The Ringling Magazine | January – April 2016

The opening of The Ringling’s spectacular new Center for Asian Art in the Dr. Helga Wall-Apelt Gallery of Asian Art this spring caps a particularly exciting chapter in our history and presents an ideal opportunity to reflect on the changes to the campus that have taken place over the last 15 years since Florida State University’s stewardship began.

Since that time we have fully renovated the Museum of Art and Ca’ d’Zan, added the Ulla R. and Arthur F. Searing Wing to the Museum of Art that allows us to host traveling exhibitions, and transformed the Circus Museum through the addition of the Tibbals Learning Center, which includes interactive galleries and a state-of-the-art archives storage facility. In 2006, we opened the John M. McKay Visitors Pavilion, which now houses the restored Historic Asolo Theater, and in 2011 opened Joseph’s Coat, the largest signature James Turrell skyspace, in the William G. and Marie Selby Courtyard. And we built the Johnson-Blalock Education Center with collection storage facilities, an art research library, and a state-of-the-art conservation lab to further improve the operations of The Ringling.

Building on this strategic momentum, our latest project is the renovation of the 1960s addition to the Museum of Art, which is now joined by the beautiful 6,800 square-foot pavilion designed by the architectural firm Machado Silvetti to create the Center for Asian Art. The Center will foster the exploration of historical and contemporary Asian cultures through research, exhibitions, and programs and will make The Ringling a destination for the study of Asian arts.

This journey to enhance and expand The Ringling’s built environment has included a complete rehabilitation of our grounds and gardens, and we now offer educational tours and workshops to inform visitors about the hundreds of species of trees and shrubs that inhabit our magnificent bayfront gardens. In 2010, a waterfront landscaping improvement plan was implemented to create the David F. Bolger Promenade and Campiello, allowing visitors to enjoy the breathtaking view of the bay as well as social events, dancing, and entertainment. In addition, the David F. Bolger Playspace was opened in 2014 and is a must-see for every young family as it has been named by Parents magazine as one of the ten best places to visit before your child turns ten.

Looking ahead, the Kotler-Coville Glass Pavilion, which features, among other key amenities, a formal entrance to the Historic Asolo Theater, is scheduled to break ground in the spring of 2016. It will showcase The Ringling’s stunning collection of studio glass, which includes recent generous donations by Nancy and Philip Kotler and Margot and Warren Coville.

For making all this growth possible, I extend my profound thanks to all of you, our loyal supporters, to an incredibly dedicated, talented, and hardworking staff, and to Florida State University, our parent institution. I look forward to celebrating this transformative moment for The Ringling with you.

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

Dr. Sally E. McRorie Provost

Peter Weishar

Dean, College of Fine Arts

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

Zhong

from a Daoist monastery on Mount Wudang, China, the birthplace of tai chi, leads a Community Workshop on tai chi in front of the

CELEBRATING THE RINGLING’S NEW CENTER FOR ASIAN ART

Early this spring The Ringling will debut a stunning and comprehensive center for the study and appreciation of Asian art and culture. Encompassing more than 20,000 square feet, the Center for Asian Art in the Dr. Helga WallApelt Gallery of Asian Art will foster the exploration of historical and contemporary Asian art through exhibitions, research, and programs celebrating the breadth and depth of Asian artistic achievements. In February, Ringling donors and members will enjoy a special opportunity to preview the new galleries and two major special exhibitions— Samurai: The Way of the Warrior and Ink, Silk and Gold: Islamic Art from the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston. In May, The Ringling will host a day-long community festival celebrating the grand opening of the Center.

The Center for Asian Art will include galleries dedicated to rotating installations of The Ringling’s Asian art holdings, a 125-seat lecture hall, an object and print study room, and open storage spaces to increase public access to the collections. The new three-story pavilion connects to the existing Museum of Art on every floor, and includes a covered forecourt on the ground floor with shaded space for rest and contemplation. There is a gallery on the second floor and a lecture hall featuring flexible space on the third level for meetings and events, overlooking The Ringling’s beautiful grounds and Sarasota Bay.

