The Ringling Magazine | October – December 2015

As far back as the 1940s, The Ringling has been committed to nurturing meaningful educational involvement in the arts. At that time, A. Everett Austin, Jr., The Ringling’s first director and curator, partnered with Florida State University (FSU), known for its fine arts and art history curricula, to develop undergraduate and graduate-level seminars. Ever since, The Ringling has engaged FSU’s students through a number of outreach initiatives, including offering courses and symposia, hosting class visits, arranging student internships, and cultivating faculty relationships across disciplines. Building on this strong tradition, The Ringling, in conjunction with FSU, will now offer three graduate-level programs—a master’s in Museum Studies and a master’s and doctorate in Museum Education and Visitor-Centered Exhibitions.

The launch of these prestigious graduate opportunities, which integrate The Ringling’s vast museum resources with the university’s outstanding arts curriculum, are attributable to the initiative and leadership of Peter Weishar, Dean of the College of Fine Arts at FSU. In addition, thanks to FSU’s distinguished record of achievement, it received preeminence funding from the state of Florida to inaugurate these new avenues of excellence.

The MA in Museum Studies consists of coursework at FSU followed by a one-year experiential internship at The Ringling, in which students will participate in all aspects of museum operations involving exhibitions, registration, development, and administration. The Museum Education program, the first in the US to offer a doctorate in the subject, will allow The Ringling and FSU to identify key survey projects that will help The Ringling better serve you, our visitors. This critical audience research aligns with The Ringling’s strategic initiative to embrace a visitor-centered model while providing a matchless on-the-ground practicum for budding museum education specialists.

The Ringling also functions as an informal gathering place for students from the consortium of colleges and young professionals throughout Sarasota and Manatee counties with events such as Ringling Underground, which features performing artists, bands, DJs, and student art exhibitions.

Please join me in welcoming these promising museum professionals-in-training to The Ringling and in celebrating the environment of inquiry and educational enrichment that advances our entire cultural experience.

5401 Bay Shore Road

Sarasota, FL 34243

941.359.5700

ringling.org

Accredited by the American Alliance of Museums

GOVERNOR

The Honorable Rick Scott

FLORIDA STATE UNIVERSITY

John E. Thrasher President

OFFICE OF THE PROVOST

Dr. Sally E. McRorie

Interim Provost

COLLEGE OF FINE ARTS

Peter Weishar, Dean

EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

Steven High

BOARD OF DIRECTORS

Michael E. Urette, Chair

Paul G. Hudson, Vice Chair

Nancy J. Parrish, Treasurer

Frances D. Fergusson, Secretary

Madeleine H. Berman

Thomas J. Charters

Daniel J. Denton

Rebecca Donelson

George R. Ellis

Kenneth J. Feld

Darrel E. Flanel

Priscilla M. Greenfield

Patrick J. Hennigan

Jeffrey R. Hotchkiss

Dorothy C. Jenkins

Thomas W. Jennings Jr.

Patricia R. Lombard

Thomas B. Luzier

Michael R. Pender, Jr.

Michéle D. Redwine

Margaret A. Rolando

Ina L. Schnell

Judith F. Shank

Jane Skogstad

Howard C. Tibbals

James B. Tollerton

Clifford L. Walters, III

Larry A. Wickless

EX-OFFICIO BOARD MEMBERS

Roberta J. Schaumleffel, Chair, Volunteer Services Advisory Council

Barbara A. Swan, Chair, Docent Advisory Council

Steven High Executive Director

ISSN 2165-4085

Kate Weare, Dark Lark,

photo by Paula Lobo

Ron McCarty, Keeper of Ca’d’Zan, with the Aeolian organ.

NEW STAGES 2015 – 2016: THE ART OF MAKING DANCE

In the blossoming years of contemporary dance, composer John Cage likened the work of choreographer Merce Cunningham to that of the abstract expressionists. “What it communicates,” Cage remarked, “is in large part determined by the observer.” The artist’s regard for – and confidence in – the viewer’s willingness to emotionally and intellectually engage with resonant cultural themes lies at the heart of this year’s season of contemporary performance at The Ringling.

In New Stages 2015-2016: The Art of Making Dance, four choreographers return to The Ringling to invite audiences to participate in an ongoing conversation about what informs, shapes, defines, and animates their diverse and dynamic creations of contemporary dance.

