The Ringling Magazine | February – May 2014

Ruth Orkin, American Girl in Italy, 1952, printed 1980. Gift of Paulette and Kurt Olden, 1986. MF86.53

Steven High Executive Director

We are fortunate at The Ringling to have 66 acres of beautiful grounds that interconnect our different museums and facilities. These grounds also contain over 200 species of trees, 400 species of wooded shrubs, and three small ponds that are home to fish, turtles, and a diverse waterfowl population. The fourth volume of our Art Spaces series, published in late 2013, focuses on the Grounds and Gardens of the Ringling Estate and is the first publication to document this evolving landscape. Authored by Maureen Zaremba, curator for educational programs, and Kevin Greene, Ringling landscape superintendant, the publication explores the history of the estate, the evolving use of the grounds, and highlights key landscape features including our different gardens, courtyards, and walkways. With beautiful photographs of the estate, the book is required reading for anyone who enjoys the Ringling grounds. It is now available in The Ringling Store.

Accompanying the launch of Grounds and Gardens, The Ringling’s education department has launched a new tour that focuses on the estate. Every Friday and Saturday you can join one of our specially trained docents at 10:30 am for a 90-minute walking tour of the grounds. The tours will change with the seasons and will feature different trees and plants but will also provide an historic overview of how the estate has evolved since John and Mable Ringling’s time. Tickets are required and available at ringling.org.

Visitors touring the grounds this spring will notice a number of changes. Construction on our new center for Asian Art is underway on the west side of the Museum of Art. Our apologies for the noise and mess of a construction site, but we are all excited about the new facility designed by architects Machado and Silvetti Associates. The new center is currently scheduled to open in the fall of 2015. This past October we opened the Gatehouse Patio, a new reception and gathering space located between the Ringling Gatehouse and the Visitor Pavilion. This space provides additional room for groups to gather prior to entering the museum and during events held at the Historic Asolo Theater. On the winter solstice, we opened a site specific installation by the Romanian-American artist Leonard Ursachi. This is the first in what will be an ongoing annual commission to invite an artist to create a unique temporary installation on our grounds. Ursachi’s work, titled Fat Boy, comes from his ongoing series of Bunker installations, however, its form adopts the visage of a baroque putto of immense size left abandoned on the estate. I hope you will search out the sculpture on your next visit. Finally, in January we celebrated the opening of the David F. Bolger Playspace located near the Banyan Cafe. This new area of the grounds, designed for youth of all ages and abilities, features specially designed play equipment by Richter Spielgeräte of Frasdorf, Germany who has been an international leader in the design of play spaces for over 40 years.

There continues to be a frenzy of activity on the grounds and in the galleries of The Ringling. This quarter’s edition of the Ringling Magazine explores some of the exciting new projects occurring this spring and our commitment to educational programming for all ages. The grounds, our facilities, and programs would not be possible without the support of you, our members. All of us at The Ringling thank you for your continuing support of the programs and exhibitions of the museum. I hope you will visit us often.

5401 Bay Shore Road

Sarasota, FL 34243

ringling.org

Accredited by the American Alliance of Museums

GOVERNOR

The Honorable Rick Scott

THE FLORIDA STATE UNIVERSITY

Dr. Eric J. Barron, President

OFFICE OF THE PROVOST

Dr. Garnett Stokes, Provost

COLLEGE OF VISUAL ARTS, THEATRE & DANCE

Peter Weishar, Dean

EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

Steven High

BOARD OF DIRECTORS

Clifford L. Walters III, Chair

Michael E. Urette, Vice Chair

Michael R. Pender Jr., Treasurer

Jane Skogstad, Secretary

Martin A. Arch

Madeleine H. Berman

Thomas J. Charters

Daniel J. Denton

Rebecca Donelson

George R. Ellis

Kenneth J. Feld

Frances D. Fergusson

Casey Gonzmart

Priscilla M. Greenfield

Patrick J. Hennigan

Paul G. Hudson

Dorothy C. Jenkins

Thomas W. Jennings Jr.

Patricia R. Lombard

Thomas B. Luzier

Nancy J. Parrish

Roger C. Pettingell

Michéle D. Redwine

Ina L. Schnell

Linda Streit

Howard C. Tibbals

James B. Tollerton

Helga M. Wall-Apelt

EX-OFFICIO BOARD MEMBERS

Wilmer I. Pearson, Chair, Volunteer Services Advisory Council

Joan T. Uranga, Chair, Docent Advisory Council

Steven High Executive Director

TABLE OF CONTENTS

FEBRUARY — MAY 2014

Louis Stettner, Manhattan, 1976-1980. Gift of Hilary Leff and Elliot Groffman in honor of Warren and Margot Coville, 2011. SN11305.6

Elmyr de Hory, Fauve Landscape, 1968, oil on canvas, in the style of Maurice de Viaminck. Intent To Deceive: Fakes and Forgeries in the Art World, was organized by the International Arts & Artists, Washington, DC.

