The Ringling Magazine | January – April 2018

Toni Dove, Lucid Possession, video still, Theo and Bean with the Petbot, 2013. ©Toni Dove.

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

EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

Steven High

BOARD OF DIRECTORS

Paul G. Hudson, Chair

Nancy J. Parrish, Vice Chair

Frances D. Fergusson, Treasurer

Daniel J. Denton, Secretary

Ellen S. Berman

Madeleine H. Berman

Thomas J. Charters

Rebecca Donelson

Kenneth J. Feld

Darrel E. Flanel

Jeffrey R. Hotchkiss

Robert D. Hunter

Thomas F. Icard, Jr.

Dorothy C. Jenkins

Thomas W. Jennings, Jr.

James A. Joseph

Nancy Kotler

Patricia R. Lombard

Thomas B. Luzier

Lisa A. Merritt

Tina Shao Napoli

Sarah H. Pappas

Michael R. Pender

Margaret A. Rolando

Ina L. Schnell

Judith F. Shank

Javi Suarez

Edward M. Swan, Jr.

Howard C. Tibbals

Larry A. Wickless

EX-OFFICIO BOARD MEMBERS

David L. Emison, Chair, Volunteer Services Advisory Council

Wilmer Pearson, Chair, Docent Advisory Council

Elizabeth Dimmitt, Community Representative to the Board

ISSN 2165-4085

This season at The Ringling is a strong testament to our dedication in presenting the best in art and performance to the widest possible audience. 2018 begins with the anticipated unveiling of the KotlerCoville Glass Pavilion. The building not only has galleries that are open to the public free of charge, but also rehearsal space for our guest artists, allowing the museum to work more collaboratively with performers. It is fitting that the first performers to use it will be the quartet, ETHEL, presenting Circus: Wandering City, a world premiere work commissioned by The Ringling and inspired by the magic of the circus.

In February two exciting exhibitions open which highlight our commitment to the Art of Our Time. Embodied Machines presents Toni Dove’s genre defying works of visual and performance art, while Branded/Unbranded, a collection of Hank Willis Thomas’s photographs, questions the role of advertising in the stereotyping of women. Later in the year, the fascinating costume designs of Miles White come to our galleries. During the 1940s White and others created a completely new look and feel to the circus.

We are always looking for new ways to engage with our visitors. In this issue you can read about a state-of-the-art interactive play experience coming to the Museum, the incredible expansion of our online collections, and a new induction loop installed in the theater to better serve our hearing impaired guests.

As we enter a new year I want to thank each of you for your commitment to The Ringling. Your membership helps make everything we do here possible. I look forward to sharing an inspiring 2018 with you.

Steven High Executive Director

The Ringling's 2017-2018 programming season is supported in part by Sarasota County Tourist Development Tax revenues.

TONI DOVE EMBODIED

MACHINES

TONI DOVE: EMBODIED MACHINES

FEB 25, 2017 – MAY 20, 2018

SPECTROPIA

MAR 9

LUCID POSSESSION

APR 13 & 14

This February, The Ringling presents Toni Dove: Embodied Machines, the first survey exhibition of this pioneering artist. Her work is both interdisciplinary and cutting edge, combining live performance, interactive narratives, and virtual reality. Based in New York, Dove is credited as one of the innovators of “interactive cinema,” which creates immersive experiences that blur the boundary between viewer and performer. At the heart of her work is an examination of the history of consumer culture and capitalism.

The exhibition spans over two decades of Dove’s projects, from early installations to interactive cinema and stage performances and concluding with her most recent experiments at the forefront of digital technology and robotics.

In March, Dove’s live cinema piece, Spectropia, will be performed. During the presentation a seated audience faces a large central screen, flanked by two smaller screens. To the side of the stage two performers manipulate a device that uses video motion sensing and a light-and-laser harp to interact with the media of the piece. Utilizing movement and speech they navigate through the movie almost as if it were a three-dimensional architectural space. The narrative blends sci-fi and film noir, following a young woman in the future and her search through time for her father.