Dr. Helga Wall-Apelt provided the generous leadership funding for the Center and the endowment of The Ringling’s Asian art curatorship. In addition, several lead gifts from area foundations and individuals combined to make the Center a reality. Most recently, a substantial gift of $250,000 from the William G. and Marie Selby Foundation was instrumental in finalizing the fundraising effort for the new Center and was recognized in the naming of the Grand Hall. “We believe strongly that this Center will

enhance the quality of life for our community,” said Sarah Pappas, President, William G. and Marie Selby Foundation. “With its focus on education, research, and partnership, and on developing new audiences through exhibitions and programs, The Ringling’s Center for Asian Art was an ideal match for our funding priorities.”

The Ringling commissioned the renowned architecture and design firm Machado Silvetti, based in Boston, to design the new Center. Founded in 1985 by partners Rodolfo Machado and Jorge Silvetti, the firm has developed an international reputation for its work with museums and educational institutions and for its sensitive and inspired joining of contemporary and historic buildings. “Though a modestly-sized building, the project’s mandate was formally quite complex. The objective was to remodel the existing 1966 spaces and merge them with a distinctive new addition that embodies its own unique design, following the guidelines of the National Register of Historic Places. And, in the process, the goal was to create an architecturally significant statement that would not be seen anywhere else,” said Machado. “We hope visitors will come away with a fresh awareness of the value of architecture and how it can inform inventive new approaches and profound responses to visual art,” Machado added.

“Through the creation of this Center, The Ringling underscores its dedication to, and investment in, the arts of Asia,” said Steven High, Executive Director of The Ringling. “The Center will allow us to cultivate strategic partnerships with individuals and institutions around the globe, making Sarasota and The Ringling an important site for both scholars and enthusiasts of Asian art and culture. As part of a leading research university like Florida State University (FSU), this Center gives us the ability to connect with faculty and students on a whole new level.”

The new pavilion is itself a work of art, its façade a mosaic of custom green-glazed terra cotta tiles that respond to the tonality and textures of The Ringling’s architecture and landscape. Produced by Boston Valley Terra Cotta in Buffalo, New York, the tiles were inspired by the shades of jade found in Asian art, garden ornaments, and pavilions, and designed to evoke colors found in The Ringling’s lush natural gardens and grounds.

Terra cotta was selected for its beauty, durability, and moisture resistance, and for its historic use

on The Ringling’s campus, most notably at Ca’ d’Zan. Terra cotta is also one of the oldest and most reliable building materials in the history of architecture and has been used in traditional Eastern architecture for millennia.

The three main display areas in the Center for Asian Art include the Ting Tsung & Wei Fong Chao Foundation Gallery (opening in May) featuring objects from China, Japan, Korea, India, and other regions in South and Southeast Asia; the galleria, which presents works of art that reflect the cultural exchanges that occurred between West and East in the ages of the Silk Road and maritime trade; and the gallery in the new pavilion, which is dedicated to 20th- and 21st-century Asian art.

In addition to premier galleries for viewing and understanding Asian art, the Center’s portfolio embraces a broader academic initiative in concert with The Ringling’s parent institution, FSU. In the future, undergraduate and graduate Asian art history seminars, primarily

Fan, China, circa 19th century, Lacquered wood, 39.7 × 18.2 cm, Gift of Mr. and Mrs. Irving G. Snyder, from the Collection of Helen Campbell Kerr, 1974.

geared towards local college and university students, will be taught onsite, and scholars from a range of fields will be in residence to conduct research for publication and presentation. The lecture hall will host visiting specialists and artists. Visitors from around the world will be able to experience objects up close in the study room, and public programs for all ages focused on the arts and cultures of Asia will be expanded.