The Bolger Playspace

Ursachi, Fat Boy

Veneto, Verona, Venice

Fashionably Late for the Relationship, 2007-08, Video still. R. Luke DuBois, in collaboration with WIKA, Toshiaki Ozawa and Todd Reynolds

NOWHERE 2014: R. Luke DuBois—NOW

Through May 4, Museum of Art, Searing Wing

Dr. Matthew McLendon, Curator of Modern and Contemporary Art

It can be a destabilizing experience when faced with the work of an artist like R. Luke DuBois for the first time. If contemporary art is a new interest for you, you might feel as though you are at sea—is he a composer? a filmmaker? an installation artist? You might find yourself asking, “how do I find an entrance into this work? Where do I begin?”

First off, give yourself a break; you are not alone! I find that most of the time audiences new to contemporary art have difficulty enjoying it because they are wrapped up in their anxieties about understanding it. “Will my friends know that I don’t know?” Unfortunately, there is a lot of pressure surrounding contemporary art because of the arcane knowledge, real or perceived, that is required to fully comprehend its meaning. It is true, most contemporary art requires some level of context and familiarity with the artist’s larger oeuvre which will provide a deeper experience of the work. However, you shouldn’t feel completely lost without this context.

The good news is, R. Luke DuBois—Now is a survey of Luke’s work, so if you spend a fair amount of time in the exhibition, you will have a very good understanding of his practice. Yet, I know that first visit can still be a bit intimidating, so I would like to give you a few points of entry into Luke’s work to frame your initial experience.

One of the main themes that interests Luke is time and how it is portrayed in art. How does the artist grapple with the abstract concept of time? For Luke, an artist not bound by traditional media, this question becomes a through-line of his practice. Whether it is Vertical Music, his video portrait of 12 musicians or Fashionably Late for the Relationship, the 72-minute video document of the 72-hour performance piece, you will see in Luke’s work a meditation on how we all mediate temporality in our lives.

Another continuing interest of Luke’s is the nature of portraiture. Linked closely with his interest in temporality, Luke experiments with ways in which our traditional notions of portraiture might be expanded. How does the artist create a portrait of a performer; a subject whose art is linked with temporal experience? Again, this is a question being explored in the two works mentioned above. However, in works such as A More Perfect Union and Hindsight is Always 20/20, we are confronted by expanded definitions of the portrait. In the former, Luke uses data collected from 19 million online dating profiles to create a series of maps in which the words we use to self-describe become geographic loci. In the latter, he again uses words to create portraits—this time, portraits of epochs. By systematizing the language used by our Presidents in their State of the Union addresses, Luke produces shockingly succinct verbal portraits of the times in which each president lived.

Certainly other themes abound in the wide-ranging practice of R. Luke DuBois and these will be explored in the exhibition. However, if on your first viewing you keep the themes of time and portraiture in mind as you experience the works, I am confident that any anxieties you have about “not understanding” contemporary art will be assuaged. Comfortable with some of the subject matter, you will then be able to find your own entry points into the work, your own meanings and consonances, and will, I’m sure, find yourself returning to the exhibition with your own questions to be explored.

GENRE CREATES GHETTO/ CONVERSATIONS ON CURATING IN A POST-GENRE

WORLD

Mildred Sainer Pavilion / New College of Florida

Fri, Mar 21, 6:30 pm

The Artist and The Curator Keynote conversation with R. Luke DuBois and Matthew McLendon.

Tickets: $5/ Free for Museum Members, Professionals, Academic Faculty and Students with valid ID. 941.360.7399

Sat, Mar 22, 10:00 am - 4:30 pm

Curating in a Post-Genre World

The nation’s leading curators of contemporary art and performance offer new perspectives on the challenges and opportunities of creating, curating, and presenting the work of living artists.  Presented in three sessions:

10:00 am: R. Luke DuBois joins a panel of fellow genre-busting artists.

1:00 pm: Leaders of the Institute for Curatorial Practice in Performance at Wesleyan University share innovations in presenting time-based art.

3:00 pm: Curators and scholars of contemporary art explore our everevolving cultural landscape.

Tickets: $20 / $15 for Museum Members / Free for Museum Professionals, Academic Faculty and Students with valid ID. 941.360.7399

A fixed-price lunch for Saturday attendees is available at Treviso for $15 plus tax and gratuity. Reservations required: 941.360.7390

The R. Luke Dubois—NOW exhibit is part of The Ringling’s 2013-14 Art of Our Time season, supported in part by a grant from Gulf Coast Community Foundation. The exhibition is also made possible through the generous support of the Amicus Foundation.

Fashionably Late for the Relationship, 2007-08, Video still-2. R. Luke DuBois, in collaboration with WIKA, Toshiaki Ozawa and Todd Reynolds

DEVELOPING A CURATORIAL PRACTICE IN PERFORMANCE

Dwight Currie, Curator of Performance

The genesis of The Ringling’s performance programming owes much to the extraordinary professionals who came together at Wesleyan University to create the Institute for Curatorial Practice in Performance (ICPP).  Under their inspired leadership and direction, artists, curators, and scholars from across the US, Europe, and Asia first gathered in 2011-2012 to articulate and explore innovative curatorial approaches to presenting time-based art.