The series opens with a vivid realization of dance as the communicative vehicle through which we discover what unites us. Alex Ketley seeks and locates authentic expressions of movement in seemingly unlikely landscapes. What he finds he shares in beautifully choreographed articulations of exchange and respect. Following the success of his work No Hero, which was presented during the 2014 New Stages season, Ketley traveled throughout America’s rural South to explore the region’s cultural response to dance. For several weeks, the choreographer interviewed strangers about their relationship to

dance and offered micro-performances in the RV parks, restaurants, town squares, and homes in which these interactions occurred. The result is Deep South, a celebration of shared humanity as told through live dance and documentary video that reveal the complexities and verities of the American South.

The ever-evolving architecture of human perception (as given shape through choreographic structure) is brilliantly realized in Dušan Týnek’s Joseph’s Coat –a site-specific work commissioned by The Ringling to be performed in – and in communion with – the eponymous James Turrell Skyspace. Having been personally tutored by Merce Cunningham in blending the impulsive and spontaneous roots of free dance with the rigors and traditions of both modern dance and ballet, Týnek utilizes concise and distinct phrases of movement to embody the idea of a patchwork coat. As the dancers shift in expanding and contracting formations, the movement accelerates to build a complex visual feast in concert with the permutations of Turrell’s sculpted light.

Kate Weare’s choreography reflects her fascination with “what connects us as we navigate our particular period in human history.” Drawing on the body’s power to speak with a clarity that transcends the spoken word, Weare decodes a language of movement that illuminates the shifting emotions that keep our relations falling in—and out—of balance. For her third

Photos, left to right: Kate Weare, UNSTRUCK, photo by Paula Lobo; Alex Ketley/The Foundry, Deep South; Dušan Týnek, Joseph’s Coat; David Neumann/Advanced Beginner Group, I Understand Everything Better, photo by Maria Baranova.

NEW STAGES SCHEDULE

$30, $25 / $27, $22.50 for Members

DEEP SOUTH

by Alex Ketley/The Foundry

NOV 6 & 7, 7:30 PM

Historic Asolo Theater

JOSEPH’S COAT

by Dušan Týnek Dance Theatre

DEC 18 & 19, 5:00 PM

James Turrell Skyspace

UNSTRUCK

by Kate Weare Company

FEB 12 & 13, 7:30 PM

Historic Asolo Theater

I UNDERSTAND

EVERYTHING BETTER

by David Neumann/ Advanced Beginner Group

MAR 11 & 12, 7:30 PM

Historic Asolo Theater

RELATED PROGRAMS

CONVERSATIONS

SATURDAYS, 2:00 PM

Free program; ticket is required

NOV 7

Alex Ketley/The Foundry

Historic Asolo Theater

DEC 19

Dušan Týnek Dance Theatre

James Turrell Skyspace

FEB 13

Kate Weare Company

Historic Asolo Theater

MAR 12

David Neumann/ Advanced Beginner Group

Historic Asolo Theater

New Stages engagement, Weare delves deeper into her exploration of spontaneous movement with UNSTRUCK—a work created in collaboration with composer Curtis Macdonald. In an intimate trio of unceasing contact and energetic exchange, an ever-morphing sculpture of dance emerges wherein the dancers’ relation to their own bodies and the surrounding space is a sensual one; every gesture is alive to the environment and to all others who inhabit it.

Through a union of creative movement and the expansive character of Japanese Noh theater, David Neumann incorporates technology, weather reports, and personal narratives in an examination of our impulse to report on calamity in the face of trauma and tragedy. As Hurricane Sandy slammed into the eastern US, Neumann’s father was dying, sinking deeper into dementia. To see beyond the surface of catastrophe and to understand what animates death, Neumann drew upon Einstein’s challenge to “look deep into nature and you will understand everything better.” The result is I Understand Everything Better, a “deftly strange and confident” performance, according to The New York Times, that blurs the roles of dying and caretaking, and in Neumann’s words, “walks the thin line between the purely presentational and the deeply personal.”

Since its inception in 2009, The Ringling’s Art of Performance program has aspired to move beyond the mere presentation of contemporary art towards a more active role in the development of the aesthetics of our time. New Stages: The Art of Making Dance bears testament to the vitality of that commitment as The Ringling continues to engage in the work of contemporary performance as it is being realized by living artists in their studios and onstage.