The following month brings two performances of Lucid Possession. The work is mixed and animated in real-time, using revolutionary motion-sensing technologies to create a musical thriller that tells the story of Bean, a designer of virtual avatars.

Throughout the work, musicians and a video DJ control robotic screens, lights, sound, and video. Lucid Possession meditates on the nature of life lived within the rapidly changing networks of social media and online communities.

Embodied Machines will mark the debut of Dove’s interactive installation, The Dress That Eats Souls This massive sculptural dress combines robotics and projection scrims that respond to visitors. Each person has a unique encounter with the piece, as his or her movements trigger a new story. Visitors are introduced to the Dress, which begins telling the story of those who have worn it over the course of ten decades. Throughout the narratives it becomes evident that the Dress consumes those who wear it,

eventually consuming the visitor and incorporating a new story. Says Dove, “It’s a cautionary tale: a compressed view of technological change, a speculative view of the almost supernatural implications of emerging technologies that will ultimately modify and amplify the human body.”

Embodied Machines is a celebration of all the Art of Our Time program at The Ringling is committed to. “Dove blends genres, producing art and performance in incredibly innovative ways, pushing into uncharted territories of technology, theater and installation art,” said Steven High, Executive Director at The Ringling.

Matthew McLendon, Director of the Fralin Museum of Art at the University of Virginia, curated the exhibition. He began working with Dove over three years ago, while Curator of Contemporary Art at The Ringling. McLendon was intrigued and inspired by the artist's ability to push technology forward in order to create her work.

TECHNOLOGIES AROUND US AFFECT US

IN WAYS WE DON’T YET UNDERSTAND.

WHAT IS THE BOUNDARY BETWEEN THE COMPUTER AND HUMAN TOUCH, WHERE

DOES THE BODY END? OUR EDGES ARE BLURRY. – TONI DOVE

Above: Toni Dove, Lucid Possession, video still, Theo and Bean research the Ghost, 2013. ©Toni Dove.

Right: Toni Dove, The Dress That Eats Souls, artist’s studio, work in progress, segment 1950’s, 2017. ©Toni Dove.

Miles White, Gena Lipowska & Charles Moroski Liberty Act, 1951. Tibbals Circus Collection.

A Kaleidoscope of Color: THE COSTUME DESIGNS OF MILES WHITE

ON VIEW APR 20 – AUG 5, 2018

Elephants transformed into swans, beautiful girls turned into birthday cakes, and clowns became kings. These whimsical visions are captured in the drawings of the talented costume designer Miles White (1914-2000). Paired with original costumes and contemporary photographs, White’s spectacular drawings evoke the adventurous era of design that emerged in mid-century American performance.

In 1941 Miles White joined a team tasked with reconceptualizing the Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey circus and updating it for the modern age. Under the leadership of industrial designer Norman Bel Geddes, the vision was to unify the entire circus day experience, including the presentation under the big top, by thoughtfully coordinating design elements including color, light, and visual rhythm. The twenty-sevenyear-old White brought to the team a modern sensibility for costume design, characterized by vivid colors, airy fabrics, and a balanced concern for both function and style.

White’s bold use of color brought a contemporary palette to the circus rings, incorporating Technicolor shades of pink, violet, and yellow. His dynamic blend of colors and textures resulted in sets of wardrobe and props that visually unified the diverse elements of the circus performance in a way that had never been done.

Although Miles White would become best recognized for his designs for the original Broadway debut of Oklahoma!, it was his years designing for the circus that showcased the range and depth of his talents. For twelve seasons of the Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey circus, White challenged himself to entertain audiences with an entirely different vision of the magical world under the big top.

This exhibition will include original sketches, watercolors, swatchbooks, and other production documents. Some drawings will be paired with actual wardrobe pieces and historic photographs. Over 500 of White’s original sketches and watercolors are in the Tibbals Circus Collection at The Ringling.

“The creative brilliance of Miles

White’s imagination is paired with the gestural quality of his drawing to create designs that are evocative of the motion and excitement of performance.”