It was my good fortune to have participated in the Institute’s inaugural year, and it was during that time that much of New Stages 2014 was conceived and developed. Now, I am honored and proud to bring the leadership of ICPP to The Ringling for Genre Creates Ghetto / Conversations on Curating in a Post-Genre World. On Saturday, March 22, you, too, will have the opportunity to enrich your understanding of the artist-centered curatorial models that are being developed by the nation’s leading curators of contemporary performance.

Heading the delegation from ICPP is the program’s founder, Samuel A. Miller. In addition to his work at ICPP, Sam is the President of the Lower Manhattan Cultural Council and has also implemented a number of national programs including Leveraging Investments in Creativity, the National Dance Project, and the Center for Creative Research. Joining Sam from ICPP will be Pamela Tatge, Managing Director of the Institute and the recipient of the William Dawson Award for Programmatic Excellence for sustained leadership, innovation, and vision in program design, audience building, and community involvement efforts. Sam and Pam will share the dais with three of ICPP’s most highly regarded and sought-after curators.

Philip Bither has been Walker Art Center’s Senior Curator of Performing Arts since April 1997, overseeing one of the country’s leading contemporary performing arts programs. He has also served as Associate Director/Music Curator at Brooklyn Academy of Music and sits on numerous federal, state, local, and national foundation arts panels.

Judy Hussie-Taylor is the Director of New York’s Danspace Project where she implemented the series of PLATFORMS, wherein contexts for the presentation of dance are developed and catalogued. Judy also served as the Director of the Colorado Dance Festival and the Artistic Director for Performance Programs at the Boulder Museum of Contemporary Art.

Kristy Edmunds is a curator, artistic director, and consultant internationally recognized for innovation and depth in the presentation of works by contemporary artists. She was the Artistic Director for the Melbourne International Arts Festival from 2005 – 2008, and went on to become the Consulting Artistic Director for the Park Avenue Armory in New York. She is now the Executive and Artistic Director of the Center for the Art of Performance at UCLA, and is also generously giving of her time to serve The Ringling as my advisor for the further development of The Ringling International Arts Festival.

FAT BOY

Through June, Bayfront Gardens

In December, The Ringling hosted Brooklyn-based artist Leonard Ursachi as he installed a large styrocrete sculpture on our grounds. Titled Fat Boy, it is the latest in the artist’s series of “bunker” sculptures. As a Romanian-born American, Ursachi grew up under a dictatorship from which he defected in the early 1980s. For years, he has been creating sculptures in the form of bunkers, influenced by his time spent in Communist Romania where bunkers dotted the landscape. Some were remnants of the last war; many were built during the Cold War to instill fear—a government-sponsored bunker mentality.

For Fat Boy, Ursachi based its form on a classical Western putto. Since antiquity, putti have been malleable signifiers, representing, among other things, Eros, heaven, peace, and joy. Fat Boy’s title refers not only to his plump, cherubic face, but also to the names of the WWII atomic bombs, Little Boy and Fat Man. With its twin references to Eros and war, Fat Boy speaks to the complexities of desire and violence inherent in the formation and transformation of identity. Its installation on The Ringling grounds introduces interesting references to the sculpture that John Ringling acquired in the 1920s, including putti, dwarves, and Roman gods.

Fat Boy is located in the The Ringling’s Millennial Tree Park, and will be exhibited through June 2014.

New Stages 2014, Robert Mirabal

Photo by Kate Russell

PHOTOGRAPHY AND WORKS ON PAPER

Dr. Christopher Jones, Assistant Curator of Exhibitions

Anyone who’s been following the Ringling’s exhibition schedule for the past few seasons has undoubtedly noticed the new visibility that photography has received in our galleries. A series of exhibitions in the museum’s Searing Wing—The Warren J. and Margot Coville Collection, Herb Ritts: LA Style, Witness to War, and Picturing Ceylon—have articulated a variety of important perspectives on the history of photography to our community. This burgeoning emphasis in programming is a reflection of the Ringling’s growing collection of photography.

Spurred by the generosity of the Covilles’ donation of now over 1,900 photographs since 1997, other collectors have been eager to be a part of the Ringling’s program. Hillary Leff, Elliot Groffman, and Geoffrey West have gifted significant works by Louis Stettner and Leon Levinstein to the museum in honor of the Covilles, and Sally Strauss and Andrew Tomback have donated prints by notables such as Ilse Bing, Danny Lyon, and Dmitri Baltermants. Most recently, the Andy Warhol Foundation for the Visiting Arts selected the Ringling to be the recipient of a group of 19 Polaroid photographs taken by Warhol in 1971. These snapshots, part of Warhol’s obsession to document all of his aesthetic interests and personal interactions, will offer a glimpse into the enigmatic life of one the most important artists of our era. Collectively, each of these contributions will broaden the museum’s holdings in 20th-century photography and enrich our understanding of the defining medium of the modern age.

