The Ringling Magazine | May – September 2017

Lynsey Addario, Killis Camp, Turkish/Syrian Border in Turkey, October 22, 2013 (detail). Archival pigment print. Courtesy of the artist.

As the largest museum in Florida, The Ringling is woven into the fabric of this community in countless ways. While our approximately 425,000 annual visitors come from every state in the US and many countries around the globe, the bulk of our visitors are Florida residents. In the last five years, as our overall attendance has doubled, we have tripled the percentage of visitors from our immediate community of Sarasota and Manatee Counties—now more than 34% of annual visitorship—and our membership has grown to over 9,000 households.

Guided by the concept of The Ringling as the community’s living room, we have worked diligently on a variety of outreach efforts to make The Ringling an accessible and enjoyable experience for all. Our success in building local audiences has been driven by numerous factors, including broadening relationships with key community groups, significantly expanding our teaching and learning programs, and enhancing social opportunities around art.

Among these important initiatives is The Ringling’s active school tours program, which includes fully subsidized bus transportation and welcomes more than 11,000 school-age students to The Ringling every year. Our Summer Learning Academy hosts elementary-age children from area schools to prevent summer learning loss among at-risk students. The Ringling’s partnership with Forty Carrots provides free art classes to young children onsite and at local libraries. And Artful Families provides free admission to underserved families and encourages two-generation learning at The Ringling.

For adults, The Ringling offers 10,000 tours every year on a range of interpretive topics. Ringling Underground presents a community-curated evening of area musicians and visual art. FSU and The Ringling are also members of a consortium of local colleges and universities dedicated to sharing resources and promoting the Sarasota region as an educational, creative, and professional destination.

On the exhibitions front, Skyway: A Contemporary Collaboration, jointly organized by The Ringling, Tampa Museum of Art, and St. Petersburg Museum of Fine Arts, will feature recent work by a juried selection of local and regional artists this summer and fall.

I look forward to seeing you at The Ringling, your community museum, very soon.

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

Paul G. Hudson, Chair

Frances D. Fergusson, Vice Chair

Daniel J. Denton, Treasurer

Nancy J. Parrish, Secretary

Ellen S. Berman

Madeleine H. Berman

Thomas J. Charters

Rebecca Donelson

George R. Ellis

Kenneth J. Feld

Darrel E. Flanel

Jeffrey R. Hotchkiss

Dorothy C. Jenkins

Thomas W. Jennings, Jr.

James A. Joseph

Nancy Kotler

Patricia R. Lombard

Thomas B. Luzier

Tina Shao Napoli

Michael R. Pender

Michéle Redwine

Margaret A. Rolando

Ina L. Schnell

Judith F. Shank

Jane Skogstad

Javi Suarez

Howard C. Tibbals

James B. Tollerton

Michael E. Urette

Larry A. Wickless

EX-OFFICIO BOARD MEMBERS

David L. Emison, Chair, Volunteer Services Advisory Council

Wilmer Pearson, Chair, Docent Advisory Council

Steven High

Executive Director

ISSN 2165-4085

The Ringling's 2016-2017 programming season is supported in part by Sarasota County Tourist Development Tax revenues.

Photo of RIAF 2017 artists, Nobuntu, by Werner Puntigam | pntgm EAR X EYE

AFTERMATH: THE FALLOUT OF WAR—AMERICA AND THE MIDDLE EAST ON

VIEW

With armed conflicts and their resulting loss, displacement, and geopolitical insecurity a constant presence in the news cycle, artists around the world are grappling with how to make sense of it all. This fall The Ringling presents a particularly timely examination of photography and time-based art created in response to the violence that has erupted in the Middle East, particularly Iraq and Afghanistan, since 9/11.

“These incredibly powerful and haunting images, which have not been seen in the broader media, will resonate with audiences looking for a more profound understanding of what is taking place halfway around the world and the experiences of our veterans abroad and back in their own neighborhoods,” said Christopher Jones, The Ringling’s Associate Curator of Photography and Exhibitions.