Jennifer Lemmer Posey, Associate Curator, Circus Museum

Hank Willis Thomas BRANDED/ UNBRANDED

In 2016 The Ringling purchased eleven photographs from Hank Willis Thomas’s provocative series Unbranded: A Century of White Women, 1915–2015. The entire set of 100 digital chromogenic prints by Thomas, the internationally celebrated conceptual artist, reconsiders classic advertisements over the last 100 years—minus their original text. Released from any context, brand, product, or messaging, the previously subliminal images are free to speak more directly to what is being sold: the constructed identity and reinforced stereotypes of white women in the U.S. over time.

To make the archival ads he has photographed even more accessible, Thomas has added new captions—some funny and irreverent, some ironic and pointed. By mining the past to create regrettably timeless representations of disempowered white women, Thomas confronts issues that continue to inform and circulate throughout our culture today.

As Thomas commented in an interview with Time in 2011, “Part of advertising’s success is based on its ability to reinforce generalizations developed around race, gender and ethnicity which are generally false, but [these generalizations] can sometimes be entertaining, sometimes true, and sometimes horrifying.”

Thanks to funds generously donated to The Ringling by William and Jane Knapp, Ringling Associate Curator of Photography and New Media Christopher Jones, along with former Ringling curator Matthew McLendon, chose one particularly striking image from each decade of Thomas’s series. This distilled version of the project serves as the nexus for a focused exhibition of Thomas’s broader work and concerns.

Top: Hank Willis Thomas (American, born 1976), The Breakfast Belle, 1915/2015, 2015. Digital chromogenic print, 48 7/8 inches X 40 inches. Museum purchase with funds provided by William and Jane Knapp, 2016. Bottom: Hank Willis Thomas (American, born 1976), House rules!, 1967/2015, 2015. Digital chromogenic print, 47 3/4 × 40 in. Museum purchase with funds provided by William and Jane Knapp, 2016

Springtime in Paris PRESENTS A SURPRISE

COLLECTION

Last April, Christopher Jones traveled to Paris, he spent an afternoon with Yolande Candel. The daughter of Gustave Candel, Yolande entertained The Ringling’s associate curator with stories of her father’s close relationship with Marcel Duchamp. Duchamp, considered by many critics to be one of the most important artists of the 20th century, influenced the development of post–World War I Western art and made a seminal impact on conceptual art.

When Duchamp first moved to Paris in 1908 it was from the Candel family that he rented his first apartment. Several years apart in age, Gustave became enamored with the artist’s work. The two spent many nights in cafés and taverns, forming a bond that would prove to be a lifelong friendship. In fact, it was Gustave who facilitated Duchamp’s escape from Nazi occupied France in 1941. The Candel family owned a prosperous cheese business and Gustave created paper work purporting that the artist worked as part of their shipping services.

In the early years of the 20th century Duchamp was just beginning his career as an artist. His work from this period differs dramatically from the well-known cubist painting Nude Descending a Staircase, No 2 and his “Readymades” such as Fountain that followed World War I. The Ringling holds five paintings from

this developing period, which are on view in the Huntington gallery. Included in this group is Portrait d’un jeune garcon de la famille Candel, which depicts an adopted brother of Gustave. It was a knowledge of these holdings that inspired Yolande to contact The Ringling.

When Jones visited that spring day to pick up the Duchamp drawing which would be gifted to The Ringling, he was astounded when Yolande pulled out a cardboard box with 53 postcards showing correspondence that had taken place between her father and Duchamp over a lifetime. Yolande wanted these pieces to reside in an institution that recognized the significance of Duchamp’s early work and that had a connection to her family history. The collection was officially accepted by The Ringling this past fall.

“Hearing Yolande speak of her father and Duchamp and reading these postcards was like stepping back in time. I am thrilled that the drawings and postcards will be added to The Ringling collections,” remarked Jones.

and New York), Portrait of Gustave Candel,1909. Pencil on paper, 13 3/8 × 9 13/16 in. Gift of Mme Yolande Candel in memory of her father, Gustave Candel, and Marcel Duchamp.

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.