ART OF PERFORMANCE SPONSORS

ASSOCIATE PRODUCER

Bank of America

DIRECTOR

Gerri Aaron

Huisking Family Fund of Community Foundation of Sarasota County

Charlotte and Charles Perret

Publix Super Markets Charities

Ina Schnell

PATRON

Lucia and Steven Almquist

Blalock Walters, P.A.

Kathy and Michael Bush

The Cowles Charitable Trust

Cumberland Advisors

Icard Merrill

Dorothy and Charles Jenkins

Macy’s

Dick and Betty Nimtz

Nancy and Chuck Parrish

Lisa Reese/

The L. Marie Charitable Fund

Stephen and Judith Shank

SpringHill Suites by Marriott

SunTrust Private Wealth Management

Willis A. Smith Construction

Woman’s Exchange Inc.

IN-KIND SUPPORT

ABC7—Your Suncoast News

Bright House Networks

Herald-Tribune Media Group

Sarasota Magazine

Scene Magazine

SpringHill Suites by Marriott

SRQ Media Group

WUSF Public Media

The presentation of The Ringling’s Art of Performance is made possible by the New England Foundation for the Arts’ National Dance Project, with lead funding from the Doris Duke Charitable Foundation and The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation, with additional support from the National Endowment for the Arts.

RIAF 2015 is sponsored in part by the Asian Cultural Council, a nonprofit organization that supports US-Asia exchange through the arts.

List current as of August 1, 2015

NO PASSPORT NEEDED!

WINTER EXHIBITIONS

OFFER VIBRANT TOUR OF GLOBAL CULTURAL TREASURES

This winter The Ringling presents two exhibitions of truly spectacular objects that bring the rich complexity of world cultures to the US. As part of The Ringling’s celebration of Asia, which revolves around the February opening of the Center for Asian Art in the Dr. Helga Wall-Apelt Gallery of Asian Art, visitors will encounter a panoramic view of the cultural heritage of the continent and beyond.

SAMURAI: THE WAY OF THE WARRIOR

JAN 15 – APR 17, 2016

Museum of Art, Searing Wing

“We always aim to expose our audiences and members to the widest variety of cultural material and themes,” said Christopher Jones, The Ringling’s Assistant Curator of Exhibitions. “Through these two exhibitions, visitors will journey across land and sea as they delve into diverse regions and encounter creative practices that have contributed to human civilization over thousands of years.”

INK, SILK AND GOLD: ISLAMIC ART FROM THE MUSEUM OF FINE ARTS, BOSTON

FEB 5 – MAY 1, 2016

Museum of Art, Searing Wing

Samurai: The Way of the Warrior traces a thrilling period of social and political history in Japan by focusing on the ornate arms, armor, and accessories of the legendary samurai warriors, who ruled the insular country from 1185 to 1868. The age of samurai was defined by the military rule of the shogun, during which time elite warriors donned elaborate yet effective battle gear that signified their status and power.

The approximately 70 rare and exquisite objects in the exhibition—including intricately-designed full suits of armor, ornamented helmets, distinctive swords, and adorned swordhilts and saddles—are on loan from the Museo Stibbert in Florence, Italy, which possesses one of the most significant private samurai collections outside Japan. Anglo-Italian Frederick Stibbert began collecting Japanese samurai armor in the 19th century, shortly after Japan opened itself to outside trade and the samurai’s subsequent loss of political and economic power. The exhibition also sheds light on the daily rituals and personal life of samurai warriors with marvelous lacquered writing boxes, incense trays, and foldable chairs.

The exhibition Ink, Silk and Gold: Islamic Art from the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, weaves together a vast geopolitical tapestry whose common thread is Islam. Offering a window into the multifaceted artistic traditions of the Islamic world, and spanning the globe from Spain to Indonesia allows The Ringling to host a conversation about Islamic art as a synthesis of numerous cultures over the centuries.

The Museum of Fine Arts, Boston boasts one of the premier collections of Islamic art in the country, and Ink, Silk and Gold is the first comprehensive presentation of the MFA’s Islamic holdings to the public. The exhibition features approximately 100 superb works of art from the eighth to the 21st century, bringing together silver inlaid metalwork, manuscript pages inscribed with gold, brocaded velvets, lusterpainted ceramics, and more.