Taken together, the 90 photographs, two videos, and interactive component in the exhibition raise important questions, provoke compassion, and inspire reflection. Active in the US and Middle East, the dozen artists in the exhibition depict the conditions and people caught in the crossfire of wars in Iraq, Afghanistan, Syria, Lebanon, Libya, Palestine, and Israel from a variety of perspectives.

The international cast of artists included in Aftermath are Lynsey Addario, Jananne Al-Ani, Stephen Dupont, Jennifer Karady, Gloriann Liu, Ben Lowy, Rania Matar, Eman Mohammed, Simon Norfolk, Farah Nosh, Suzanne Opton, and Michal Rovner.

OCT 6, 2017 – JAN 21, 2018

From reportage to contemporary art practice, the images in the exhibition depict civilians dealing with the immediate fallout of these conflicts, as well as war veterans trying to cope with their reintegration into civilian life. Some of the most recent work on view includes representations of the refugee crisis—photographs that bring us up close to the personal, human face of so many who have lost so much.

“Through a variety of approaches and traditions, these photographers and photojournalists, both those who are from the regions in conflict as well as their American and European counterparts, have produced some of the most deeply affecting images I have seen,” said Jones.

Organized by Carol McCusker, Curator of Photography at the University of Florida’s Harn Museum of Art, the exhibition focuses on a select group of work by each artist, allowing for a thoughtful consideration of their visual choices and broader concerns. “Bringing these artists together under the rubric of Aftermath generates a deeper understanding of history, the current crises, as well as positive dialogue about the shared future of America and the Middle East. It asks viewers to set aside biases and see simply something familiarly human.”

The exhibition is accompanied by a fully illustrated catalogue with eloquent contributions from the curator, Pulitzer Prize-winning author Dexter Filkins, and poets Lisa Suhair Majaj and Kirun Kapur, among many others. A number of educational programs have been organized

in conjunction with the exhibition in order to provide meaningful context and augment and deepen the visitor experience.

Among the images on view are striking large-format portraits of a cross-section of the citizenry of Kabul, Afghanistan, by Australian photographer Stephen Dupont (born 1967).

Rania Matar (Lebanese American, born 1964) is interested in capturing the everyday lives of Beirut civilians, including Syrian refugee children, and the ordinary personal detritus left in the wake of war’s destruction. In her series Soldier, American photographer Suzanne Opton (born 1954) positions the

heads of U.S. veterans of Iraq and Afghanistan on their side, in moving and vulnerable dialogue with the viewer. And Jananne Al-Ani (Irish Iraqi, born 1966) is represented by a film, Shadow Sites II, of ominous, captivating, and abstracted aerial views of Middle Eastern landscapes, a journey of survey mapping meant to evoke layers of meaning, history, and memories.

Aftermath is made possible by the Andy Warhol Foundation for the Visual Arts, the National Endowment for the Arts, the Harn 25th Anniversary Fund, the Florida Division of Cultural Affairs, the Joanne L. and Edward R. Block Charitable Trust, with additional support from the Harn Curator of Photography Endowment.

Eman Mohammed, Baraa Azam sits in front of his ruined house. n.d. Archival pigment print. From the series What Lies Beneath the Rubble. Loan and image courtesy of the photographer.

Art museums are uniquely positioned to help children develop critical thinking and language skills. The process of observing and discussing works of art has been shown to increase a child’s ability to draw inferences and think critically. However, studies have shown that those who could most benefit from such experiences, children from at-risk and fragile families, are the least likely to have them.

In order to better serve these families, arts organizations across the country have been developing accessible programming. For several years The Ringling has offered many ways for people to engage with the museum. Regular programs that are free or low-cost are designed specifically to be financially accessible. Recently, with the support of a board driven initiative for enhancing community engagement, the Museum delved deeper, to see if these programs were reaching their target audience. Research was conducted and uncovered that at risk families often have a negative affinity towards museums.