FRIENDS EVENTS

FRI, FEB 2 • 10:30 AM

FRIENDS OF THE LIBRARY

Conversation with the Library—Unveiling the Evidence: A Book Conservator’s Journey to the Beginning

MEMBER EVENTS

EXHIBITION:

Hank Willis Thomas: Branded/Unbranded

FRI, FEB 9 • 5:30 – 7:30 PM

CIRCLE MEMBERS RECOGNITION COCKTAIL RECEPTION

Circle Members, along with Friends of Art of Our Time, share in a sneak peek of our Hank Willis Thomas print collection with Curator Christopher Jones.

EXHIBITION:

Toni Dove: Embodied Machines

WED, FEB 21 • 5:30 – 9:00 PM

CIRCLE EXHIBITION PREVIEW AND DINNER

Circle Members Invitation only, Reservation required

Join Steven High and Christopher Jones for a presentation of artefacts and objects from Toni Dove’s projects as well as unique interactive environments and video work.

5:30 PM Reception and Preview

7:00 PM Dinner in the Courtyard

THU, FEB 22, 5:00-7:00PM

EXHIBITION PREVIEW AND RECEPTION

For Supporting Members & Above Invitation only, Reservation required.

SAT, FEB 24 • 10:00 AM – 5:00 PM

MEMBERS DAY

All Members

Refreshments, family programming, additional 5% member discount in the Museum Stores.

WED, MAR 14 • 10:00 AM

MABLE RINGLING’S BIRTHDAY

For Supporting Members & Above Invitation only, Reservation required. Celebrate Mable Ringling’s birthday with a tea party in one of her favorite gardens.

THU, MAR 22 • 11:30 AM – 1:00 PM LEGACY LUNCHEON Invitation only, Reservation required.

The annual Legacy Luncheon honors members of the Legacy Society who have generously given to The Ringling through a bequest. It also honors long term members of the Museum. If you have any questions about the Legacy Society, please call Declan Sheehy, Associate Director of Development at 941-359-5700 x 5807 or declan.sheehy@ringling.fsu.edu.

WED, APR 25 • 5:30 – 7:30 PM

CIRCLE BEHIND THE SCENES

A Kaleidoscope of Color:

The Costume Designs of Miles White Elephants became swans and beautiful girls turned into birthday cakes. Join Steven High and Jennifer Lemmer Posey, Associate Curator of the Circus, for a look at the whimsical visions of costume designer Miles White (1914-2000).

THU, MAY 10 • 9:00 – 10:30 AM

STATE OF THE RINGLING & COFFEE AND CONVERSATION

Join Steven High for a presentation highlighting the Museum’s programs, financials, strategic goals, and campaign priorities. A question and answer period will follow the presentation.

Learn how books are properly restored and preserved from special guest lecturer Sonja Jordan-Mowery, a book and paper conservator who has trained and conducted conservation assessments around the world. Refreshments will be served.

THU, MAR 8 • 4:30 – 6:30 PM

FRIENDS OF THE RINGLING LEGACY AND FRIENDS OF ASIAN ART

Garden Discussion at the Tea House Invitation only, Reservation required. Presentation by Kevin Greene, Landscape Supervisor, David Young, Landscape Architect, and Glenn Darling, Architect of the Nancy L. Ellis Tea House.

TUE, APR 3 • 10:30 AM

FRIENDS OF THE LIBRARY

Conversation about Willy Pogany: Book Illustrator and Painter of Ca' d’Zan’s Interior

Join Ron McCarty, Keeper of Ca' d’Zan, and Elisa Hansen, Head of Library Services, as they present an illustrative story of Willy Pogany, Hungarian-born artist known for his fairy tale-like illustrations and paintings, many that adorn the ceiling in Ca' d’Zan. Reception to Follow.

THU, APR 5 • 6:00 PM

FRIENDS OF ART OF OUR TIME

Poetry slam, followed by small reception and Invitation to RUG

Artist, Sierra Sellers, will be participating in programming with poet, Cedric Hameed, for the Art After 5 event. Programs will be held in the Museum of Art galleries from 5:00 – 6:00 PM and 9:00 PM – 10:00 PM.

