parrish*

Michael R. Pender, Jr.*

Samuel L. (Bo) Perry, Jr.

Roger C. Pettingell*

T. Marshall Rousseau

Tana V. Sandefur*

Ina L. Schnell*

Barbara J. Siemer*

Les R. Smout

Linda Streit

Howard C. Tibbals*

James B. Tollerton*

Helga M. Wall-Apelt*

Ex-Officio Board Members

Wilmer I. Pearson*, Chair, Volunteer Services Advisory Council

James M. LeTellier*, President, Members Council

Joan Urauga*, President Docent Advisory Council

The intensity of the January through March season in Sarasota, when our population triples and the business of culture is at its highest and most frenetic, was something that I had been warned about before moving here. I wasn’t warned enough! At the Ringling we saw record crowds stream onto our campus, over 50,000 visitors in February alone, exceeding last year’s attendance by 52 percent! Our dedicated visitor service personnel and volunteers managed this increase with grace and humor, and our docents and education staff provided constant attention and insight to our guests as they toured the museums and grounds. My sincerest thanks to all the staff that made great efforts to make sure every visitors’ experience was exceptional. During this fiscal year (which ends in June), we have experienced over a 30 percent growth in attendance from last year and are on track to have our most attended year in our 66-year history.

This past March the Ringling hosted our first international symposium on Peter Paul Rubens in 30 years in celebration of the opening of Peter Paul Rubens: Impressions of a Master. Exhibition curator Virginia Brilliant assembled scholars from North America and Europe to discuss the Eucharist Cycle paintings that are one of the foundations of our Baroque collection. It was an enlightening three days of presentations and discussions highlighted by many new insights into the paintings and tapestries meaning, placement, and use.

In July, we are pleased to open the nationally touring exhibition Deco Japan: Shaping Art & Culture, 1920 - 1945. This eye-opening exhibition explores a littlestudied and often ignored style in Japanese art between the first and second world wars and is selected from a Florida west coast private collection. It is a beautiful and illuminating collection of objects that helps us to re-imagine the cosmopolitan and international sophistication of Japan’s cultural scene leading up to the Second World War. Deco Japan continues the Ringling’s ongoing focus on Asian art as we proceed with the design of our new Helga Wall-Apelt Center for Asian Art. We are now entering the schematic design phase for the renovation of the southwest wing of the Museum of Art.

This issue of RINGLING features a preview of the fourth annual Ringling International Art Festival (RIAF), packed with powerful performances by New York-based Mark Morris Dance Group, Indian dancer Shantala Shivalingapa, Georgian folk ensemble Basiani, and experimental theater group Pig Iron. Unique to the festival this year will be experimental performances in Joseph’s Coat, our new James Turrell skyspace, and an evocative film series on contemporary performance. There are limited seats available this year, so buy your tickets early and online at ringlingartsfestival.org.

I’ll end this message on a high note, or high wire, highlighting our continued collaboration with Circus Sarasota, one of the great single-ring circuses in North America. This year’s summer circus in our Historic Asolo Theater, created by Circus Sarasota’s legendary leaders, Pedro Reis and Dolly Jacobs, will again bring some of the world’s best circus performers to Sarasota and the Ringling Museum campus. I encourage every member to attend.

On behalf of the board and staff of the Museum, I hope you enjoy this edition of RINGLING.

*Sarasota/Manatee County resident Available