THE RINGLING MARKS FIVE-YEAR ANNIVERSARY OF ART OF OUR TIME

The Ringling celebrates the five-year anniversary of its vibrant and wide-ranging Art of Our Time initiative to present and commission new works by contemporary artists in the visual and performance fields. The Ringling’s Art of Our Time program is designed to build a fertile environment for artistic inquiry, experimentation, and collaboration; provide a public platform for new works by emerging and mid-career artists; and develop meaningful relationships between artists and audiences that provide a fresh perspective on our shared experiences and diverse world views.

Major Gift And New Permanent Galleries Honor The Occasion

initiative was conceived to fulfill this promise by supporting contemporary artists through its budding residency program as well as performances and exhibitions that transform audience expectations. “The Ringling is one of those rare places where the performance and visual arts converge, where genres are interconnected, and new original work is enabled,” said Dr. Matthew McLendon, Curator of Modern and Contemporary Art. “Through the Art of Our Time, we are establishing The Ringling and Sarasota as a major player in global, multidisciplinary cultural pursuits.”

Dwight Currie, Curator of Performance, adds, “The Art of Our Time allows The Ringling to present timebased and durational art in a way that reframes the art of the past and brings our historic collections to life in new ways.”

At the core of The Ringling’s mission is the promise to serve as a powerful generator of creative ideas and innovative partnerships. The Art of Our Time

The Ringling International Arts Festival (RIAF)— which last fall celebrated its seventh season in the Historic Asolo Theater—and Joseph’s Coat, a signature Skyspace by internationally-renowned artist James Turrell unveiled in 2011, exemplify The Ringling’s expanded commitment to contemporary visual and performance art. The Ringling’s Art of Our Time initiative was launched in order to revitalize a program of contemporary art and performance that began in the 1940s under the leadership of A. Everett “Chick” Austin Jr., The Ringling’s first director.

Earlier this year Keith Monda and his wife, Linda, announced a major gift of $500,000 to support The Ringling’s Art of Our Time programming and name a new gallery of contemporary art. The Keith D. and Linda L. Monda Gallery of Contemporary Art, a prominent 2,400-square-foot space in the Museum of Art, will showcase exciting new projects by living artists. A multisensory site-specific installation by American artist Anne Patterson will inaugurate the Monda Gallery this fall. Steven High adds, “This generous gift from Keith and Linda Monda is a profound investment in, and endorsement of, contemporary art at The Ringling, reflecting our institutional heritage and identity."

“Linda and I are thrilled to be able to make this commitment to support The Ringling’s significant Art of Our Time initiative,” said Keith Monda, “From exhibitions to performance, contemporary discourse has become ever more integral to The Ringling’s programmatic reputation for thoughtful risk-taking and remarkable discoveries. We are especially pleased to be able to impact young people through this gift to assist in fostering a lively and enriching environment at The Ringling that allows them to experience the unexpected and find inspiration and motivation through contemporary art and culture.”

The Monda Gallery, an intentionally raw and flexible space located in the West Wing of the Museum of Art, is one of six spaces that combined will total more than 9,500 square feet of gallery space at The Ringling devoted to the display of 20th-and 21st-century works of art. This marks the first time that The Ringling will present modern and contemporary art on such a broad scale and on a permanent ongoing basis.

“The Monda Gallery is expressly designed to offer a blank slate for today’s most creative visual and time-based practitioners,” said McLendon. “This extraordinary gift from the Mondas is a tremendous affirmation of our multiyear strategy to increase The Ringling’s engagement with contemporary voices. I am so gratified that many more genre-defying 21st-century artists, often overlooked and outside the mainstream, will now have an even broader platform.”

In addition to the Monda Gallery, four prominent galleries in the Ulla R. and Arthur F. Searing Wing, dedicated to modern and contemporary art, will open this fall. The Kotler-Coville Glass Pavilion will join these new spaces in the fall of 2017.

The Kotler-Coville Glass Pavilion will serve as a key site for experiencing the Art of Our Time, further strengthening The Ringling’s identity as a significant presenter of cross- disciplinary time-based and visual art. In addition to showcasing its stunning collection of American and European studio art glass, the Kotler-Coville Glass Pavilion will provide many essential functions that will enhance the captivating contemporary performance series in the Historic Asolo Theater: a new dedicated entrance and reception areas for theater audiences and expanded rehearsal space and accommodations for the performing artists.

