Art Center Sarasota’s New Exhibitions:
October 12-December 1
First Impressions
An open, all-media, juried exhibit.
On view October 12-December 1
Last Stop Before Utopia: The Liminal and Ephemeral Landscape
On view October 19-December 1
A curated exhibit of landscape-based artworks using a variety of approaches, including drawing, photography, printmaking, and text.
Intimate Observation: Looking past the Figure
On view October 19-December 1
A curated exhibit of figurative drawings and paintings.
Slow Turbulence
On view October 19-December 1
A site-specific work by multidisciplinary installation artist Abhidnya Ghuge.
Opening reception for all four exhibits is Thursday, October 19, 5-7 p.m.
(Sarasota, FL) Art Center Sarasota’s 2017-2018 exhibition season, entitled “New and Now,” opens with four exhibits, which run October 12 to December 1. “Last Stop Before Utopia: The Liminal and Ephemeral Landscape,” in Gallery One, is a curated exhibit of landscape-based artworks using a variety of approaches, including drawing, photography, printmaking, and text. “Intimate Observation: Looking past the Figure,” in Gallery Two, is a curated exhibit of figurative drawings and paintings. “Slow Turbulence,” in Gallery Three, is a site-specific work by the multidisciplinary installation artist Abhidnya Ghuge. “First Impressions,” in Gallery Four, is an open, all-media, exhibition juried by Dari Goggans, a regionally based artist, art advisor and owner of Jessica’s Picture Framing. The opening reception for all four exhibits is Thursday, October 19, 5-7 p.m. Art Center Sarasota is located at 707 N. Tamiami Trail, in Sarasota. For more information, call 941-365-2032 or visit www. artsarasota.org.
“Last Stop Before Utopia: The Liminal and Ephemeral Landscape” is curated by Nathan Skiles and features landscape-based artworks by 14 artists using a variety of approaches, including drawing, photography, printmaking, and text. “Each work charts a range of responses to the temporal spaces we inhabit, both external and mental, manmade and Arcadian,” says Skiles. “Through the act of direct observation and representation, each artist commits fleeting moments to a concrete document.” In Jen Nugent’s mixed-media drawing on paper, “Charlotte County Jail,” the artist documents a profound moment, sitting in her car in the parking lot, anticipating the release of a loved one from a correctional facility. In his series, “Ultima Thule,” Andrew Atkinson braves a frigid snowstorm in Iceland to photograph the moment when his ability to perceive the terrain in front of him is obfuscated by the landscape itself.
“Intimate Observation: Looking past the Figure” is curated by Dustin Juengel and features figurative drawings and paintings by five artists. “These works are often quiet in their demand to be noticed for their physical presence as objects, in comparison to, for example, heavy, abstract sculpture,” says Juengel. “It’s easy for the viewer to get completely absorbed by the illusion of the image and stop there. This exhibition allows viewers to look at the images but, at the same time, encourages them to see the work as a handmade object that required many different working steps to create.” Juengel adds that one of the artists, Kim Anderson, “made use of found photographic imagery as reference for her paintings. The imagery is very impersonal to her. From a distance, the works seem very slick, mechanical and the artist’s hand remains invisible. Upon closer inspection, the painter’s ‘struggle’ becomes more apparent. Essentially, they are handmade imitations of mechanical or chemical processes using bristle brushes and oil paint on canvas. That is not an easy translation, although highly effective in Anderson’s case, resulting in nearly immaculate objects.”
In “Slow Turbulence,” multidisciplinary installation artist Abhidnya Ghuge will create thousands of large-scale woodblock prints on paper plates. Her process transforms a normally disposable, mass-produced object into permanent art and creates an interactive experience for the viewer. Originally from India and a dermatologist by previous profession, Ghuge says she draws inspiration from Indian henna designs, the microscopic and macro world, and the cultural landscape of America. According to Sarah Valdez, Art Center Sarasota’s exhibition and marketing coordinator, Ghuge’s work “takes viewers to another reality by redefining a humble consumer item with a high level of craftsmanship.”
