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 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."