But The Ringling’s new Center for Asian Art is not confined within the walls of the new facility. It represents a platform for Asian art and culture that permeates the entire campus—from the numerous exhibitions that The Ringling organizes, to Asian-themed performances at the Ringling International Arts Festival, to the corresponding educational programs organized to further engage audiences. “We look forward to sharing with our supportive community of visitors, donors and collectors, our wonderful Friends of Asian Art group, and students, scholars, and museums worldwide what this robust and exciting multidisciplinary resource will make possible,” said High. “Our profound thanks to FSU for providing its generous support at every stage of this rewarding journey.”

“Florida State University is enormously proud to support The Ringling's ambitious Asian art initiatives through this dynamic new Center," said FSU President John Thrasher. "With the arts and cultures of Asia continuing to grow in importance, a center devoted to their study and display is critical to educate future global citizens."

Photos, left to right:

Vase (with dragon handles), China, Qing dynasty, reign of Kangxi, 1662-1722, Porcelain, 53 × 18 × 19 cm, Gift of Ira and Nancy Koger, 2001.

Preaching of the Buddha (detail), Gandhara, 3rd or 4th century, Gray schist, 30.5 × 26 × 6.5 cm, Gift of Eleanor B. Lehner, 1994. Kotondo Torii (Japanese, 1900-1976), Rain (detail), 1929, later limited edition print, Color woodcut on paper, 46.3 × 30 cm, Gift of Charles and Robyn Citrin, 2014.

THE INCOMPARABLE BOB JOHNSON 1934 –

2015

Tireless advocate for the state of Florida. Champion of the arts, education, and the environment. Great family man and friend. Skilled mentor and connector. Generous with his time, expertise, and resources. These are just some of the ways Bob Johnson has been warmly remembered since his passing in late August 2015. As an attorney and distinguished member of the Florida State House of Representatives and Senate, Johnson toiled every day on behalf of causes that he felt would make a difference, including The Ringling.

“Bob Johnson was an irreplaceable friend to, and ambassador for, The Ringling over the years,” said Steven High, Executive Director. “He was instrumental in brokering the partnership with Florida State University in 2000 and introducing new board members who have also had a tremendous impact on the future of The Ringling. His leadership and vision will be greatly missed, but I know his guiding presence will be with us for generations.”

“With its rich history and architectural significance, Bob knew instinctively that The Ringling was a vital treasure that must be supported, celebrated, and leveraged as a driver for the continued growth of this county and region,” said Sam Skogstad, Bob’s

friend for over 50 years and a long-term supporter of The Ringling. Paul Hudson, Vice Chair, Board of Directors, The John and Mable Ringling Museum of Art Foundation, added “As a key member of the Board of Directors for many years, Bob put his blood, sweat, and tears into The Ringling, spearheading fundraising and efforts to attract supporters to deliver needed funding for strategic Ringling programs and facilities.”

It was only natural that when the time came, The Ringling would recognize Johnson’s outstanding contributions by honoring him through the naming of the Johnson-Blalock Education Center, a premier state-of-the-art facility that houses The Ringling’s collections storage, research library, conservation lab, and administration.

“While his achievements were many, I know the members of the Sarasota/Bradenton and FSU communities will perhaps miss most of all Bob Johnson’s friendship and wisdom” said FSU President John Thrasher. “I think those of us fortunate to have known him would agree that he represented the very best kind of public servant—caring, selfless, and devoted to efforts he knew would make life richer, fuller, and better for the rest of us.”

(left to right) Bob Johnson, Governor Rick Scott, and Steven High

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.

PREVIEW OF THE CENTER FOR ASIAN ART IN THE DR. HELGA WALL-APELT GALLERY OF ASIAN ART

FEB 17, 5:00 – 10:00 PM

BOARD OF DIRECTORS & CIRCLE PREVIEW RECEPTION AND DINNER

Guests will be the first to tour the exhibitions featured in the new Center and will experience an evening of entertainment and fine dining in the new Center and surrounding galleries.