MEMBERSHIP NEWS

MEMBERSHIP PROGRAM INSPIRES ACCESSIBILITY FOR EVERYONE

Your membership makes many things possible at The Ringling. In addition to supporting our exhibitions, events, and programs it also allows important initiatives to occur. The Ringling strives to be accessible to all, and with your membership we are making large strides towards this goal.

With the construction of the Kotler-Coville Glass Pavilion last year, the Historic Asolo Theater was closed to visitors. Ringling staff took the opportunity to implement a hearing induction loop system to assist those with hearing aids or cochlear implants equipped with telecoils (T-coils). This t-coil system cuts out the ambient noise of the audience and picks up only what is fed into the microphones. Now, patrons can simply turn their hearing aid to “T” to hear performances with improved amplification and clarity.

Similar loop technology is now available during Mable’s Tours at Ca' d’Zan. Guests can wear an individual loop cord around the neck that is plugged into the hearing device, clearly transmitting the docent’s tour.

MEMBERSHIP BENEFITS

THE BENEFITS OF MEMBERSHIP— EXPLORE MORE WITH EXCLUSIVE DAY TRIPS

Did you know that The Ringling offers travel opportunities each year, exclusive to members?

This fall, we were thrilled to take advantage of the synergy between The Ringling, the Tampa Museum of Art, and the Museum of Fine Arts in St. Petersburg during the Skyway exhibition. Members had the opportunity to engage with Executive Director, Steven High, as well as curators and museum staff from all three institutions during the day long trip to view the exhibition.

CONVERSATIONS WITH MEMBERS

JOE ANGERS

Volunteer since 2006 | Member since 2013

Being a member inspires me to experience more, expand my cultural knowledge, go to more events on my own time and allows me a closer connection to The Ringling. Some of the shows you might not think you like, you end up really liking and vice versa. I hope to have emeritus status one day! I don’t plan on leaving anytime soon. I enjoy coming in and visiting with people every week.

JILL DICKERSON

Volunteer since 2009 | Member since 2010

I have worked in a range of roles at The Ringling. I started out as a greeter, worked in the library, painting and wood carving, and now am a docent. There is a huge range of opportunities, and I tell all my friends about what The Ringling offers everyone. What more could you ask for than to come here when the sun is shining, walking across a beautiful campus and interacting with happy people.

BARBARA ZDZIARSKI

Volunteer since 2015 | Member since 2015

After many wonderful visits to the museum, more time on my hands because of retirement, and a dear friend’s advice, I volunteered. As a retired kindergarten teacher, I am impressed with how The Ringling is addressing so many issues like great programming for children and families, accessibility and making The Ringling a place we can all cherish as a community.

WIL PEARSON

Volunteer since 2002 | Member since 2004

The Ringling is always looking for new opportunities to engage our members. More information will be shared about upcoming trips this spring and in the coming year

I have developed a real love for the John and Mable Ringling Museum of Art and I am honored to be a volunteer. While I am involved with other non-profits, The Ringling stands out because of the great variety; the Museum of Art, Circus Museum, Ca’ d’ Zan, the Historic Asolo Theater, and the beautiful Bayfront Gardens. Since I began as a volunteer, The Ringling has opened six new venues. I know there will continue to be exciting changes that I am proud of and that honor the legacy of John and Mable Ringling.

THE RINGLING DRAMATICALLY INCREASES ACCESS TO OUR COLLECTION ONLINE

Last summer The Ringling upgraded and relaunched eMuseum, providing the searchable and now customizable online access to our collection. The upgrade has more than doubled the number of object records available, from 20,000 to 45,000, for reference to the public. Improved search capabilities make the entire accessioned collection as well as research materials from the archives easily accessible. In the first three months after relaunch, eMuseum saw more than 7,000 users, with nearly 5,000 of them being new to the system. Access eMuseum from The Ringling’s website at ringling.org and navigate to our Collections page.

