By Claire Farrow
We are fortunate to not only attend a university that is home to a visually engaging art studio, but to live in such an artistically rich area. The Tampa Bay/St. Petersburg area is home to seven major museums of history and art, in addition to UT’s very own R. K. Bailey Arts Studio. Each of these establishments hosts a myriad of exhibits that engage our minds and open our imaginations.
University of Tampa
“Maxwell Taylor”
Feb. 1-26
Feb. 23, 10: 30 a.m.: Located in the Scarfone/Hartley Gallery, nationally acclaimed artist Maxwell Taylor, accompanied by Yale University Asst. Professor Erica James, will host a talk discussing Taylor’s newest woodcuts and mono prints created at the University.
Feb. 26, 6:00 p.m.: The exhibit will be open to the public when attendees can view Taylor’s newly completed mono prints and meet the artist.
“Growing Up in Neverland: Cuban Contemporary Art Exhibit & Artist Lectures and Cuban Cinema”
Mar. 4-18
Beginning on Mar. 4, UT will host seven renowned contemporary Cuban artists and showcase their evocative artwork. During the 14-day exhibit, there will be various events that complement the exhibit, such as discussions with several of the artists themselves and cinema showcases taking place at the Tampa Museum of Art.
Tampa Museum of Art
“Cinema In Revolution”
Session 1: Mar. 10, 12 p.m.-2:15 p.m. & Session 2: Mar. 16, 6 p.m.-8:15 p.m.
In conjunction with the Scarfone/Hartley Gallery, the Tampa Museum of Art will host two Cuban cinema events that compliment UT’s exhibit “Growing Up in Neverland.”
“Jaume Plensa: Human Landscape”
Jan. 24 – May 15
The Spanish artist Jaume Plensa’s engaging sculpture exhibit is currently on display at the museum and features pieces of various materials that encapsulate the human experience through the eyes of Mr. Plensa.
“Public and Private–the Figure Examined: Masterworks from the Kasser Mochary Art Foundation”
Feb. 12 – May 30
In this exhibit, various mediums of art–painting, sculpture, paper art– illuminate the human figure in expressive modes. Works by Picasso, Matisse, Dega, Warhol, Renoir, Rodin and many others come together and juxtapose each other in a stunning culmination of exploration of the human figure.
Florida Museum of Photographic Arts
“Sandra Gottlieb: Earth
and Water”
Jan. 2 – Mar. 25
Opening exhibit reception: Feb. 5, 6-8 p.m.
The large scale photographs within this exhibit vary from the dramatic to the experimental. Gottlieb creates a striking look at the relationship of the earth, sky, and water on the east coast of the United States and engages audiences with these immersive images.
“Gohar Dashti: Iran Untitled and Stateless”
Jan. 2 – June 1
While these images are of Iran and reflect a sense of Iranian history and culture, Dashti uses these 16 photos to create a broader canvas– one of the human experience. Through this universal gateway, viewers are invited to look at the art through various lenses– Iranian, personal and global.
“Physicians Photography Exhibition”
Mar. 3 – Apr. 30
A series that showcases photographic art captured by various doctors and physicians local to the Tampa Bay area. The exhibit will open with a reception on Mar. 3 from 6 p.m.- 8 p.m. with tickets costing $25. For the remainder of the exhibit’s run, the cost is $6 for students.
Tampa Bay History Center
“St. Augustine at 450: A Look at the Oldest European City in the U.S.”
Ends Feb. 7
This insightful look into the history of St. Augustine at the Tampa Bay History Center showcases a collection of original maps, charts, and color lithographs that encapsulate the spirit of St. Augustine then and now.
“Bringing Home the Sunshine: Collecting Florida Souvenirs”
Jan. 16 – Apr. 17
While it is a well known fact that Florida is a well-traversed mecca to tourists and US northerners (just look at the demographic of UT’s student body), there is still a fascination with the history of Florida. Just as fascinating is the amount of souvenirs that have been created for and collected by tourists. In this exhibit, the rich history of Florida tourism is reflected in various public and private collections of souvenirs on display currently at the Tampa Bay History Center.
The Dali Museum
“Disney and Dali: Architects of the Imagination”
Jan. 23 – June 12
In this multimedia art exhibit, the unique and unlikely relationship of Dali and Disney is revealed and explored. Through archival film, letters, audio and art, the world of these two artistically innovative minds is brought to life and blurs the concepts of dream and reality together for viewers.
Student Surrealist Art Exhibit, 2016: “Between Dream and Reality”
Jan. 20 – Aug. 28
Hillsborough, Pinellas, and Statewide Florida students are asked to create surrealist art through one of three techniques–Dislocation, Juxtaposition, or Transformation/Metamorphosis. These students then reveal their interpretation of the relationship of dreams and reality through various mediums of art.
Hillsborough Students Exhibit: Jan. 20 – Mar. 6
Pinellas Students Exhibit: Mar. 14 – May 8
Florida Statewide Students Exhibit: May 16 – Aug. 28
Museum of Fine Arts
“I Remember Birmingham”
Ends Feb. 28
This engaging exhibit was created in response to a tragic church bombing that took place in Birmingham, on Sept. 15, 1963, three weeks following Martin Luther King, Jr’s “I Have A Dream” speech. Four girls lost their lives, but now, through the art of John Scott, their memory is preserved and honored.
“50 Artworks for 50 Years”
Ends Mar. 13
Celebrating fifty years of existence, the Museum of Fine Arts is showcasing more than fifty new artworks provided by donors that reflect the ever-changing atmosphere of the museum.
“Christian Marclay: Telephones and Sound Holes”
Jan. 23 – May 1
This visually innovative exploration of two technologies that are both outdated and yet integral to everyday life– telephones and entry phones. This exploration of telecommunication through art engages viewers through visual stills and film.
“Contemplating Character: Portrait Drawings and Oil Sketches from Jacques Louis David to Lucian Freud”
Feb. 13 – May 29
There is something about portraiture that seems to expose the soul of both the artist and the subject in a unique way. In this exhibit, the evolution of drawn portraits is explored and placed on display for viewers to engage in and contemplate the various styles of portraiture employed by artists and the emotions evoked by these pieces of art.
“The Art of the Classical Guitar”
Feb. 13 – May 29
This is the first exhibit created by the Museum of Fine Arts to feature a musical instrument. In this exhibit, the evolution and artistry of the guitar is explored, and viewers have the opportunity not just to see the artistic beauty and form of these instruments, but also to periodically hear these intimate music makers played in concerts.
Claire Farrow can be reached at claire.farrow@theminaretonline.com.