I’m so excited about the quality and variety of art coming to the Tampa Bay area in early 2019. We have contemporary art, political art, modern art, Florida tourist art (I’m referring to Barnhill here), Black History Month art and 3D printed art to look forward to. We found great art shows all over the Tampa Bay area — six in St. Pete, six in Tampa, one in Largo, and one in Tarpon Springs. There’s even an art show in Plant City on our list this year.
ALREADY ON EXHIBIT
Roles of Engagement & Princess Smith: The Evolution of Self
This January and February, the Morean Arts Center is hosting a one-two combination of exhibits about one of my favorite subjects: identity. Roles of Engagement will address gender identity through the work of seven artists. I look forward to seeing this show mess with everyone’s idea of what it means to be a man and what it means to be a woman. The Evolution of Self will feature drawings and paintings from Tampa native Princess Smith. Smith’s work reflects on what it means to be a black woman and other people’s misconceptions about this. Morean Arts Center, 719 Central Ave., St. Petersburg. Through Feb. 22. 727-822-7872, moreanartscenter.org.
The Visible Turn: Contemporary Artists Confront Political Invisibility
The Visible Turn is going to bring some really interesting politically-themed art installations to USF Tampa this year, starting with Bosco Sodi’s Muro. On January 24, the Mexican artist will build a 6-foot-high, 20-foot-long brick wall at the entrance to USF’s Contemporary Art Museum. Sodi made each of the bricks himself in his studio in Oaxaca, Mexico. Once the bricks are assembled into a wall on-site, visitors are welcome to help bring it down. “I wanted to create a wall made by Mexicans with Mexican earth, then the disappearance of the wall will be by the community and all kinds of people who visit,” Sodi says. It’s meant to serve as a reminder that there is no obstacle so great we cannot tackle it together, including Trump’s wall. USF Contemporary Art Museum, Tampa. Through Mar. 2. 813-974-4133, usfcam.usf.edu.
Glow: The Hand-Painted photographs of E. G. Barnhill
Glow is your chance to go back in time to the early 1900s, when Florida was still a swamp, color photography hadn’t yet been invented, and postcards were the hot new thing. There was a group of photographers — about 13 in the state of Florida — who were hand-coloring photographs for Florida tourists. In St. Petersburg, we had E.G. Barnhill. He’s not the most famous of the colorists, but he was one of the best. Whether adding watercolors to black-and-white photographs on paper or using uranium dyes on glass, Barnhill’s photographs have a unique glow to them. His ability to capture Florida’s brutal sun was unparalleled. Barnhill’s photographs don’t just look like home. They feel like home. Don’t miss your chance to see them. Museum of Fine Arts, 255 Beach Dr. NE, St. Petersburg. Through Apr. 7. $20; $15, seniors, military, college students, Florida educators and anyone under 17; free for members and anyone 6 and younger. 727-896-2667, mfastpete.org.
Magritte & Dalí
Rene Magritte isn’t exactly a household name in the Tampa Bay area, but thanks to The Dalí’s new exhibit, Magritte & Dalí, we’re about to get to know Magritte a lot better. Rene Magritte was a Belgian surrealist working in Paris around the same time as Dalí, in the 1920s-1940s. Like Dalí, Magritte is recognized as one of the modern masters, so this is definitely a must-see. The Dalí Museum, 1 Dalí Blvd., St. Petersburg. Through May 19. 727-823-3767, thedali.org.
LATER THIS MONTH
Steve Locke: The Color of Remembering
Boston-based artist Steve Locke is known for making a statement with his art. His #killers, started in 2017, is a series of drawings of, you guessed it, killers. But these killers all have something in common — these killers are white people who have murdered black people. And there’s a lot them. It’s seriously disturbing, but that’s the point. Locke’s “family pictures” will be on display at HCC Dale Mabry early this year. Unlike most people’s family pictures, Locke’s family pictures are photos taken by the public of violence against black people, placed in the same kitschy frames most people use to display pictures of themselves on vacation with their family. I’ve already seen some of these online, and I guarantee you they’ll make you feel something… something not good, but life isn’t all butterflies and rainbows. Gallery 221 at HCC Dale Mabry, 4001 W. Tampa Bay Blvd., Tampa. Jan. 22-Mar. 7. 813-253-7386, hccfl.edu/gallery221.