The title of the exhibition refers to the centrality of material in Islamic art and how an object’s medium expressively shapes both its form and meaning. Highlights of the exhibition include the monumental Mamluk pulpit door from a mosque, inlaid with ivory and ebony, and magnificent Persian and Mughal carpets. Intricate patterning and Arabic calligraphy unify much of traditional Islamic art and design. One example is the famous Blue Koran in which the gold ink on indigo-dyed parchment could be read as a particularly spectacular night sky. Additionally, a blue-and-white dish from the Ottoman Empire, which emulates Chinese ceramics, and glass and metal vessels that echo Byzantine style underscore the exchange between cultures that has contributed to Islamic art over time.

Photos, left to right:

Sword / Ko-wakizashi; Steel, iron, gold, silver, horn, wood, lacquer, stingray skin; First quarter of the 19th century; Blade: 33.4 cm; Grip: 11.3 cm, Museo Stibbert, Firenze. Mosque Lamp, early 1320s, Egypt (Cairo), Glass with gold and enamel decoration, 27.5 x 20 cm, Gift of Mr. and Mrs. Edward Jackson Holmes. Photograph © 2015 Museum of Fine Arts, Boston.

Prince and Lady under Flowering Branch. Page from an album made for Prince Bahram Mirza, Ink, gold, and color on silk, mounted on paper, Francis Bartlett Donation of 1912 and Picture Fund. Photograph © 2015 Museum of Fine Arts, Boston

Samurai: The Way of the Warrior Exhibition organized by Contemporanea Progetti, Florence, Italy in collaboration with the Museo Stibbert.

Support for this exhibition was provided in part by Sarasota County Tourist Development Tax revenues; the Amicus Foundation Endowment; the Ting Tsung and Wei Fong Chao Foundation Endowment; The Japan Foundation, New York; and The John and Mable Ringling Museum of Art Foundation.

Major Sponsor: PNC Wealth Management

Ink, Silk and Gold: Islamic Art from the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston This exhibition was organized by the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston. Support for this exhibition was provided in part by Sarasota County Tourist Development Tax revenues, the Arthur F. and Ulla R. Searing Endowment, and the William G. and Marie Selby Foundation Endowment.

Major Sponsor: PNC Wealth Management

REMEMBERING Martin A. Arch

1932 – 2015

Marty Arch was known for displaying his wonderful smile wherever he went.

After a successful career creating his own promotional products company in his hometown of Harrisburg, PA, Marty had a lot to be happy about. And his smile accompanied him to his second career—as a volunteer at Temple Emanu-El, Mote Marine Laboratory & Aquarium, Banyan Theater Company, Asolo Repertory Theatre, and The Ringling.

Family might have lured Marty and his wife Barbara to Sarasota in 1994, but it was their experiences volunteering that made it home.

Marty loved driving the tram—it was one of his joys. He was one of the original tram driver volunteers for the Museum at a time when it hardly resembled The Ringling of today. Marty started volunteering just as The Ringling was about to experience a great renaissance supported by his leadership and vision.

“Marty Arch made The Ringling a better place,” Steven High, Executive Director, The Ringling said. “He left behind a legacy of service that will continue to enrich the experience of visitors in the years to come. He will be remembered and missed.”

Over the next 20 years, Marty took on several roles at The Ringling, including work in the Circus Museum and the Art Library. But he never stopped loving his work as a tram driver and getting to know people as he drove them around The Ringling. What started out as a way to fill time after retirement quickly became something far more important. Marty became fascinated with the history of John and Mable Ringling, which led to him becoming

somewhat of an expert on their lives and legacy. The relationships that Marty and Barbara formed at The Ringling became an important part of their social life in Sarasota. Their good friend Tana Sandefur encouraged Marty to join the Board of Directors. Marty was very proud and honored to be elected to the Board of Directors in 2012.

Upon joining the Board, he led the effort to recognize past Board members by providing them with a rose when they returned to events at The Ringling. The roses were a way to remember their service and recognize that they, like Marty, would always be a part of The Ringling family.

“Marty provided the Board his unique business acumen, as well as keen insight gained from his significant volunteer positions. He was a very involved contributor, and serving with him was always enjoyable and rewarding” said Mike Urette, Chair, Board of Directors, The John and Mable Ringling Museum of Art Foundation. “We will miss working with him, and will never forget his passion for The Ringling.”