Users can search objects across the database or use advanced filters for more specific and complex queries. Additionally, there is the option to browse works by artist, venue, exhibition, curated selection, and more. Statistics from the site show the most visited online collection is European and American art, and system users come from at least 10 countries around the world.

A new feature of the upgrade allows users to create an account and assemble collections of records for their own research purposes. This is useful for researchers working on specific projects as well as a general visitor inspired by the galleries and looking to learn more about the collection.

“As part of Florida State University, The Ringling’s mission includes sharing our rich educational resources with a wide audience,” said Steven High, Executive Director of The Ringling.

MOST FREQUENTLY SEARCHED TERM AL G. BARNES

MOST USED FILTER DEPARTMENT ARCHIVES

MOST VISITED COLLECTION

AND AMERICAN ART

MOST VIEWED OBJECT (A TIE!)

IMAGINATION PLAYGROUND

The Ringling is excited to introduce Imagination Playground, an innovative play system that transforms any space and encourages learning, social development, movement, and above all fun. While popular at children’s museums and science centers, The Ringling is among the first art museums in the country to receive an Imagination Playground.

The Imagination Playground consists of large, soft, and lightweight blue blocks in various shapes that encourage active play to be child-led and open-ended, allowing children to exercise both their bodies and their minds. The blocks can be used both indoors and outdoors and are a perfect complement to our enormously popular David F. Bolger Playspace.

As we look to encourage the next generation of creative individuals, artists, and art enthusiasts, Imagination Playground is another exciting way in which The Ringling can bring the joy of discovery to children and their families in fun, creative, and innovative ways.

FAMILY FIRST SATURDAYS

Starting in February 2018, The Ringling is proud to introduce Family First Saturdays, designed with the whole family in mind! The Ringling is making it easy for your family to take advantage of many of the family programs we have to offer on one day! Art Making, Ringling Order of Art Readers (ROAR) and Kids Quest are just some of the things

planned for an entire day devoted to families with children. Join us on the first Saturday of the month—and bring friends!

Family Programs are made possible in part by the generous support of the Koski Family Foundation, The Marvin and Betty Danto Endowment for The Ringling Museum Children’s Programs, and The General Education Endowment for Children and Families.

STATE OF FLORIDA GRANT Conserving Ca' d'Zan

The State of Florida has recognized the importance of preserving Ca’ d’Zan for future generations, awarding The Ringling a $500,000 grant through the Division of Historical Resources. This support has enabled the museum to undertake a major project involving the restoration of historic glazed terra cotta decoration of Ca’ d’Zan.

This exterior terra cotta ornamentation is perhaps Ca’ d’Zan’s most distinctive feature. However, due to its extensive exposure to salt water from the bay, the terra cotta has suffered structural failure caused by corrosion of its iron anchoring hardware. In addition to concerns regarding damage to the building, there was also the threat of injury due to falling pieces.

Work on the project began with the aim of preserving as much of the original terra cotta

decoration as possible. However, where the damage is too extensive, replacement pieces are being created that are historically accurate in both material and appearance. Barbara Ramsay, Chief Conservator at the Ringling and Ron McCarty, Keeper of Ca’ d’Zan, have worked closely with Conservation Solutions Inc. and Boston Valley Terra Cotta to develop a palette of colored glazes that will be hand painted onto the cast terra cotta pieces.

This project, which will be ongoing through the fall of 2018 would not have been possible without the support of the State of Florida. “The Ringling now welcomes over 400,000 guests annually, many of whom visit specifically to see Ca’ d’Zan,” remarked Steven High, Executive Director, The Ringling. “We are incredibly grateful to the State for this grant, which will allow The Ringling legacy to continue.”

IMLS GRANT Preserving Our Collection

In the Fall of 2016, the Institute for Museum and Library Services (IMLS), through its Museums for America program, awarded The John & Mable Ringling Museum of Art a prestigious grant in the amount of $120,650 to help improve storage conditions and consolidate the museum’s large collection of paintings. Over the past year, The Ringling has successfully completed the requirements of the grant thanks to the museum’s Collections Team.