Joe Testa-Secca: A Man and His Art
When the University of Tampa founded Scarfone/Hartley Gallery in 1977, there weren’t a lot of contemporary art spaces in the Tampa Bay area. “Contemporary art was just starting to become of interest to the Bay area,” according to a University of Tampa press release. At the suggestion of UT art faculty, including Joe Testa-Secca, the university decided to open a dedicated art exhibition space — the Scarfone/Hartley Gallery. Testa-Secca retired from the University of Tampa in 1995, but his legacy remains, and will be on full display at the Scarfone/Hartley Gallery this spring. The exhibition will cover 40+ years of Testa-Secca’s work, all created in Tampa. It’s an excellent opportunity to experience the evolution of a Tampa artist. Scarfone/Hartley Gallery, 310 North Blvd., Tampa. Jan. 23-Feb. 22. 813-253-6217, ut.edu/scarfonehartleygallery.
Periphery
I never thought I’d be excited about an art show in Plant City, but Clay Hollenkamp and Shelby Baerwalde are bringing us something exciting and new this year: A conceptual art show in Plant City’s historic Bing House. The theme is “marginalized communities.” I look forward to exploring Plant City outside of the Strawberry Festival this year. Bing House Museum, 205 Allen St., Plant City. Jan. 25-26. 813-215-5803, jointhecircusproductions.com.
Oswaldo Vigas: Transformations
When I initially saw Oswaldo Vigas’ “Bruja Infante,” my first thought was, “Who’s this?” I stared into those sad eyes, then drifted to the big earrings, the rosy cheeks, and the cartoonish teardrop-shaped breasts. I can’t stop staring. Who is this woman? Who is this artist? Oswaldo Vigas’ unique brand of cubism never garnered anywhere near as much attention as his friend Picasso’s work, but Vigas’ son Lorenzo seeks to remedy this via a touring anthological exhibition of Vigas’ art. “I look forward to introducing Oswaldo Vigas’ art to the Tampa Bay area,” says TMA curator of modern and contemporary art Joanna Robotham, “Vigas has been widely admired in Europe and Latin America for decades, yet is relatively new to American audiences.” According to the Tampa Museum of Art, this will be the first survey of Vigas’ art to appear in a U.S. museum. I look forward to getting to know this modern master. Tampa Museum of Art, 120 W. Gasparilla Plaza, Tampa. Jan. 31-May 27 813-274-8130, tampamuseum.org.
FEBRUARY
Valentwe’ens Day
Celebrate Halloween on Valentine’s Day with Art Lofts’ Valentwe’en, a Victorian-themed art exhibition celebrating horror and love together under one roof. Because, sometimes, love is horrifying. Who wants to be my date? (Please don’t answer that). Art Lofts Studio, 10 5th St. N., St. Petersburg. Feb. 2-Mar. 1. 727-821-5759, theartlofts.com.
Dreams Deferred: Works Inspired by Black History at Mize Gallery
Chad Mize has recruited Erin Hughes to curate this black history-themed exhibition at Mize Gallery. The list of participants is already up to 16 artists, including St. Petersburg muralist, Zulu Painter. Mize Gallery, 689 Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. St. N. Unit C, St. Petersburg. Feb. 8-24. 727-251-8529, chadmize.com.