The Mondas, Kotlers, and Covilles join Gulf Coast Community Foundation, which has served as the lead sponsor of Art of Our Time for the past four years, in supporting the Museum’s efforts in bringing challenging contemporary visual and performance art to the community. “Ensuring vibrant, high-quality arts is critical to keeping our region competitive and continuing to welcome people of all ages. The Ringling's Art of Our Time program really sets Sarasota apart, and it rewards those of us who live here,” said Gulf Coast Community Foundation President and CEO Mark Pritchett.

As a dynamic art museum built on a legacy of global cultural history, The Ringling is dedicated to collecting, exhibiting, and engaging with the art of our time through visual arts, performance, research, and educational programs. Steven High adds, “The community can now be assured that there is a prominent and permanent place for world-class modern and contemporary art here at The Ringling. We are happy to invite the community to visit us often and enjoy the largest collection of visual and performance art in our region.”

The Ringling seeks to raise $5 million over the next five years to support Art of Our Time programming. If you would like to become involved in ensuring the long-term success of this important initiative, please contact: Anna von Gehr

Senior Director for Development

941-359-5700 x 5804 or anna.vongehr@ringling.fsu.edu

UP CLOSE: RINGLING MEMBER JOHN FISHER

With nearly 18 years and more than 17,000 hours of volunteering under his belt—more accumulated hours by far than any other volunteer at The Ringling—John Fisher is an essential member of The Ringling family and has a wealth of institutional memory.

John, who moved to Sarasota in 1996 after 34 years in customer service at Kansas City Power and Light, became a member of The Ringling in 1997 and first began volunteering in 1998 as a tram driver. The bulk of his volunteering has been serving as a docent and assisting with various projects in Membership.

“Everything was a lot different at The Ringling when I started,” said John. “It has been particularly exciting to witness the growth, the new construction, and the updating of the grounds over the years.”

“People have asked what I most enjoy about my volunteering at The Ringling, and without question it is engaging with the delightful people I encounter—my fellow volunteers, the dedicated staff, and of course the visitors,” shared John.

“John is one of the most supremely dedicated volunteers we have ever had at The Ringling,” said Hollie Corbitt, Volunteer Program Coordinator. “He is also unique in that he is one of the few docents who has trained to conduct tours through multiple venues, which include the Circus Museum, the Museum of Art, and Ca' d’Zan.”

As a result of John’s remarkable service at The Ringling, he has been the recipient of the outstanding volunteer award from the Florida Association of Museums and has been recognized for excellence in customer service by the Visit Sarasota County Convention and Visitors Bureau.

“One of my most memorable experiences was when a gentleman on one of my tours shared that he didn’t like or understand art before his visit but that he changed his mind as a result of the tour and that he would definitely be back,” said John. “That was tremendously gratifying.”

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

MAY 3, 9:30 – 10:30 AM

COFFEE AND CONVERSATION

WITH EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR STEVEN HIGH

Join us for an informal update on the latest happenings at The Ringling, with a special preview of the programming for 2017.

JUNE 15, 5:30 – 9:00 PM

CIRCLE EXHIBITION PREVIEW AND DINNER

PHANTOM BODIES: THE HUMAN AURA IN ART

Dr. Matthew McLendon, The Ringling’s Curator of Modern and Contemporary Art, joins Circle Members for this preview of this exceptional exhibition of paintings, photography, videos, sculpture, and installations by leading contemporary artists.

Dinner will follow in Muse at The Ringling.

Member Events

JUNE 16, 5:00 - 7:00 PM

MEMBERS PREVIEW

PHANTOM BODIES: THE HUMAN AURA IN ART

Dr. Matthew McLendon, The Ringling’s Curator of Modern and Contemporary Art, will provide an overview of this exceptional exhibition of paintings, photography, videos, sculpture, and installations by leading contemporary artists.

JOHN RINGLING'S 150TH BIRTHDAY CELEBRATION

SAVE THE DATE!

ALL MEMBERS INVITED

MAY 31, 5:30 – 7:00 PM

$40 per person

Join the Board of Directors of The John and Mable Ringling Museum of Art Foundation in a celebration of John Ringling’s 150th birthday.

Details to come