This engagement with photography is not the reflection of a new institutional appreciation of the relevance of the medium; in fact, the museum has been actively collecting creative photography ever since it added prints by Wynn Bullock, Ansel Adams, and Jerry Uelsmann to the collection in 1968. However, with a renowned permanent collection of grand scale Baroque painting, the museum has not always had the opportunity or space to grant its photography collection pride of place. Further, photographs and works on paper require special consideration in

order to be displayed. They are much more susceptible to fluctuations in humidity and temperature, and long exposure to ultraviolet light and air pollution will have a deleterious impact on their condition. Therefore these types of works are only displayed for several weeks at a time and then removed from circulation to rest. It may surprise most visitors who tour the galleries that the majority of the Ringling’s holdings are actually prints, drawings, and photographs that are rarely on display.

With the addition of the Ulla R. and Arthur F. Searing Wing in 2007, the Ringling Museum gained 30,000 square feet dedicated to temporary and traveling exhibitions, and has redoubled its commitment to bring its important works on paper and photography collection to the public. Beginning with Unfamiliar Realities and Optical Impulses in November 2013, the Searing Wing will feature small rotating installations highlighting work from our permanent works on paper and photography collection. The next iteration of this series, In the Streets: Photographing Urban Spaces, presents the myriad ways in which photographers have recorded their experiences of the city. Future installations in the works include an examination of Salvator Rosa’s 17thcentury figure studies in etchings, and a look at Danny Lyon’s iconic Bikerider Series that documents the motorcycle culture of the 1960s. This ongoing series will bring to light the surprising diversity of our works on paper collections.

EXHIBITIONS

In the Streets: Photographing Urban Spaces

From the Permanent Collection of The Ringling

Mar 21 — July 13, 2014

In the Streets: Photographing Urban Spaces explores the many ways in which 20th century photographers responded to the rise of the modern metropolis. Photographs by Berenice Abbott document the rapid changes in the built environment, and works by Andreas Feininger and Walter Rosenblum track the social conditions of urbanity. Other notable photographers, such as Gary Winogrand, Leon Levinstein, and Louis Stettner, capture the human drama of the streets.

Walter Rosenblum, Mullaly Park, Bronx, New York (Street Shower, South Bronx), 1979 or 1980) Gift of Warren J. And Margot Coville, 2013. SN11332.30

Louis Stettner, Manhattan, 1976-1980. Gift of Hilary Leff and Elliot Groffman in honor of Warren and Margot Coville, 2011. SN11305.6

Ruth Orkin, Man in Rain, W. 88th St., NYC, 1952. Gift of Paullete and Kurt Olden, 1986. MF86.54

INTENT TO DECEIVE: Fakes and Forgeries in the Art World

Dr. Christopher Jones, Assistant Curator of Exhibitions

This spring The Ringling will do something that every museum professional goes to great lengths to avoid: we will hang forged works of art in our galleries. Rest assured, we have not fallen victim to a nefarious hoax or criminal plot. Rather, we will be hosting Intent to Deceive: Fakes and Forgeries in the Art World. This exhibition, curated by noted art fraud expert Colette Loll Marvin and organized by International Arts and Artists, will present an informative look into the fraudulent underside of the art world through an investigation of the careers of five of the 20th century’s most successful art forgers.

The biographies of accomplished forgers Han van Meegeren, Elmyr de Hory, Eric Hebborn, John Myatt, and Mark Landis, are often as fascinating as the lives of the legitimate artists they sought to emulate. As a group they were eminently skilled; most had formal art training and all had pursued careers as artists in their own right. Yet each of these individuals made the pivotal decision to devote their talents to deception. Intent to Deceive explores the motivation behind these forgers and shows that although some worked

May 23 — Aug 3, 2014 Museum of Art, Searing Wing

primarily for financial gain, most were driven by the need to see their works accepted by the art world, either as an act of embittered revenge engendered by rejection, or to satisfy a frustrated artistic ambition.

What is particularly engaging about this exhibition is that visitors will also be able to learn about the techniques and tools that these master deceivers used to execute their forgeries and discover how they duped curators and art dealers. We will also learn about the forensic methods that museum professionals and art experts use to investigate and ultimately expose frauds. Intent to Deceive will display forgeries alongside authentic works by famous artists, including Pablo Picasso, Honoré Daumier, Henri Matisse, and Amedeo Modigliani, inviting visitors to test their connoisseurship and powers of perception to discriminate between the fake and the factual. Intent to Deceive also provokes some challenging questions about the connection between our idea of authenticity and our understanding of the work of art.

Elmyr de Hory, Odalisque, 1974, oil on canvas, in the style of Henri Matisse. Collection of Mark Forgy, photo by Robert Fogt.

Elmyr de Hory, Fauve Landscape, 1968, oil on canvas, in the style of Maurice de Viaminck.