A NEW MODEL FOR REACHING AT-RISK FAMILIES

With support from the Community Foundation of Sarasota County, The Ringling launched Artful Families, a pilot program that explores new ways of engaging adult caregivers. This method represents a significant paradigm shift. Many museums offer free passes to students participating in school tours, placing the burden of returning with their family on the child. The Aspen Institute conducted compelling research on the importance of involving parents and adult caregivers as well as children in programming, creating the Two Generation Lens Model. The Community Foundation has been utilizing this model as a way to provide opportunities for vulnerable families and was eager to work with The Ringling on a revolutionary approach to family involvement. “Knowing how experiential cultural opportunities encourage creative thinking and problem-solving skills and can be a wonderful family experience, the Community Foundation is proud to be a partner in this meaningful collaboration,” says Roxie Jerde, president and CEO of the Community Foundation of Sarasota County. “Often, the families who need these experiences the

most have the most limited access to them, and we have to do our best to tap into opportunities to break down barriers. Anyone who has been stirred by the arts can vouch for its power. With creativity quickly becoming the currency of the century, this initiative will provide these families with valuable life experiences and make wonderful family memories.”

The Museum had existing relationships with two local nonprofit organizations, Forty Carrots and Visible Men Academy, to reach at-risk families, so it was a natural progression to involve them in this new program. Through this partnership The Ringling was able to begin building bonds with participating families. Forty Carrots and Visible Men Academy invited museum educators to enhance existing programming at their respective locations, which allowed parents and their children to get to know The Ringling’s education team in a familiar environment.

These families then visited the Museum to participate in programming specifically designed for them. In addition to activities for children, the adult caregivers were given their own tours. These tours allowed them to see first-hand how

The Ringling could be relevant to them and how their families could benefit from increased engagement with the Museum. These experiences began to erode the preconceived notions that many had about The Ringling.

Following this personalized introduction, each family was given a complimentary Museum Family Membership. Museum staff let participants know that the organization values them and wants them to visit often, participate in programming, and utilize all the benefits of membership. In addition to creating a strong bond with these families, The Ringling now has an important data source, as the Museum’s membership system logs each visit the families make. In the coming months the Museum will be able to evaluate the program and identify remaining roadblocks through interviewing participants and assessing the number of their museum visits.

The early success of this program enabled The Ringling to receive a grant from The Charles & Margery Barancik Foundation. This four-year $175,000 gift will support an expansion and continuation of Artful Families into the formal program The Ringling WEB: Where Everyone Belongs.

“Through the humanizing influence of art, The Ringling WEB will elevate families beyond their day-to-day perspective. We are pleased to support this important work,” said Teri A Hansen, Barancik Foundation President|CEO. This grant will allow The Ringling to hire a full-time Community Engagement Officer to work with additional nonprofit service providers in Sarasota and Manatee counties to bring the program to 200 at-risk families in the community each year for four years.

"We are honored and grateful to have the leadership and support of the Barancik Foundation as well as the guidance of the community foundation for this important initiative," said Steven High, Executive Director, The Ringling.

This project will transform The Ringling’s ability to connect with the local community across economic barriers. The Museum is committed to being a welcoming place of learning and wonder for everyone, and wants families to incorporate the Museum into their lives as a place for young learners to develop tools for a successful future. The Ringling WEB will empower parents of at-risk families in the Sarasota area to facilitate regular, meaningful museum visits with their children, centered on conversation, exploration, and play around works of art.

A Season for our MEMBERS

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

MEMBER EVENTS

MAY 3 • 9:00-10:30AM

COFFEE AND CONVERSATION

Supporting-level Members and above Coffee and conversation with Executive Director Steven High, who will highlight upcoming programs and exhibitions.

WED, JUN 7 • 5:30 – 9:00 PM

CIRCLE EXHIBITION PREVIEW AND DINNER

Eternal Offerings: Chinese Ritual Bronzes from the Minneapolis Institute of Art and Circle of Animals/Zodiac Heads Join Steven High, Executive Director, to celebrate the opening of these two major Asian exhibitions from China. Dinner will follow the reception and preview.