Marty and Barbara loved many things about The Ringling, but one interest they shared was preserving the history of the circus, both having been fans of the circus since childhood. So it was fitting that while on the Board, Marty vigorously supported plans to upgrade the original Circus Museum building.

Barbara’s commitment to The Ringling continues as a volunteer in the McKay Visitors Pavilion, and when Marty’s friends and family visit, she can direct them to the Rose Garden to remember him—and to smile.

A SEASON FOR OUR MEMBERS

Make your plans to experience these Member-exclusive events that highlight The Ringling’s special exhibitions, dynamic performances, and stimulating programs.

CIRCLE EVENTS

OCTOBER 7

CIRCLE EXHIBITION PREVIEW AND DINNER

Royal Taste: The Art of Princely Courts in Fifteenth-century China

Dr. Fan Zhang, The Ringling’s Dr. Helga Wall-Apelt Associate Curator of Asian Art, joins Circle members for a reception and exhibition preview of these exceptional works of pictorial, sculptural, and decorative art on view for the first time in the US. Dinner on the Gatehouse Patio will immediately follow the tour.

NOVEMBER 4

CIRCLE EXHIBITION PREVIEW AND DINNER

Paul Rudolph: The Guest Houses and Walker Guest House Replica

Join Sarasota Architectural Foundation leaders in viewing the replica of the 1952 Walker Guest House, designed by Paul Rudolph, that presents one of the hallmarks of the “Sarasota School” of modernism. In addition, Dr. Matthew McLendon, The Ringling’s Curator of Modern and Contemporary Art, will conduct a tour of Paul Rudolph: The Guest Houses, a small focus exhibition on the guest houses that Rudolph designed and built in Sarasota. Dinner will follow the tour.

MEMBER EVENTS

OCTOBER 8

MEMBER PREVIEW

Royal Taste: The Art of Princely Courts in Fifteenth-century China

Meet The Ringling’s Dr. Helga Wall-Apelt Associate Curator of Asian Art, Dr. Fan Zhang, who will provide an overview of this exceptional exhibition of works of pictorial, sculptural, and decorative art on view for the first time in the US.

NOVEMBER 20

COFFEE AND CONVERSATION WITH EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR STEVEN HIGH

Join us for an update on the latest happenings at The Ringling, with a special preview of the programs surrounding the Center for Asian Art in the Dr. Helga Wall-Apelt Gallery of Asian Art, opening in February 2016.

FRIENDS EVENTS

OCTOBER 24

FRIENDS OF ASIAN ART

Enjoy a ViewPoint lecture in conjunction with the exhibition

Royal Taste: The Art of Princely Courts in Fifteenth-century China by David M. Robinson, The Robert H.N. Ho Professor of Asian Studies and History, Colgate University. Following the lecture and lunch, a tour of the exhibition will be conducted by Dr. Fan Zhang, the Dr. Helga Wall-Apelt Associate Curator of Asian Art.

OCTOBER 29

FRIENDS OF THE LIBRARY

Join Elisa Hansen, Head of Library Services, in viewing rarelyseen garden books from the Art Library’s special collection during an exclusive Friends reception.

NOVEMBER 3

FRIENDS OF ART OF OUR TIME

“Meet the Artist” Alex Ketley, Artistic Director, The Foundry, will share tales of his travels as he conducted research for his premier performance Deep South, an exploration of dance in the rural southeastern US.

NOVEMBER 12

FRIENDS OF THE RINGLING LEGACY

Travel back in time with Ron McCarty, Keeper of Ca’ d’Zan, who will share the stories behind the art of Willy Pogany and the work of Robert Webb, principal decorative painter of Ca’ d’Zan.

For more information, visit ringling.org

BRINGING MUSIC BACK TO CA’ D’ZAN

Imagine: With the terrace doors open, a wondrous symphonic sound emanates from the Great Court, echoing across Sarasota Bay. Sparkling Gatsbyesque couples dance in the dazzling ballroom to Jazz Age standards. The fragrance of the rose garden perfumes the cool evening breezes along the bayfront. The restoration of Ca’ d’Zan’s spectacular 1925 Aeolian organ will make all of that possible again.