FEB 18, 3:00 – 7:00 PM

MEMBERS PREVIEW AND RECEPTION

Members will be treated to an exclusive preview of the new Center and a special viewing of Samurai: The Way of the Warrior and Ink, Silk and Gold: Islamic Art from the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston

STATE OF THE RINGLING WITH EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR STEVEN HIGH

MAR 1, 9:00 – 10:30 AM

Join fellow Ringling supporters for breakfast and a presentation on The Ringling. Gain an insider’s perspective on key initiatives taking place this year and our plans for the future.

MEMBER EVENTS

JAN 28, 4:00 – 6:00 PM

CIRCLE EVENT / BEHIND THE SCENES AT THE RINGLING ART LIBRARY

Have you ever wondered what role The Ringling Art Library plays at the Museum? Join us for a behind-the-scenes presentation and reception with Library and Education staff as we explore the Museum and public programs that are created through the cooperation of these two vital departments within The Ringling.

MAR 11, 5:00 – 7:00 PM

CIRCLE EVENT / CIRCLE RECOGNITION

Join Executive Director Steven High and Ringling staff as we thank you for your philanthropic support over the past year. Following the cocktail reception, we would like to invite you to attend a New Stages performance of I Understand Everything Better by choreographer/performer David Neumann, 7:30 PM.

MAR 14, 4:00 – 5:00 PM

MABLE RINGLING'S BIRTHDAY CELEBRATION

Supporting and Partner members are invited to join us for tea in the Rose Garden to celebrate Mable Ringling's 140th birthday.

APR 13, 4:00 – 6:00 PM

CIRCLE EVENT / BEHIND THE SCENES WITH THE CIRCUS

Join Deborah Walk, Tibbals Curator of the Circus Museum, and Jennifer Lemmer Posey, Assistant Curator of the Circus Museum, for a special look at the circus collection with highlights for the upcoming year. Presentation and reception in the Tibbals Learning Center.

FRIENDS EVENTS

JAN 7, 5:00 – 7:00 PM

FRIENDS OF ART OF OUR TIME

Enjoy conversation with the architects of the Kotler-Coville Glass Pavilion, for which The Ringling will break ground in the spring of 2016. A reception will follow.

JAN 14, 4:00 – 6:00 PM

FRIENDS OF ASIAN ART

Exclusive exhibition preview of Samurai: The Way of the Warrior and reception presented by Christopher Jones, The Ringling’s Assistant Curator of Exhibitions.

JAN 22, 3:00 – 4:30 PM

FRIENDS OF THE RINGLING ART LIBRARY

Special guest speaker, James Tapley, Book Conservator, will give an informal talk on the care and restoration of rare books. Private reception will follow.

FEB 10, 2:00 – 3:30 PM

FRIENDS OF THE RINGLING LEGACY

Working with the Sarasota Garden Club, The Ringling recently renovated Mable Ringling’s Secret Garden. Learn the reasons why this revitalization was undertaken, the processes involved, and the new educational opportunities that are now available. Hosted by Kevin Greene, Landscape Superintendent.

FEB 11, NOON – 1:00 PM

FRIENDS OF THE RINGLING ART LIBRARY

Join Dr. Daphne Rosenzweig, Professor of Art History at Ringling College of Art and Design, for a Friends luncheon in the Sandefur private dining room in Muse at The Ringling following the Conversations public lecture at 10:30 AM.

MAR 2, 5:00 – 7:00 PM

FRIENDS OF THE RINGLING LEGACY

Join Deborah Walk, Tibbals Curator of the Circus Museum, and Kelly Zacovic, Tibbals Collection Specialist, for a preview of the new poster exhibition from the Tibbals International Collection. Learn how these rich materials aid The Ringling in showcasing the history of the circus as a global phenomenon.

MAR 3, 9:30 – 11:00 AM

FRIENDS OF ART OF OUR TIME

Join Dwight Currie, Curator of Performance, and Dr. Matthew McLendon, Curator, Modern and Contemporary Art, as they discuss how The Ringling is adding to the national contemporary conversation by commissioning and acquiring works and collecting from premier artists.