THU, JUN 8 • 4:00 – 7:00 PM

MEMBER PREVIEW

Eternal Offerings: Chinese Ritual Bronzes from the Minneapolis Institute of Art and Circle of Animals/Zodiac Heads

4:00 – 5:00 PM

VIP Members Preview

Supporting-level Members and above With the Executive Director and Curator

5:00 – 7:00 PM

All Members Preview, light bites, and beverages.

THANK YOU!

THU, AUG 17 • 6:00 – 8:00 PM

CIRCLE BEHIND THE SCENES RECEPTION WITH ARTISTS

Skyway: A Contemporary Collaboration Join us for a celebration of contemporary art in the Tampa Bay area through the collaboration of The Ringling, Museum of Fine Arts St. Petersburg, and Tampa Museum of Art. Reception to follow in the Museum of Art, Gallery 12.

FAMILY MEMBER EVENTS

Family Days are fun for the whole family! Join us for art making and activity stations.

SAT, MAY 13 • 11:00 AM – 2:00 PM

Family Day: Art of Our Time

SAT, JUN 17 • 11:00 AM – 2:00 PM

Family Day: Eternal Offerings

SAT, JUL 15 • 11:00 AM – 2:00 PM

Family Day: Skyway

FRIENDS EVENTS

WED, MAY 16 • 3:30 – 5:00 PM

FRIENDS OF THE LIBRARY

Elisa Hansen, Head of Library Services, presents “The Librarian’s Choice: Selected Treasures from the Art Library’s Vaults." Enjoy a look at unique volumes from the Library’s special collections. Light refreshments will be served.

Expanding the Benefits of Membership

Thanks to the great relationship between The Ringling and Tableseide Restaurant Group, we are pleased to announce that a 10% discount is available to Museum Members & their guests at all of Tableseide's establishments.

Simply show your Ringling membership card to receive your 10% discount!

Your 15% discount at MUSE and Banyan Cafe remains unchanged. Bon Appétit!

Louie's Modern 1289 North Palm Ave Sarasota, FL 34236 941.552.9688

Libby’s Café and the L Bar 1917 S. Osprey Ave Sarasota, FL 34236 941.487.7300

Oak & Stone 5405 University Parkway University Park, FL 34201 941.225.4590

WELCOME MICHELLE MOSELEY

The Ringling welcomes Michelle Moseley as Senior Development Officer. In this role Michelle manages sponsorships for exhibitions and programming as well as the Annual Fund program, which makes many of The Ringling’s educational programs, technological advances and exhibitions possible.

“The Ringling is built on a rich legacy and has an extremely exciting future. I am thrilled to be supporting its mission with such a great team of people,” said Michelle Moseley.

Michelle not only brings expertise in major gift fundraising but also a passion and strong knowledge of the arts and museums to The Ringling. She holds a BFA in studio art and a master’s degree in education with an emphasis in art from the University of Central Oklahoma (UCO.) In 2007, Michelle

received an award from the African American Faculty and Staff Association for her role in the completion of the first and only African American mural on UCO’s campus.

Michelle has worked for the Saint Louis Art Museum and the Tampa Museum of Art. Most recently, she served as the manager of development for the College of Education and Professional Studies at the University of Central Oklahoma. In May 2017, she will graduate with a second master’s degree in museum studies from the University of Oklahoma.

“Michelle’s deep understanding of the museum world and enthusiasm for the arts will help advance The Ringling’s initiatives and programming. She is an excellent addition to our team,” said Anna Von Gehr, Senior Director for Development.

PRESTIGIOUS GRANT AWARDED TO THE RINGLING

Last September, The Ringling was awarded a grant of $120,650 by the Institute for Museum and Library Services (IMLS) for an important project to upgrade the Museum’s onsite storage capacity. This generous grant, made through the prestigious IMLS Museums for America program, supported the purchase of 34 custom painting storage screens and two rolled storage racks, which were installed in The Ringling’s art storage vault and conservation laboratory in April of this year.

These painting screens and rolled storage units are museumgrade stainless steel racks specially designed to safely store paintings that are not on view in the Museum galleries. The installation of these screens allowed us to begin to move approximately 160 paintings formerly stored offsite—most dating from before 1800—back to Museum property for safe storage. This will mean that The Ringling’s entire collection of paintings will be housed onsite for the first time in many years.