John Ringling ordered his custom-built Aeolian Duo-Art pipe organ in July of 1924, and it was installed in the Great Court at Ca’ d’Zan in January of 1925. The three-manual console included a mechanism that could play recorded music from 440 paper rolls, akin to a player piano. In addition to the organ’s $25,000 price tag, the Ringlings had to pay for their own generators, wiring, and installation, as well as have the organ casement built, which was Gothic in design to match the Venetian palazzo’s architecture. The enormous two-story organ chamber housed 2,289 organ pipes concealed behind two 17th-century Flemish tapestries on the mezzanine level of the Great Court.

Grand organs of this type were a sign of sophistication and glamour among the glittery set of the Gilded Age. The Fricks, Tiffanys, Woolworths, and Vanderbilts all entertained high society at their mansions with Aeolian player organs that boasted stereophonic sound and played everything from classical music to marching band tunes. The glorious theaters of the day possessed similar instruments.

According to Ron McCarty, who has served as Keeper of Ca’ d’Zan since 2002, the organ was truly the heart of the mansion and a key status symbol. As the main room for entertaining, the Great Court regularly hosted organ concerts by major musicians, musicales, and card games with family and friends, which were legendary in Sarasota circles. Mable Ringling loved giving elegant garden parties for 400-500 women, during which the organ would be played, refreshments would be served, and an opera singer might perform a few arias.

Ca’ d’Zan opened to the public in 1946, but it fell into disrepair due to lack of funds for upkeep. In 1996 the restoration of Ca’ d’Zan began, and it reopened in 2002. Unfortunately, the organ could not be refurbished at that time, and the current campaign to restore the organ represents the capstone of Ca’ d’Zan’s conservation project.

Ca’ d’Zan’s AEOLIAN ORGAN

“Restoring this superb organ to its original beauty is really the last thing to do to finish this magnificent mansion,” said McCarty. “It is essentially untouched apart from tuning and the dismantling necessary to conserve it. Just over 1,000 of these unique organs were produced for American homes. During the wars, organ pipes were requisitioned to support the war effort, so it is extremely rare to have an organ of this top-of-the-line quality still intact.”

The Ringling plans to raise $1 million, which will cover the cost of restoring Ca’ d’Zan’s marvelous organ as well as establish an endowment devoted to its maintenance over time.

Among the elements to be restored are the leathers, or bellows; the pipes, which represent a broad range of sizes and sounds and are made of wood, zinc, and lead; and the casement. In addition, all the paper rolls will be digitized and made widely available.

Once restored to its original visual and sonic splendor, the Ca’ d’Zan Aeolian organ will serve as the centerpiece of a new era of musical encounters at The Ringling. From concerts by world-renowned professional organists to recitals by graduate students and emerging artists; from enhancing a docent tour of Ca’ d’Zan to late evenings on the terrace, the refurbished Aeolian organ will offer an enriched and unsurpassed historical experience of The Ringling and its cultural legacy.

“The restoration of John and Mable Ringling’s beautiful organ is critical to properly tell the story of this resplendent Gilded Age mansion and preserve the significant musical heritage that the Ringlings left us,” said Executive Director Steven High. “Now is the ideal time to bring back the joyous heart of Ca’ d’Zan for all to enjoy.”

For more information on the Aeolian organ restoration project and how you can help, please contact:

Anna E. von Gehr Senior Director for Development 941.359.5700 x5804 or anna.vongehr@ringling.fsu.edu

HISTORIC CONTEMPORARY AND COLLECTIONS

to be featured in new Center for Asian Art

Stephen Wilberding

In 2009, Steve Wilberding, a long-time museum supporter as well as a prominent philanthropist, donated a magnificent collection of nearly 70 pieces of tribal Turkomen jewelry to The Ringling. Since that time, the collection has been exhibited in the Searing Wing of the Museum of Art and has been loaned to numerous museums, including the Museum of Arts & Sciences, Daytona Beach, FL and the Museum of Fine Arts, Florida State University, Tallahassee, FL. Beginning in February 2016, this rare and distinctive collection of folk jewelry will be on permanent display in The Ringling’s new Center for Asian Art in the Dr. Helga Wall-Apelt Gallery of Asian Art.