A highly competitive funding process, The Ringling submitted an application and was awarded a grant that adhered to one of the specific IMLS goals: supporting the unique role of museums and libraries in preserving and providing access to collections and content. This grant allowed The Ringling to upgrade its primary storage vault by installing new painting racks which accommodated 130 paintings from an off-site storage facility. Stainless steel rolling screens, specially designed to safely store paintings, were installed over a two-week period in April 2017. While most paintings were easily moved to the new space, more than 50 paintings were too fragile to move, so conservators executed emergency stabilization treatments on-site before packing.

Photographic records were created that serve not only as documentation of the current condition of the paintings and frames, but also enable the works to be shared with the general public through The Ringling’s eMuseum website. A collection of the images is currently available for viewing online under Painting Storage Project.

ABOUT THE IMLS

Each year, top-tier institutions from around the country compete for these funds, with applications undergoing a strict peer review process. IMLS is the primary source of federal support for the nation's approximately 120,000 libraries and 35,000 museums and related organizations.

KOTLER | COVILLE GLASS PAVILION

The New Home to The Ringling’s Studio Glass Collection

OPEN TO THE PUBLIC JAN 22

The Ringling’s new Kotler-Coville Glass Pavilion, revealed to the public on January 22, 2018, celebrates several connected milestones at once: the project’s inspiration and generous lead gifts from Nancy and Phil Kotler and Warren and Margot Coville, the recent development and engaging display of The Ringling’s collection of American and European studio glass, a formal and fitting entryway and gathering and rehearsal spaces for the Historic Asolo Theater, and the establishment of another landmark work of architecture on The Ringling campus.

The 5,500-square-foot building is designed by Lewis + Whitlock, a regional firm known for its commitment to innovative and sustainable design. Its sculptural glass façade enables captivating glimpses of works inside.

For this premiere installation, approximately 50 works of modern and contemporary glass art from five continents will be on view, highlighting the strength, diversity, and quality of The Ringling’s collection. Visitors will be able to explore a range of dynamic glass techniques as well, from cast and blown glass, to glass tubes and slumped glass.

“The Glass Pavilion truly represents the global character of The Ringling’s collection,” said Executive Director Steven High. “From Japan, Germany, the Czech Republic, Canada, Argentina, and Australia, the innovative work that artists are creating in glass is truly breathtaking.”

Grouped by country of origin, with over 13 countries currently represented, the works of art from the 1940s to the present will allow visitors to understand the historical arc and

advancements of the medium over time, from the early period of the studio glass movement, to more contemporary work. In the latter case, many leading contemporary practitioners are bridging glass and sculpture, embracing glass as an ideal medium to embody what they want to say on a large scale.

The Sarasota region is a hub of glass art collectors and enthusiasts—for good reason. The light, sand, and seascapes in this part of Florida are envied worldwide.

– Steven High

The building of the Ringling’s glass collection, which continues to grow, is another story told through the installation, with recent gifts being showcased. One example is the monumental glass and wood sideboard by American artist Beth Lipman, a museum purchase thanks to a gift by Museum Board member Dan Denton.

The Kotler-Coville Glass Pavilion will provide a welcoming entrance to The Ringling, accessible and complimentary to everyone, as well as serve as an introduction to the vibrant studio glass collection.

UPCOMING PERFORMANCE:

NEW STAGES | A WORLD OF MUSIC

ETHEL

CIRCUS: WANDERING CITY

JAN 26 & 27, 7:30 PM

Historic Asolo Theater

A world premiere by the esteemed string quartet, ETHEL. Created in partnership with The Ringling and designer/director Grant McDonald, "Circus: Wandering City" is multi-media performance program inspired by the heroes behind the magic of the Big Top.

SOMI

FEB 16 & 17, 7:30 PM

Historic Asolo Theater

FLYING ON THE WINGS

by I 25 GIRI

MAY 10, 2:00 PM

From Montebelluna, Treviso— just minutes from the village of Asolo, Italy—comes I 25 GIRI, a brilliantly talented middle-school choral ensemble who will present a program of music ranging from the classics (Carmina Burana and O Fortuna) to pop songs and selections from musical comedy. Many in the ensemble also serve as accompanists on flute, guitar, percussion, violin, and piano.