As part of this work, the paintings themselves will be closely examined by conservation staff, newly photographed, and recorded in our collections database. Having the paintings

onsite will allow them to be more easily studied, consulted, and conserved by Museum staff and visiting scholars.

We are extremely grateful to IMLS for its generous support of this project, which will have both an immediate and lasting impact on our ability to preserve and study The Ringling’s internationally recognized collection of paintings.

Conservator preparing a condition report for a painting in off-site storage in preparation for the move to the museum’s onsite storage vault.

RIAF 2017 RIAF 2017

EXPECT THE UNEXPLORED EXPLORE THE UNEXPECTED

2017 RINGLING INTERNATIONAL ARTS FESTIVAL

OCT 18 – 21

For adventurous aficionados of ground-breaking art, the 2017 Ringling International Arts Festival (RIAF) presents a dynamic array of innovative, provocative, and ingenious expressions of music, movement, and mass spectacle. With a roster of international artists hailing from Belgium to Zimbabwe, RIAF challenges festivalgoers to expect the unexplored and to explore the unexpected at this annual exhibition of contemporary performance.

A musical spectrum spanning the folkloric to the avant-garde is found in the festival’s two music ensembles. From Zimbabwe comes Nobuntu, the acclaimed a cappella quintet. Having performed throughout Africa and across Europe, this

ensemble of young women makes its US debut at RIAF with an inventive program ranging from traditional Zimbabwean songs to Afro Jazz and Gospel. Performed with pure voices, augmented by minimalistic percussion, traditional instruments, and authentic dance, Nobuntu honors its eponymous values of humility, love, unity, and family with an aim to transcend racial, tribal, and religious boundaries.

Closer to home, the virtuosi of ensemblenewSRQ bring two provocative encounters with new music to the galleries of The Ringling Museum of Art. In the first, the mysteries of sound and space are explored in the music of John Luther Adams as performed in the James Turrell

Photo by Werner Puntigam

Photo courtesy of artist

Photo courtesy of artist

Photo by Franz Ritschel

Skyspace; in the second, the profound challenges of Luciano Berio’s Sequenzas are embraced in an immersive experience set in the Huntington Gallery. As Sarasota’s newest collective of musicians, ensemblenewSRQ is reinventing the concert experience by inspiring audiences to participate in a new and ever-evolving musical culture.

Dance is both medium and message in two choreographic interpretations of 21st-century life. Operatic in scope and scale, Ing an Die weaves a palate of choreographic languages with symbolic imagery into a shape-shifting love story told amidst a pre-apocalyptic landscape. Choreographer James McGinn travels from his studios in Antwerp, Belgium, to present this work to a hometown audience in Sarasota. As an alum of Booker High School’s acclaimed Visual and Performing Arts program, McGinn trained in the US and Europe and has performed with such leaders in contemporary dance as Jonah Bokaer, Wally Cardona, Miguel Gutierrez, Ishmael Houston-Jones, John Jasperse, and many others.

Monica Bill Barnes & Company is a contemporary American dance ensemble that “brings dance where it does not belong.” Each new work they present is created and produced from

a unique rulebook and set within the context of a borrowed environment. For Happy Hour, The Ringling Circus Museum is transformed into the Side Show Cabaret, where "two guys”— desperate to be popular—crash an after-hours party only to be hilariously inept in their quest. Performed by Monica Bill Barnes and Anna Bass, Happy Hour starts with cocktails and laughs yet evolves into a life-changing event.

The narrative journey from image to stage is explored in two productions diametrically juxtaposed in scope and scale. Winner of the Total Theatre Award for Innovation at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe, Portraits in Motion presents the intimate, yet broadly revealing, “thumb cinema” of photographer Volker Gerling. Since 2003, Gerling has walked over 3,500 km throughout his native Germany, sharing and creating flipbook portraits of the people he has met along the way in a heartwarming and moving solo performance.