Mr. Wilberding spent 30 years living abroad, including over five years in Saudi Arabia. He and his late wife Ann (known as Stevie) acquired the Turkomen works directly from tribal traders, particularly Tekke Turkomen people, who traveled from Afghanistan to the large trading community in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.

“I have lived in a lot of interesting places, and we liked to collect art and artifacts from wherever we were,” said Mr. Wilberding. “We knew on an instinctual level that the jewelry was significant because of the design and craftsmanship it exhibited but, at the time we were collecting in the mid-1980s, we did not know exactly why. We did realize, however, that the pieces echo a strong cultural tradition while offering spectacular visual richness.”

Photos, left to right: Yomud Tribe; Silver, gold, carnelian; 67.3 x 20.3 x 2 cm Gift of Stephen Van C. Wilberding, 2009 Stephen Wilberding and Steven High Artist Zhu Wei with Patty and Dean Miller

The jewelry—earrings, tiaras, bracelets, and large breastplates—was everyday attire for the women of these semi-nomadic tribespeople and also an indicator of wealth. “The gift of this incredible and singular collection is a testament to Steve Wilberding’s long-standing support of The Ringling, and allows the Museum to present an even more expansive view of Asian art,” said The Ringling’s Executive Director Steven High.

“I encourage anyone approaching these objects for the first time to take the opportunity to look closely and rely on your own individual response before trying to decipher the iconography. There is such a vitality to the pieces, with

For information on ways you can support Asian art at The Ringling, please contact Anna E. von Gehr, Senior Director for Development at 941.359.5700 x5804 or anna.vongehr@ringling.fsu.edu

simple yet elegant shapes and patterns that reflect Islamic architecture and calligraphy as well as vernacular forms,” said Mr. Wilberding.

“The Ringling is a jewel in Sarasota’s cultural crown,” he continued. “I am excited to showcase this unique collection at The Ringling and provide a window into a corner of the world that is little understood.” Mr. Wilberding resides in Nokomis with his wife, Teri Hansen. They both are actively involved with The Ringling and look forward to the opening of the new Center for Asian Art.

Dean and Patty Miller

When Dean and Patty Miller first encountered Zhu Wei’s work over dinner one evening at the Raffles Hotel in Singapore in the mid-1990s, they were thoroughly intrigued and immediately inquired about the artist. Within a few days, the couple became official patrons of his work, having convinced the gallery owner, who represented the popular artist and was out of inventory, to sell them his own painting by Zhu Wei. Over the years the Millers became friends with Zhu Wei, who is based in Beijing, and purchased several additional pieces by the artist.

“What is so compelling and provocative about Zhu Wei’s imagery is his merging of traditional materials—primarily ink on paper— with contemporary style and subject matter,” said Mr. Miller. “His project represents a fascinating intersection of Western and Eastern aesthetics and concerns. We really got hooked.”

During the course of their 15 years of living in Asia—primarily Singapore and Tokyo—the Millers raised a family and immersed themselves in the visual culture of the region. In addition to works by Zhu Wei, they collected an eclectic array of art and antiques from China, Japan, and Southeast Asia, including Buddhist objects.

The Millers, who relocated to Sarasota from Manhattan, have chosen to lend The Ringling the most recent painting, by Zhu Wei, that they purchased for their collection—a monumental composition measuring approximately 8 x 10 feet. The painting will reside on long-term loan among The Ringling’s growing modern and contemporary collection in the new Center for Asian Art in the Dr. Helga Wall-Apelt Gallery of Asian Art.

“The Ringling is profoundly grateful to the Millers for this generous loan that provides audiences with important access to a fresh and captivating voice in contemporary Asian art,” said The Ringling’s Executive Director Steven High.

“We adore The Ringling and were thrilled to learn about the Museum’s plans for the Center for Asian Art,” Mrs. Miller said. “We look forward to sharing this painting—our favorite piece— and allow others to fall in love with and enjoy Zhu Wei’s work, just as we have, in this beautiful new space.”