Intent To Deceive: Fakes and Forgeries in the Art World, is organized by International Arts & Artists, Washington, DC.

INTERVIEW Vivian R. Johnson

How did you first learn about The Ringling?

I was introduced to the John and Mable Ringling Museum of Art by my dear friend of many years, who was born in this area, Mrs. Lillian Granderson of Sarasota. I am an educator, and much of my work has had international focus, so my interest in art has both broadened and deepened as I have traveled in Africa, Asia, Europe, and Latin America and recognized the power of art to teach us about our cultural differences and our common humanity. The Ringling’s International Arts Festival captures that international artistic power, thereby enhancing the cultural offerings of a museum filled with artful landscape, architecture, furniture, carvings, paintings, sculpture, and a uniquely artful perspective for skyview and waterview as well. The Ringling estate is a very special place indeed!

What experience do you share with others to encourage them to visit The Ringling?

The Ringling has also provided a very special experience for me connected to my previous work as an educator. In the 1960s I researched children’s books about African-Americans and Africans because those books were very hard to find; so the children’s book that won the Newbery Medal

in 1966 caught my attention. Titled, I, Juan de Pareja, by Elizabeth Borton de Trevino, it is a fictionalized autobiography of a man of African descent who was the enslaved assistant to the famous painter, Diego Velázquez in Spain. Juan de Pareja was also a painter in his own right and after he was freed by Velázquez in 1654, Pareja became a painter with significant commissions.

Five years after the fictionalized autobiography won the Newbery Medal, the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York purchased a portrait of Juan de Pareja painted by Diego Velázquez. I went to see the portrait and purchased a print of it to use with the book when I talked about the African presence in Europe with teachers and students.

Recently, I decided to frame the print of the portrait and learn about Juan de Pareja’s paintings. Imagine my surprise in searching the internet to find that the only listing of a signed and dated painting by Juan de Pareja exhibited in the U.S. is in The Ringling Museum of Art! I rushed over to see the painting, the Flight Into Egypt, in the Spanish gallery. I am also a member of the Manasota chapter of the Association for the Study of African American Life and History (ASALH). Last April, I made a presentation to ASALH about Juan de Pareja’s life and work and invited members to join me to see

the painting at The Ringling. Several days later, forty-three members of the association gathered in the Spanish gallery of the museum expressing great enthusiasm for my discovery of a work of art that is also a very special historical artifact from 1658.

What upcoming programs/exhibitions are you most excited to attend?

The excitement continues as we learn that Juan de Pareja’s painting will be loaned to an exhibition at the Louvre in Paris in 2015. Before the painting travels, our chapter of ASALH, led by Mark Jackson, is collaborating with The Ringling in finding ways to celebrate the painting and Juan de Pareja. Ringling board member, Michele Redwine is leading this effort and we are also fortunate that Eleanor Merritt Darlington, honored as a former Ringling board member and 25-year docent, is also a member of our history association. As a member of The Ringling and of ASALH, I am very pleased that I can join collaborative projects in celebration of Juan de Pareja and his work.

In January, 2014, our collaboration extends to the North Sarasota Public Library and the Booker middle school. Thanks to the successful efforts of Dr. Lonnetta Gaines and Arlen Bensen at the library, I will work with principal LaShawn Houston-Frost at Booker Middle School where she has selected a seventh grade teacher and an eighth grade teacher whose students will read the book, I, Juan de Pareja. A field trip to The Ringling to view Juan de Pareja’s painting and a visit to The Ringling Art Library will be included in the study project. At the end of February, students will make a presentation at the North Sarasota Library to family and friends to share their learning about the book and the painting.

What is the most important aspect of a museum – why do you think museums are important to the community?

These proposed collaborative projects all connect to a rare painting in the collection of The Ringling—illustrating why I believe museums are such a vital community resource. They preserve cultural treasures and promote enriched learning.

MEET DEAN WEISHAR

On July 1, 2013, Peter Weishar joined Florida State University as Dean of the College of Visual Arts, Theatre and Dance

What attracted you to the role of Dean of CVATD at FSU?

I enjoy being part of a great research institution. I believe the arts cannot exist and thrive in a vacuum. As artists, we are informed and inspired by the work of our colleagues in the sciences and humanities. There is also a very positive spirit here at FSU that brings exceptional opportunities for collaboration. These factors, coupled with the excellent reputation of the arts at FSU, made this position an obvious choice for me.

What was your first impression of The Ringling?

I had actually never been to Sarasota before I accepted the position at FSU. I had read a good deal about the programs and examined the web sites and collateral materials. However, it is a truly wonderful experience to walk through the grounds, galleries and facilities and begin to appreciate the beauty and expansiveness of The Ringling. I feel fortunate to be a part of what is happening at the Ringling and continue to be excited about the possibilities such a place has to offer.

How do you see the role of museums in the 21st century?