MAR 22, 10:00 – 11:30 AM

FRIENDS OF THE RINGLING LEGACY

Join Dr. Virginia Brilliant, Curator of Collections, for an in-depth look at two of her favorite Old Master paintings in the Museum of Art’s storage vault. Hear about her recent research and new discoveries about these magnificent works of art.

KOTLER-COVILLE GLASS PAVILION

HIGHLIGHTS GLASS COLLECTION AND WELCOMES PERFORMING ARTS AUDIENCES

Fifty years after the emergence of the studio glass movement in the US and the revival of glass art in post-war Europe, glass has become a highly esteemed and immensely popular medium. The Sarasota region boasts a high concentration of studio glass objects and collectors, and its prominence in the contemporary glass world continues to rise.

In April, The Ringling will break ground on the 5,500-square-foot KotlerCoville Glass Pavilion, which will be sited adjacent to the John M. McKay Visitors Pavilion. Opening in 2017, it will showcase The Ringling’s growing permanent collection of American and European studio glass, including major gifts donated by Nancy and Philip Kotler and Margot and Warren Coville. These remarkable collections will comprise the majority of works on display in a dramatic space that has been designed to emphasize the objects’ dazzling brilliance.

“Thanks to the generous gifts from the Kotler and Coville families, historic and contemporary studio glass is a new and exciting collecting focus for The Ringling,” said Matthew McLendon, Curator of Modern and Contemporary Art. “These objects and the Kotler-Coville Glass Pavilion allow The Ringling to increase public access to the collection and introduce or reintroduce our community to the importance of studio glass.”

WE ARE DELIGHTED TO SUPPORT THE RINGLING IN DEVELOPING AND SHOWCASING ITS GROWING STUDIO GLASS COLLECTION AND LOOK FORWARD TO SHARING THE MEDIUM’S MANY FACETS THROUGH THIS MARVELOUS NEW PAVILION

– Kotler and Coville families

Designed by Lewis + Whitlock, a regional architectural firm recognized for its commitment to innovative and sustainable design, the KotlerCoville Glass Pavilion is the first building that visitors will encounter upon entering the grounds through the historic Ca' d’Zan gate. The prominence of this visually striking building is intended to signal that one is leaving behind the everyday and entering an extraordinary place. The Kotler-Coville Glass Pavilion will be characterized by an engaging sculptural façade, which uses glass as a principal material, enabling views into the gallery from the outside while, at the same time, controlling light levels. Additionally, minimal interior finishes will provide a neutral backdrop to the works on display.

“It was only natural that the Kotler-Coville Glass Pavilion’s dynamic façade, with its light-controlling fins, would be inspired by the sculptural effects that wind and water have on sand, a principal ingredient in the glass-making process,” said Hays Layerd, Creative Director, Lewis + Whitlock. “Working together with The Ringling leaders to realize their vision of this important new addition to their historic site was exceptionally gratifying.”

As a sign of its continuing commitment to the glass medium and its development, The Ringling recently acquired Sideboard with Blue China, a monumental and intricate wood and glass sideboard by renowned American artist Beth Lipman. The acquisition of this important new glass work was made possible by a major gift from Dan Denton, Board member of The John and Mable Ringling Museum of Art Foundation and founder of Sarasota Magazine. “I was inspired by the collecting achievements and generosity of the Kotlers and Covilles,” Denton said. “I wanted to honor them and show my strong support for the Ringling’s contemporary initiatives, and when I learned that the sideboard—so magnificent when I first saw it in the

exhibition Precarious Possessions—was at the top of Matthew McLendon’s wish list, I was thrilled to make the commitment. The work’s grandeur evokes the Ringling’s history, its subject matter speaks directly to the Museum’s mission of collecting, and in its transparency it defers respectfully to the spectacular Kotler and Coville collections that will surround it."

In addition to exhibiting rotating selections from The Ringling’s glass collection, the Kotler-Coville Glass Pavilion will just as importantly serve as the new formal entrance to the Historic Asolo Theater. “The Kotler-Coville Glass Pavilion provides a wonderful new entrance and reception areas for The Ringling’s performing arts patrons, as well as much-needed rehearsal space and accommodations for our guest artists,” said Dwight Currie, Curator of Performance.