THE RINGLING’S DYNAMIC K-12 PROGRAMS

ENHANCE AND ENRICH CLASSROOM LEARNING

SATURDAYS FOR EDUCATORS

2015-2016

NOVEMBER 7, 2015

Getting to Know the Bayfront Gardens

JANUARY 16, 2016

Samurai: The Way of the Warrior

FEBRUARY 27, 2016

Ink, Silk and Gold: Islamic Art from the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston

MAY 7, 2016

When I Ran Away with the Circus

Whether experiencing a 500-year-old painting in the Museum, the splendor of the Venetian Gothic architecture of Ca’ d’Zan, or the reality of moving an immense traveling circus by wagon and rail, cross-disciplinary and cross-platform opportunities for teaching and learning at The Ringling are everywhere.

As the State Art Museum of Florida, The Ringling takes seriously its responsibility to educate the region’s young people. The Ringling’s free educational programs for K-12 students form the heart of its mission to increase the cultural literacy of Florida’s citizens from a young age and to serve as a critical catalyst in their understanding of the community’s important heritage.

“The Ringling’s offerings geared towards school-age learners evolve and respond to the needs of the students and teachers,” said Curator of Education Maureen Zaremba. “Through novel instructional approaches and tools, we endeavor to truly bring this historic campus and its collections to life and share what makes this place so special—and fun. Our tours represent a handshake across time for students.”

“First and foremost, The Ringling’s educational role is to be a place where students from a diverse array of backgrounds can have transformative learning experiences. The Ringling is their museum, though for many students, this will be their first visit to a museum site,” said Bonnie Thomas, Scholastic Programs Coordinator. “Building on that, we aim to engage students by amplifying what they learn in the classroom and providing a stimulating learning environment that fosters meaningful conversations and new pathways to knowledge.”

WHAT DOES THIS LOOK LIKE IN PRACTICE?

A menu of thematic and age-appropriate tours led by trained volunteer docents is offered at the Museum of Art and Ca’ d’Zan. For example, “Meet The Ringling” introduces students to the organization itself and to the experience of looking at art and may be adapted for any grade level, while students in grades 4-8 can experience the Roaring Twenties by touring The Ringling’s bayfront palazzo. At the Museum of Art, K-5 students can take an animal safari and explore the notion of symbolism in art, middle school students might examine the role and use of color to create meaning, and high school students can discuss myths and legends reflected in works of art.

More than 10,000 students and chaperones tour The Ringling every year, many accompanied by docents who are well versed in how to engage younger audiences through active looking and interpretation. Ringling docents are passionate about facilitating the best possible experience for school-age students. A considerable amount of preparation goes into each individual school tour in order to assist teachers in achieving their goals for the visit and complementing classwork.

“Learning concepts in any subject matter is made more concrete through physical objects, so we always prioritize close looking in order to expand what students have been exploring in the classroom and to relate it to the real world,” said Thomas.

Educators may also customize their own self-guided tours of The Ringling, leading their students to any venue, allowing for increased flexibility and endless possibilities to make curriculum connections. For instance, at the Tibbals Learning Center, students can witness a sprawling miniature circus and interactive galleries that explore the circus during its heyday. To prepare for such a visit, The Ringling has developed a variety of resources and activities that correspond to different venues, themes, and exhibitions.

Supplementing the tour offerings are professional development workshops for K-12 teachers in all subject areas that are offered several times throughout the school year. This Saturdays for Educators series provides teachers with not only a toolkit and materials to incorporate The Ringling’s collections into their lesson plans but also an opportunity to refresh, recharge, and share.

THE RINGLING’S EDUCATIONAL ROLE IS TO BE A PLACE WHERE STUDENTS FROM A DIVERSE ARRAY OF BACKGROUNDS CAN HAVE TRANSFORMATIVE LEARNING EXPERIENCES

NOV 17 – 21

MEMBERS DOUBLE DISCOUNT DAYS

ENJOY 20% OFF IN-STORE AND ONLINE

a. Make a bold statement with this dramatic necklace of pressed glass, polaris, cats eye, and Swarovski cubes. $245

b. Add a touch of elegant playfulness to your style with this colorful silk scarf featuring a decorative vignette from the Ballroom ceiling in Ca’ d’Zan. $60

c. Create a different sculpture each day with this colorful magnetic acrobat set. Three acrobats, two hoops, and one spiral can be arranged on the metal base in endless combinations to create a different balancing act each time. $45

The Ringling MUSEUM STORE

Shop Daily In-Store 10:00 AM – 5:30 PM

Thursdays until 8:00 PM

Shop Anytime, Anywhere. TheRinglingStore.org

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