I believe a successful 21st century museum must embrace new styles of learning and should work toward extending the visitor experience beyond the physical walls. However, there is no substitute for experiencing an exceptional place and viewing the actual artifact and work. A museum should embrace the art of storytelling and communication through the environment and enhance that experience through other forms of media. The Ringling is perfectly positioned to continue to thrive through the 21st century. It is a unique, diverse, and visually rich destination with a marvelous story of the professional as well as private lives and legacies of John and Mable Ringling.

How do you see the role of the museum within the context of FSU?

While the main campus of FSU is separated by a five hour drive from The Ringling, there is a great deal more that connects the two places than divides them. The College of Visual Arts, Theatre & Dance is one of the best programs of its kind in the country. Likewise, the Ringling is a world-class museum with an international reputation. The Ringling is a tremendous resource to the artists, scholars and students at FSU and the depth and breadth of talent at FSU are a priceless resource for the Ringling. Both institutions have creative and accomplished individuals who are leaders in their field. I foresee many more years of fruitful collaboration due to this relationship.

What are some programmatic partnerships you would like to see take place at The Ringling?

FSU has a very strong masters program in Museum Studies. Next year, students will be offered the opportunity to split their studies between Sarasota and Tallahassee. In addition, next academic year FSU will be offering a doctoral program in Museum Education. Students from that program will spend at least one semester at the Ringling. If you enjoy theatre, you most probably know about the FSU/Asolo Conservatory. We have 36 of the top MFA theatre students in the country studying in Sarasota.

Could you share one of your personal passions?

Naturally, art and design are central to my professional, creative and private life. I hold a particular affinity for Asian art. I find the aesthetic of the Asian gardens, paintings, prints and design to be particularly inspiring. I have a small collection of Japanese prints that I enjoy a great deal.

I also love motorcycles, but that is a different story.

What is your favorite thing to do in Sarasota?

I have been very impressed with Sarasota. It is a charming and beautiful place. Every time I have traveled to Sarasota, I have had the pleasure of meeting with patrons and supporters of the museum, the Asolo Rep and FSU/Asolo Conservatory. I have spent time with fascinating and engaged individuals who are part of a community that enjoys and supports a vibrant and thriving art scene. So, my favorite thing has been to spend time with successful, bright community members who share my interests and have great stories.

One day I think I would like to travel to The Ringling without making appointments so I can wander through the grounds and galleries and take my time just enjoying the art and gardens. Maybe I’ll do that next trip.

Peter Weishar, Dean College of Visual Arts, Theatre and Dance Florida State University

The David F. Bolger Playspace is a permanent installation designed to create a familyfriendly campus through inter-generational, multi-sensory and cooperative play. Visitors of varied ages and abilities together can climb, swing, splash, slide and bounce on accessible elements that integrate learning and play into the Ringling’s popular gardens.

Colorful towers, intimate spaces for imaginative play, child-powered fountains, and shareduser swings are among the play elements selected for the Ringling’s newest outdoor environment. The David F. Bolger Playspace expands on the museum’s mission to inspire, educate and entertain by enhancing the existing Ringling landscape through play.

Jane Clark Chermayeff, President Architectural Playground Equipment (APE)

DAVID F. BOLGER PLAYSPACE

Doing a World of Good by Improving the Quality of Life

From an early age, David F. Bolger demonstrated a strong work ethic. In his teens, he delivered newspapers, shoveled coal and snow, as well as did landscape work. While pursuing a Bachelor’s Degree in Business Administration at The University of Pittsburgh, he worked nights in a steel mill. He also showed he was blessed with a big heart. At the age of 15, he donated the money he earned from a variety of jobs to The Watson Home for Crippled Children in Sewickley, Pennsylvania.

His giving spirit has continued for more than 50 years. As the President of The Bolger Foundation, a Trustee of The Wells Mountain Foundation, a resident of Ridgewood, New Jersey, and Longboat Key, Florida, he has generously supported many arts, health, conservation, religious and educational organizations with more than $100 million in philanthropic donations since 2000. “I have done many projects and always have enjoyed the impact upon people’s lives.”

Mr. Bolger is not only a dreamer, but a visionary who has built a successful career recognizing and seizing opportunities. After visiting The Ringling for the first time in 2008, he was so impressed with the property that he donated $1 million for the waterfront landscaping plan that has benefitted the local community. Mr. Bolger stated, “The Ringling Grounds represent a jewel in Sarasota.  The Bolger Promenade and The Bolger Campiello represent a place where visitors gather to sit, enjoy the beauty of the landscaping and the bay, and contemplate life and their place in it.”

Now, once again in generous support for Ringling’s on-going development as an expanded Center for Art Education, David F. Bolger is funding the design and installation of The David F. Bolger Playspace, an interactive playspace designed for children of all abilities. Bolger’s gift was inspired by a need for the museum to attract families with an interactive space they could call their own, all the while creating access for children

with disabilities. Mr. Bolger states, “It will give parents a space to go, to let their children’s imaginations run and help them enjoy the museum and perhaps bring some of their learning from the museum, into their own imaginative play. I believe it is going to be beneficial to increasing the enjoyment that children and families will have on the Ringling grounds. And I hope, provide a nice outlet for any extra clowning around.”