“The Ringling’s strategic goals have included improving the flow of visitors upon arrival, providing the Historic Asolo Theater with its own dedicated lobby entrance, and growing our studio glass collection,” said Executive Director Steven High. “It is a wonderful new entry experience for our visitors and one that strongly communicates that The Ringling is a significant presenter of both visual and performing arts and has a commitment to performers and visual artists engaged in creating the art of our time.”

PHANTOM BODIES:

THE HUMAN AURA IN ART

CHRISTIAN BOLTANSKI

JANET CARDIFF

SHIRIN NESHAT

MAGDALENA ABAKANOWICZ

DORIS SALCEDO

ANISH KAPOOR

SALLY MANN

ANA MENDIETA

DAMIEN HIRST

GERHARD RICHTER

BILL VIOLA

EXPLORING THEMES OF LOSS, MEMORY, AND SPIRITUALITY

When The Ringling’s Curator of Modern and Contemporary Art Dr. Matthew McLendon first learned about the exhibition Phantom Bodies, he knew that it was going to be a special opportunity for visitors, and thoroughly in keeping with The Ringling’s ambitious contemporary art program.

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 McLendon and will be on view in the Museum of Art’s Searing Wing in the summer of 2016.

The 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.

“The opportunity to present this group of contemporary artists, who are all important voices within global contemporary art, was simply too good to pass up,” said McLendon. “There was no question in my mind that we should bring this captivating exhibition, which grapples with major critical issues that have consumed artists for decades, to Ringling audiences.”

Among the coterie of top international artists represented in Phantom Bodies are Christian Boltanski, Janet Cardiff, Shirin Neshat, Magdalena Abakanowicz, Doris Salcedo, Anish Kapoor, Sally Mann, Ana Mendieta, Damien Hirst, Gerhard Richter, and Bill Viola. Binding the works together is an empathic and poetic dialogue between artist and audience, a transfer of energy between creator and witness similar to the transmutation of the objects themselves into pure meaning.

For example, Doris Salcedo—who last year received the inaugural Nasher Prize for Sculpture and had a major retrospective at the Guggenheim Museum in New York—

addresses the turmoil and tragedy of her native Colombia through her powerful work Atrabillarios (1992–93), which incorporates, in a walled enclosure, the shoes of people who have disappeared. In a similar vein, Christian Boltanski movingly references the Holocaust by pairing archival school portraits with stacks of vibrant clothing in Untitled (Reserve) (1989).

Photographers Sally Mann and Adam Fuss employ nearobsolete techniques to create images that impart a spiritual essence and life force. In Mann’s series Proud Flesh (2003–08), the collodion wet plate allows her to experiment with timeless, soft-focus impressions of bodily fragments, while Fuss’s innovative use of the camera-free photogram in Medusa (2010) results in snakes invading a ghostly oldfashioned dress.

Meanwhile Bill Viola in Isolde’s Ascension (The Shape of Light in Space After Death) (2005) and Shirin Neshat in The Seasons (2011) engage video to evocatively question our definition of existence and plaintively mourn the loss of innocence, respectively.

A fully-illustrated publication extends the exhibition and includes essays by leading scholars of contemporary art, including exhibition curator Mark Scala, Martha Buskirk, Eleanor Heartney, and Lisa Saltzman.

“Issues of the body and embodiment have always intrigued me,” said McLendon. “The connection forged in Phantom Bodies between artists and the human presence left behind in objects is both provocative and profoundly moving.”

“As a center dedicated to the arts, education, research, and history, The Ringling believes that exploring the art of our time is key to understanding the art of the past,” said McLendon. “One of the through-lines in this exhibition is the examination of how objects can embody and reanimate emotions, feelings, and memories, which speaks to the broader purpose of museums to create meaningful personal experiences through works of art.”