In contrast, WANTED, by the Italian ensemble eVenti Verticale, is an outdoor performance spectacle set before a three-story high video screen. High overhead, two “wanted” men are on the run. Suspended in air, they take us on an adventurous trip that teeters between the fictions of animation and the pseudo-reality of computer graphics in this exhilarating work of aerial theater.

Finally, the production most emblematic of the RIAF spirit of adventure is White Rabbit Red Rabbit by playwright Nassim Soleimanpour. Forbidden to leave his native Iran, Soleimanpour has distilled the experience of a generation born amidst the hardship of the Iran-Iraq war into a wild, utterly original play. But the script comes to us in sealed envelopes and is presented to a solo actor at the onset of each performance. There is no rehearsal and no direction. The drama is realized in real time by both actor and audience in a cold reading of the script.

RIAF marks the opening of The Ringling’s Art of Performance season. New Stages follows in November and continues through April with a six-part series of global music featuring ensembles from Europe, South America, and the US.

Photo courtesy of artist

Photo by Mallory Lynn

Photo courtesy of artist Programming is subject to change

BELLO NOCK

Sarasota’s Favorite Comedic Daredevil

Comes to The Ringling

This summer promises to be a hair-raising event when Feld Entertainment brings Bello Nock back to the Sarasota stage. Bello, the world-renowned, gravity-defying comedic daredevil with the unmistakable foot-high hair, returns to his hometown to engage audiences with his lovable personality, trademark humor, and playful antics.

“This year marks Feld Entertainment’s 50th anniversary for making family memories, and we wanted to celebrate the occasion through our partnership with The Ringling. What better way than to bring laughter and thrills from a hometown favorite to our local community,” said Alana Feld, Executive Vice President of Feld Entertainment, Inc.

Named “America’s Best Clown” by TIME Magazine, Bello wowed millions while headlining in Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey productions from 2000 – 2008. Presenting Bello in the intimate setting of the Historic Asolo Theater gives audiences a unique opportunity to be in the center of the action. Experience an up-close view of his amazing feats, mystifying magic and high-wire hijinks from any seat in the house.

Bello, a seventh generation circus performer, will be joined onstage by his daughter, Annaliese Nock, an outstanding talent in her own right. She recently set a Guinness World Record by becoming the first and only female to complete four somersaults in the Wheel of Wonder in less than 60 seconds!

This limited engagement is a must-see event—sure to amaze audiences this summer.

ABOUT BELLO NOCK

Bello’s unique blend of endearing comedy and jaw-dropping daredevil stunts is magnetic. His motto? “No one should need more than the edge of their seat!” An international talent, Bello was the youngest inductee into the “Circus Ring of Fame.” He has won the “Gold Clown” at the 2011 Monte Carlo International Circus Festival, the Walt Disney Creative Entertainment Award and top honors at festivals in France, Russia, Switzerland, and Japan, including Grand Champion of the 2013 DAIDOGEI World Cup in Shizuoka. Bello’s most recent challenge was “TheUltimate!” a Rube Goldberg-inspired stunt combining 15 of the most thrilling stunts into one super-stunt performance.

SKYWAY:

A CONTEMPORARY COLLABORATION

This past December, curators Christopher Jones from The Ringling, Robin Odell and Katherine Pill from the Museum of Fine Arts St. Petersburg, Seth Pevnick and Joanna Robotham from the Tampa Museum of Art, and guest juror Diana Nawi from the Perez Museum in Miami scrutinized hundreds of entries submitted by artist-residents in Hillsborough, Manatee, Pinellas, and Sarasota County. Submissions of every medium, genre, and size were allowed, as were proposals for installations and performances. The only caveat was that all works of art must be new—nothing created before 2016 was accepted. The intent was to highlight what is happening right at this moment in the area’s burgeoning art scene.

In all, 57 different artists have been selected to exhibit, and from June 24 to October 15 their work will be displayed at one of the three Tampa Bay area institutions as part of the exhibition Skyway: A Contemporary Collaboration.