When asked about his legacy of improvements that have been made to the grounds Mr. Bolger responded, “It is not about the legacy, it’s about enhancing people’s lives and their experiences in regards to the world around them.  I have given to many charities over the years, and always have tried to maximize the effect upon people, whether it is museum visitors or patients or students.”

INSPIRING ALL AGES

Engaging our diverse audiences

Education is at the heart of every museum’s mission. But, the educational experiences museums offer may look quite different from the education that we associate with classrooms or computer screens. In a museum, learning revolves around the real and the authentic — the objects and stories entrusted to the museum’s care. Education programs at The Ringling offer access to these remarkable treasures for a variety of audiences.

Classroom lessons come alive for students and teachers in our galleries, where human cannonballs can teach physics and the halls of Ca’ d’Zan can shed light on American history. With an emphasis on critical thinking, school tours are designed to address the Common Core State Standards recently adopted by Florida. Home school families are similarly engaged in education at The Ringling, using our online resources to plan field trips and projects. The Ringling Art Library’s program ROAR! Ringling Order of Art Readers, is a fun way to promote early learning and literacy through children’s stories that connect to Ringling collections. These experiences represent valuable learning tools that often create a life-long interest in museums. Professional development for teachers is offered through Saturdays for Educators which is designed to provide curriculum and other reources, but also be a source of intellectual and creative refreshment.

The Ringling also offers a menu of programs for adult learners wishing to feed a life-long passion or open a door to new ideas. Adults who attend one of our lectures or gallery talks quickly realize that it’s never too late to be awestruck by the skill and talent inherent in a great painting or an amazing acrobatic feat. The pleasure of working with life-long learners is their appreciation for such achievements, now that they have some life experience behind them!

We invite you to join Education as we create opportunities to engage more deeply, experience more fully, and be positively amazed at the wonders to be discovered at your museum.

LIFE-LONG LEARNING MENU

ViewPoint, The Ringling’s lecture series, brings in world class experts to inspire and inform.

Gallery Walk and Talks, Art and a Movie, and Conversations with a Curator are less formal programs designed to promote conversation and discussion.

Collecting Recollections brings together a wide array of fascinating individuals with stories to tell; stories of their lives; stories of the Museum, stories of the Circus, storiesof Sarasota — and more.

Bayfront Gardens tours and programs appeal to those who like a little flora and fauna with their museum experience.

Saturdays for Educators brings teachers to The Ringling and provides practical tools for professional development as well as inspiration for creative implementation.

DID YOU KNOW?

School Tour visits to The Ringling are free for students and teachers.

The Ringling provides bus scholarships to help defray the costs of school field trips. The Ringling offers regular professional development programs for teachers.

All materials created for school programs can be downloaded for free from The Ringling’s website.

School tour docents are trained in current teaching techniques and curriculum connections.

ROAR is made possible, in part, through the generous support of Linda and Elli Streit.

MEMBERS

UPCOMING MEMBER EVENTS

Coffee and Conversation with Director Steven High

Tue, May 13, 9:30 am - 10:30 am

Treviso Restaurant

Supporting Members and higher

Exhibition Preview

Intent to Deceive: Fakes and Forgeries in the Art World

Thur, May 22, 5:00 pm - 7:00 pm

Museum of Art Loggia

Join fellow Members and be the first to see the special exhibition. Lite bites and cash bar. Open to all Members. Special VIP Lounge access for Supporting members and higher. RSVP: 941.360.7332 or member RSVP@ringling.org.

PREVIEW EVENTS

UPCOMING CIRCLE EVENTS

Love, Legacy, and Ca’ d’Zan

Tue, Feb 11, 5:00 pm - 7:00 pm

Sunset Reception and behind the scenes with Ron McCarty, Keeper of Ca’ d’Zan

State of the Ringling Breakfast

Mon, Mar 4, 9:30 am

Presentation by Executive Director

Steven High

Curator to Director level members

Reception and Dinner

The Philip and Nancy Kotler Glass Collection

Wed, Mar 19, 5:30 pm - 9:00 pm

Intent to Deceive: Fakes and Forgeries in the Art World Exhibition Preview and Dinner

Wed, May 21, 5:30 pm - 9:00 pm

For more information, call the Development Office 941.359.5700 ext 5821

On October 2nd, The Ringling celebrated Icons of Style: Fashion Makers, Models, and Images from the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, at the Circle Preview Dinner.

Dr. Virginia Brilliant, The Ringling’s Ulla R. Searing Curator of Collections stated, “It is always a pleasure to greet our Circle members and give them the first look at a brand new exhibition. I hope our guests enjoyed celebrating with us as much as I enjoyed being able to share everything I learned working with this fabulous collection of fashion.”