Adam Fuss (British, b. 1961). Medusa, from the series Home and the World, 2010. Gelatin silver print photogram, edition 3 of 9, 94 1/2 x 56 3/4 in. Courtesy of the artist and Cheim & Read, New York. © Adam Fuss

UNDERGROUND RINGLING

STYLISHLY CASUAL EVENINGS OF MUSIC, ART, AND COMMUNITY DRAW THE YOUNG AND YOUNG AT HEART

Museums across the country, of all stripes and sizes, are wrestling with how to attract and retain younger adult audiences—the next generation of arts supporters and collectors. Surrounded by the abundance of colleges and young professionals in Sarasota and Manatee counties, The Ringling is perfectly positioned to appeal to this particularly dynamic and creative demographic. In this spirit, The Ringling launched a new initiative called Ringling Underground in the fall of 2012. Now in its fourth season, Ringling Underground presents six events over the academic year—September through November, and February through April—on the first Thursday of the month, from 8 to 11 PM.

These events feature an eclectic mix of local and regional live music, work by emerging artists, access to select galleries, and the community coming together to mingle and celebrate the fine and performing arts in the Museum of Art Courtyard.

Affairs at The Ringling. “We work with Sarasota artist Natalya Swanson who cultivates relationships with local galleries and promising young artists to organize the art on display, and with area musician Shannon Fortner who is familiar first-hand with the regional indie-alternative scene to identify terrific bands.”

“Ringling Underground has a relaxed atmosphere in a beautiful and unique setting,” said Berry. “From the early planning stages, we definitely wanted the event to be in the courtyard since it is the heart of the Museum of Art and in direct proximity to the galleries.”

With all of its moving parts to keep a large crowd interested and engaged over three hours, Ringling Underground requires a great deal of logistical coordination between the Events and Education teams, and with outside consultants and vendors. This entails the development of fun and interactive art and educational activities, the booking of bands for three sets of music, and coordinating the delivery of artwork. The Ringling contracts with LJ Productions that creates incredible sound and lighting and provides an MC who makes attendees aware of all the evening’s offerings. In addition, Ringling Underground partners with various local businesses for each event, which provide a range of valuable services that both enhance the event and build community relations.

Since its inception, Ringling Underground has grown exponentially as word has spread about this lively opportunity to experience The Ringling after hours. With the Museum of Art, Circus Museum, Joseph’s Coat Skyspace, and grounds always open on Thursdays until 8 PM, Ringling Underground also builds a loyal audience from those already onsite. Recent Ringling Underground events have attracted over 900 attendees.

“We’re really working to make Ringling Underground a casual, cool, and comfortable atmosphere for visitors of all ages,” said Alyssa Esteban, Public Functions Coordinator at The Ringling. “We also try to involve young adults in the development of the program itself with the aim of increasing their ownership of the event. For example, last year students from Ringling College of Art and Design live-streamed several Ringling Underground events.”

“Ringling Underground is all about original work—music and visual art,” said David Berry, Assistant Director of Academic

“We’re always looking for opportunities to collaborate with establishments and organizations in the area through this event,” said Esteban. “It broadens our reach and broadcasts the message that there is something for everyone at The Ringling.”

And the payoff? Young adult visitorship has steadily increased since the inauguration of Ringling Underground. As Ringling Underground welcomes everyone—families, students, professionals, seniors—each event has represented a winning fusion of people of diverse ages, backgrounds, and experiences—the young and the young at heart.

Thursdays until 8:00 PM

Shop Anytime, Anywhere. TheRinglingStore.org

941.359.5700 x1110

DAZZLING JEWELRY DISCOVER

Shop at The Ringling Museum Store this year where you will find something for everyone— from beautiful jewelry to artful scarves to modern desktop mobiles.

Shop in-store or online at ringling.org

Look glamorous without spending a fortune with these carnelian and 22k gold-plated earrings $54

A beauty that stands the test of time, this 22k goldplated cuff with carnelian and blue lace agate stones was inspired by jewelry from ancient times. $130

Embedded 24k gold foil between clear and colored glass gives this stunning piece its shimmering and lustrous qualities. $495