Unexpected: Art by Alternative Means featuring Nathan Beard, Akiko Kotani, and Rob Tarbell
It takes more than just a pretty picture to hold my interest these days; that’s why I love themed art shows where I learn something new. Art by Alternative Means is all about making art in new and different ways, and I can’t wait to find out what those new and different ways are. The show features three contemporary Florida artists. St. Petersburg’s Nathan Beard uses tape to create layers in his paintings. Akiko Kotani draws with silk thread. And Rob Tarbell uses smoke to create portraits on paper and porcelain. In celebration of these alternative processes, I will be writing my review in blood. Just kidding. Leepa-Rattner Museum of Art, 600 E. Klosterman Rd., Tarpon Springs. Feb. 24-Mar. 19. $7; $6, seniors; free for members, students (with ID), active military and anyone under 17. 727-712-5762, leeparattner.org.
Words in Cages
I never thought we’d be talking about censorship in America in 2017-2019, but here we are. Talking about censorship. In America. Right now. President Trump brought censorship to the forefront in 2017 when he prohibited Centers for Disease Control personnel from using seven words/phrases in official documents. According to The Washington Post, these were “vulnerable,” “entitlement,” “diversity,” “transgender,” “fetus,” “evidence-based,” and “science-based.” Around the same time, Trump slammed social media companies for alleged censorship of the right. It makes me wonder if people will ever stop trying to censor those who disagree with them. Probably not. We all need reminders of the damaging effects of censorship from time to time, and Sheryl Oring’s Writer’s Block is just that. In 1999, Oring premiered Writer’s Block in Berlin’s Bebelplatz, the site of a 1933 Nazi book burning. Since then, the sculptural installation has been on tour, addressing issues of censorship around the world. Next stop: Largo. Gallery at Creative Pinellas, 12211 Walsingham Rd., Largo. Opens Feb. 7: 6-9 p.m. 727-582-3600, creativepinellas.org.
MARCH
Doug Sutherland’s Bosch, Bruegel and a 3D Printer
Just when it seems we’ve reached that point in the art world when everything has already been done before, someone uses a piece of new technology to create something novel. I think new technology, more than anything else, will yield the most innovative art in this century. That’s why I’m so excited to see artist Doug Sutherland using a 3D printer as a sculpting tool. Sutherland recently designed a series of sculptures based on Renaissance paintings by Hieronymus Bosch and Peter Bruegel, and used a 3D printer to bring them to life. Look for them at HCC Ybor this spring. HCC Ybor Art Gallery, 1st floor of the Performing Arts Building, 2112 N. 15th St., Tampa. Mar. 21-Apr. 12. 813-253-7000, hccfl.edu/yborgallery.
APRIL
Abstract Expressionism: A Social Revolution and Echoing Forms: American Abstraction from the Permanent Collection
If you’ve been reading us this past month, then you already know we’re ridiculously excited about the abstract expressionism exhibit coming to the Tampa Museum of Art this spring. Abstract expressionism is, without a doubt, one of the most under-appreciated and misunderstood art movements in American history. It is also one of the most innovative movements in art history. Florida icon, Preston H. Haskell, owner of the largest privately held construction company in Florida, is also a collector of abstract expressionist art. This spring he’ll loan 25 paintings from his collection to the Tampa Museum of Art. The Museum will pair these paintings with abstract expressionist works from the permanent collection in Echoing Forms. You don’t get a lot of chances in life to see an original Willem de Kooning, Hans Hoffman, Helen Frankenthaler or Franz Kline painting — don’t miss your chance to see these early abstract expressionist works. Tampa Museum of Art, 120 W. Gasparilla Plaza, Tampa. Apr. 13-Aug. 11. 813-274-8130, tampamuseum.org.
MAY
Files& Film
There are a lot of great photographers in the Tampa Bay area, which is why I’m looking forward to Xina Scuderi’s Files & Film. This juried photography show will pack in work from as many photographers possible into Mize Gallery this May. The cash prizes for participating artists are higher than in prior years, so I suspect this will be a good year for Files & Film. Mize Gallery, 689 Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. St. N. Unit C, St. Petersburg. May 4-June 1. 727-251-8529, filesandfilm.com.
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