We look forward to Circle members exploring the museum with more behind-thescenes experiences with our expert staff during upcoming exhibitions including the Circle Preview Dinner for the Philip and Nancy Kotler Glass Collection and Intent to Deceive: Fakes and Forgeries in the Art World. A special thank you to Northern Trust for supporting this season’s Circle Preview Dinners.

The following evening, we welcomed over 900 members and their guests to view the stunning exhibition. At the center of the evening was the opportunity for members to explore the exhibition and its journey of fashion; from the designer’s original concept to what we see on runways and red carpets around the world, before the public opening.

A new addition to the event was the launch of our VIP Lounge for Supporting level members and above. The VIP Lounge, at the west end of the Loggia, made for a comfortable location with generous seating and tables plus a dedicated bar and servers. Capping off the fashionable evening were models from Saks Fifth Avenue. Members reveled in the company of fellow patrons celebrating design and The Ringling.

Thank you to our corporate sponsors Saks Fifth Avenue and the Sarasota Herald Tribune for supporting this Members Preview event.

NEW MEMBER BENEFITS

You have asked and we have listened! We are excited to share new and exciting benefits for members designed to enhance your experience at The Ringling.You may have noticed some additional benefits beginning January 2014. For a complete listing of opportunities associated with your level, ringling.org or 941.360.7330.

Our New Member Travel Program brings together a community who share a desire for cultural enrichment and social engagement, as well as a spirit of discovery. Our trips are customized to highlight the very best of The Ringling, exploring the origins of our collections, the cultures that gave life to these artistic expressions, and personal interactions with the dedicated museum staff.

All Ringling members are invited to participate in the Member Travel Program as a benefit of their membership.  Members beginning at the Curator level enjoy preregistration for all travel opportunities. After a pre-registration period, participants are enrolled “first come, first served.” For more information, please phone 941.359.5700.

This season we are excited to bring the following opportunities to you:

THANK YOU TO OUR 2013 RIAF SPONSORS

RIAF and Art of Our Time 2013-14

Season Supporter

Gulf Coast Community Foundation

Patron

Nancy and Chuck Parrish

Community Foundation of Sarasota County

Charlotte and Charles Perret & Family Fund

Harry Leopold Foundation

Thomas and Lola Seligman Fund

Producer

Publix Super Markets Charities

Associate

Blalock Walters, P.A.

Cumberland Advisors

Dan Denton and Ramses Serrano

Florida Lottery

Guest Services, Inc.

Home Resource

Icard, Merrill, Cullis, Timm, Furen & Ginsberg, P.A.

Macy’s

Lisa Reese

Ina Schnell

Stephen and Judith Shank

In-Kind Hospitality Sponsors

Courtyard by Marriott Sarasota Airport

Hampton Inn & Suites Sarasota/ Bradenton Airport

Hyatt Place Sarasota

In-Kind Media Sponsors

Herald Tribune Media Group

The Observer Group

Sarasota Magazine

SRQ Magazine

WEDU

In-Kind Sponsors

Celebration Uplighting

Culligan Water

The Veneto & Venice: September 4-12, 2014

Twenty Ringling members will explore the Veneto, Verona, Venice, and Asolo with Executive Director Steven High and Ulla R. Searing Curator of Collections, Dr. Virginia Brilliant. A celebration of art and architecture awaits while enjoying the best in accommodations and cuisine. Members will enjoy exclusive private tours, performances, and a visit to the Venice Architectural Biennale. For more informaton, please call 941.359.5700, ext 5804.

Dallas and Ft. Worth: Spring 2015

Stay tuned for more information on this exciting trip exploring museums and unique private collections.

Flowers by Fudgie

Go11 Media

Gulf Coast Destinations, Inc.

Now That’s A Wrap

Sights and Sounds

US Tent

Thank You for Your Support

Thomas and Ann Charters

The Cowles Charitable Foundation

Mrs. Dorothy Jenkins

Save the Date!

Mother’s Day Sale

May 4 — 11

ALL JEWELRY, SCARVES, AND BAGS, 15% OFF!

MEMBERS SAVE 25%!

Find the perfect gift for your mother, wife, sister, or daughter this Mother’s Day. Choose from elegant silk scarves, unique handmade jewelry, and colorful bags.

The Ringling MUSEUM STORE

WORLD CIRCUS DAY IS APRIL 20

Bring the circus home with age-appropriate books, entertaining games, and challenging puzzles! All circus books $15.95 — $26.00; Greatest Show on Earth Mural Puzzle: $18.95; Story Box Circus: $30.00

THE ARTISTS OF NOWHERE

Nowhere features the sights and sounds of contemporary musicians and artists of our time. After you’ve experienced these dynamic performances, relive the experience with some of these featured items: R. Luke Dubois - Time Lapse, $17.00; Meklit Hadero CD – On a Day Like This, $17.00; Ethel CD – Ethel, $17.00

Enjoy great shopping for unique gifts. Daily 10:00 am – 5:30 pm; Thursdays until 8:00 pm. 941-359-5700 x1110