“First Impressions” is an open, all-media exhibition juried by Dari Goggans, a regionally based artist, art advisor and owner of Jessica’s Picture Framing.
Art Center Sarasota’s 2017-2018 season, which runs October 12, 2017, through October 5, 2018, comprises seven exhibition cycles, most encompassing up to four exhibits. Lisa Berger, the center’s executive director, explains that Galleries One and Two are reserved for exhibits by premier solo artists, art groups and themed curated shows. Gallery Three hosts special projects and community group shows. Shows in these galleries are selected based on cultural and artistic merit and broadest audience appeal. Gallery 4 exhibits work in a juried competition with awards juried by selected independent professionals in the visual arts.
2017-2018 Season: A Quick Glance
Cycle 2 (December 14-January 19) features “Interior” by Jeff Schwartz, curated by Anne-Marie Russell; “Floating Cubes,” a site-specific exhibition by Akiko Kotani; and the ASC Instructors Show. “New and Now,” an open, juried exhibition is December 14-January 12. The opening reception for all four exhibits is December 14, 5-7 p.m.
Cycle 3 (February 1-March 9) features “My Sarasota,” a solo exhibit of work by John Pirman; a solo exhibit of work by George Pratt. “ASALH: Black Muse 2018,” is a curated exhibit of works by member artists of the Association for the Study of African-American Life and History. “Art from the Heart,” an open, juried exhibit, is January 25-March 2. The opening reception for all four exhibits is February 1, 5-7 p.m.
Cycle 4 (March 15-April 20) features “Spectrum III,” a group show that embodies the work of three artists; “iconcept: A 10-Year Retrospective”; “New Reality,” a group show; and “Real – Not Real,” an open, peer-juried exhibit. The opening reception for all four exhibits is March 15, 5-7 p.m.
(April 23-May 7) features an exhibit by students from north Sarasota County schools and an exhibit of works by senior visual arts students from Booker High School’s VPA program.
The Sarasota North County Spring Art Show is May 10-17. The opening receptions days and time will be announced.
Cycle 5 (May 24-June 29) features “Painting as Object,” a group exhibit and another exhibit TBA. An exhibit of works by Peter Gaztambide and “Possibilities,” a members-only, juried exhibit are May 17-June 22. The opening reception for all four exhibits is May 24, 5-7 p.m.
Cycle 6: (July 5-August 10) “Florida’s Finest,” an all-media, all-subject juried exhibition highlighting the talented artists of the Sunshine State, is in all galleries. The opening reception is July 5, 5-7 p.m.
Cycle 7 (August 30-October 5) features “Looking Forward Towards the Past,” a group exhibit; works by Stephen McMennamy; and a student project. “Elsewhere,” an open, juried exhibit, is August 23-September 28. The opening reception for all four exhibits is August 30, 5-7 p.m.
The 10th annual Beaux Arts Ball / iconcept unconventional fashion event will be on May 11, 2018, at the Van Wezel Grand Foyer. Details TBA.
For more information about Art Center Sarasota, call 941-365-2032 or visit www.artsarasota.org.
About Art Center Sarasota
Art Center Sarasota was the first arts and cultural institution in Sarasota. It was founded in 1926 as the “Sarasota Art Association” by Marcia Rader, the art supervisor for the Sarasota County schools district. In the early years, the group met monthly and sponsored exhibits in rented facilities. The Association was incorporated as a not-for-profit organization in 1943 and has been in its current location in the Sarasota Bayfront Cultural District since 1949. Art Center Sarasota is now a membership-based organization that offers curated and juried exhibitions, adult and youth education programs, outreach initiatives for underserved youth, and culturally related public programming. Art Center Sarasota’s mission is to inspire individual creative expression, nurture artistic talent and provide the community with accessible and diverse visual art opportunities.
Art Center Sarasota
707 N. Tamiami Trail, Sarasota, FL 34236
Phone: 941-365-2032 § Fax: 941-366-0585
www.artsarasota.org
Gallery Hours:
Free admission
10 a.m.-4 p.m. Monday-Saturday
Closed Sunday