INFORMATION + TICKETS ringling.org or 941.360.7399

Born to parents from Rwanda and Uganda, Somi is now at home in Harlem’s vibrant immigrant community of “Little Africa.” Petite Afrique: The Other Black in Harlem is a song cycle inspired by that place, its ornate traditional fabrics, Francophone bibles, palm oil and shea butter, and fast-fingered hair braiders.

CHUCHO VALDÉS

Mar 2 & 3, 7:30 PM

Historic Asolo Theater

Winner of five Grammy Awards and three Latin Grammy Awards, the Cuban pianist, composer, arranger, and bandleader Chucho Valdés has been a key figure in the evolution of Afro-Cuban jazz for 50 years.

TURTLE ISLAND: BIRD'S EYE VIEW

Mar 23 & 24, 7:30 PM

Historic Asolo Theater

In this high flying program, the twotime GRAMMY® winning Turtle Island Quartet, pays homage to the incandescent visionary brilliance of jazz saxophonist Charlie Parker. The genius of his improvisations almost single handedly catapulted jazz from pop into art, indelibly altering the musical landscape of America.

Photo by Erin Patrice O’Brien

Photo by Robert Allen Mayer

Photo by Francis Vernhet

Photo by Jati Lindsay

FROM THE VAULT

After ten years in storage, the monumental Annunciation by Italian Baroque artist Benedetto Gennari II will return to view in early 2018. The Annunciation, which will occupy an entire wall in Gallery 8, is one of Gennari’s most important commissions. New scholarship by former Ringling curator, Dr. Virginia Brilliant, has revealed that the painting, completed in 1686, was commissioned by King James II of England for his new chapel in Whitehall Palace in London. The chapel was finished in 1687, and Gennari’s Annunciation served as the focal point of the altar wall. Gennari spent fourteen years at the English court, working first for Charles II and then for his successor, James II. James’s new chapel was short-lived; his reign ended in 1688 after only three years, and the chapel’s contents were dispersed soon after. However, the painting’s history prior to 1931, when it was acquired by John Ringling from Leger Galleries in London, is still unclear.

Benedetto Gennari II spent his youth in Bologna, studying painting under his uncle, the celebrated Guercino (Giovanni Francesco Barbieri). Guercino’s work is well represented in The Ringling’s collections, most notably by the large Annunciation on view in Gallery 8. Visitors to the gallery will be able to compare Guercino’s and Gennari’s large-scale treatments of the same subject.

Gennari’s Annunciation is being returned to view while several important works from The Ringling’s collections travel to two university museums in Florida—the Frost Art Museum at Florida International University, and the Cornell Fine Arts Museum at Rollins College—for an exhibition in 2018 entitled Dangerous Women

WINE WALK

TO CA’

D’ZAN

2018

FRI, APR 6

WINE WALK TO CA' D' ZAN

FRI, APR 6

This is a wine pairing experience unlike any other. Each individually themed station features exciting food and wine pairings along with activities and entertainment throughout the Ringling property. Taste a variety of wines from Total Wine & More and engage with their wine experts while enjoying culinary delights from Sarasota's top caterers. Net proceeds for this event will be directed to the Ca' d'Zan Preservation Fund.

Tickets: ringling.org or 941.358.3180

blossoms & BRUNCH

a floral affair

SAT, APR 28

Share the legacy of Mable’s beloved rose garden while you enjoy a beautiful brunch surrounded by blooming roses. Blossoms & Brunch will begin with a mimosa reception complete with entertainment and silent auction. A seated brunch will begin at 11:30 AM. Following brunch, return to the rose garden to discover a variety of sweets at our dessert buffet.

Tickets: ringling.org or 941.358.3180

The Ringling MUSEUM STORES

Open Daily 10:00 AM – 5:30 PM, Thursdays until 8:00 PM

Two Locations

Visitors Pavilion

Original Circus Museum

There's

(excludes clearance items)

something for everyone at The Ringling Museum Stores. Members save 10%!