Artists from each area will be highlighted at all three museums, showcasing the diversity of talent and work in the region. “This region is home to several premier arts organizations and schools, which create a nurturing environment for contemporary art practice. I have long been aware of the significant community of artists here, but was extremely impressed with the level of work submitted,” said Christopher Jones, Associate Curator of Photography and Exhibitions at The Ringling.

The show is not only a celebration of contemporary art in the Tampa Bay area but also an exercise in collaboration among the museums, fostering a sense of a greater network and community. It is the very first time that the three leading art museums in the area have worked in such close collaboration to simultaneously provide a single exhibition. “This is a wonderful opportunity to connect our institutions across the bridge and bring together a broader audience,” reflected Steven High, Executive Director at The Ringling.

Special thank you to Douglas B. Thweatt for the establishment of the Paul Grootkerk Memorial Endowment for exhibition support.

Walter Matthews, Futurist Feelings, 2016. Acrylic on canvas Courtesy of the Artist

CIRCLE OF ANIMALS / ZODIAC HEADS

In reinterpreting these objects on an oversized scale, Ai Weiwei focuses attention on questions of looting and repatriation, while extending his ongoing exploration of the 'fake' and the copy in relation to the original. He states that each piece is “a copy of an original, but not an exact copy— something that has its own sensitive layer of languages, which are different, and that bears the mark of our time.”

The Ringling is pleased to announce the presentation of Chinese artist Ai Weiwei’s 12 monumental bronze sculptures, Circle of Animals/Zodiac Heads, from June 9, 2017 through June 1, 2018. A sculptor, photographer, installation artist, architect, and social activist, Ai is one of the most renowned artists working today.

Circle of Animals/Zodiac Heads was inspired by the fabled fountain-clock of the Yuanming Yuan, an 18th-century imperial retreat just outside Beijing. Designed in the 18th century by two European Jesuits at the behest of the Manchu Emperor Qianlong, the fountain-clock featured the animals of the Chinese zodiac, each spouting water at twohour intervals. In 1860, the Yuanming Yuan was ransacked by French and British troops, and the heads were pillaged.

Seven out of the 12 animal heads in Ai’s piece are based on the original fountain works that have been discovered—rat, ox, tiger, rabbit, horse, monkey, and boar. The remaining five are the artist’s reimagining of the currently missing artifacts—dragon, snake, goat, rooster, and dog. The dual title of the work addresses the artist’s desire that the piece be relatable on many different levels and to people who may not know the original sculpture’s history.

The sculptures will be placed on The Ringling’s grounds which are free and open to the public. “As part of our ongoing series of year-long artist projects on our grounds, we are thrilled to feature this year an important work by the internationally renowned artist Ai Weiwei. At once whimsical and thought provoking, I look forward to watching our guests engage with these sculptures throughout the year,” said Executive Director Steven High.

The 12 bronze Zodiac Heads stand on bronze columns. Each animal head measures approximately 4 feet high and 3 feet wide. The animal heads on their columns reach between 9.8 and 12 feet high, with each one weighing approximately 800 lbs. This group of works, (including a smaller copy in gold) has been exhibited worldwide since the official launch of the Zodiac Heads in 2011, making it one of the most viewed sculpture projects in the history of contemporary art.

Above:

Zodiac Heads installation view, Pulitzer Fountain, New York City, May 2011. Photo by Daniel Avila

Right:

Rooster 144” h x 53” w x 55” d Private Collection

Images courtesy of Ai Weiwei

Photo by Tim Nighswander

HOT OFF THE PRESS! The new edition of…

The Ringling MUSEUM STORE

Open Daily 10:00 AM – 5:30 PM

Thursdays until 8:00 PM

941.359.5700 x1110

Celebrating the over 60 years since Howard Tibbals began his lifelong passion of building The Howard Bros. Circus Model, this book features new photos and information throughout— including the continued expansion of the miniature model since The Tibbals Learning Center opened in 2006. $10.95

MAY 7 – 14

MOTHER’S DAY SALE

Save 15% (Members save 25%) on our unique selection of beautiful jewelry from local, national and international artists, elegant scarves and shawls, and artistic bags. Find the perfect gift for the Mother in your life! Excludes already-reduced merchandise.