Art Center Sarasota’s New Exhibitions

November 18, 2024 | Sarasota

E.A. KAHANE:

“¡¡Come Join the Parade!! 25 Years from My Third Floor Window”

Artist Talk & Book Signing on Thursday, December 12, 5-7 p.m.

A celebration of over 25 years of photographing the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade through the artist’s third-floor window.

Ermin Tabakovic: “Sigma Series – Space, Paradox & Beauty”

Artist Talk on Saturday, January 11, 5:30-6:30 p.m.

This new series of paintings boldly embody the artist’s core vision through vibrant geometric forms, structural depth, and metaphysical dimension.

Keenan Perren: “Push”

Artist Talk on Thursday, December 19, 5:30- 6:30 p.m.

Crafted from broken skateboards, this new work layers compositions that explore human connection and resonate with personal and collective memory.

Juried Show: “Trompe L’oeil”

Juror’s Critique with Michael Kinsey: Wednesday, December 11, 4 p.m.

This exhibit invites artists to explore themes of illusion, perception, and reality through works that challenge viewers to question the boundaries between art and everyday life.

Opening Reception for all exhibits is Thursday, December 5; 5-7 p.m.

(November 15, 2024) Art Center Sarasota’s 2024-2025 exhibition season continues with four exhibits, December 5-January 18. In “¡¡Come Join the Parade!! 25 Years from My Third Floor Window,” E.A. KAHANE celebrates more than 25 years of capturing the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade through her camera lens from a third-floor window. (Artist Talk & Book Signing is Thursday, December 12, 5-7 p.m.) Ermin Tabakovic’s exhibition, “Sigma Series – Space, Paradox & Beauty”, includes a series of paintings that boldly embody the artist’s core vision through vibrant geometric forms, structural depth, and a metaphysical dimension. (Artist Talk is Saturday, January 11, 5:30-6:30 p.m.) Keenan Perren’s “Push” depicts new work crafted from broken skateboards, which explore human connection and resonate with personal and collective memory. (Artist Talk is Thursday, December 19, 5:30- 6:30 p.m.) The open, juried exhibition, “Trompe L’oeil,” invites artists to explore themes of illusion, perception, and reality through works that challenge viewers to question the boundaries between art and everyday life. The juror is Michael Kinsey, a portrait photographer, filmmaker and content creator based in Sarasota. (A Juror’s Critique is Wednesday, December 11, 4 p.m.) Opening Reception for all exhibits is Thursday, December 5; 5-7 p.m. All works on display are available for purchase. Art Center Sarasota’s exhibitions are paid for, in part, part by Sarasota County Tourist Development Tax revenues and generous donors. Art Center Sarasota, 707 N. Tamiami Trail, Sarasota. For information, visit ArtSarasota.org or call 941-365-2032.

E.A. KAHANE’s “¡¡Come Join the Parade!! 25 Years from My Third Floor Window,” celebrates over 25 years of photographing the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade from her Manhattan home. This installation captures the joy, excitement, and

spirit of New York through KAHANE’s lens, inviting viewers to experience the magic of the city’s iconic event. Mostly self-taught, KAHANE has dedicated herself fully to photography since 2011, with her work in the collections of the Obama Foundation and the New York Historical Society. Her photographs bring to life the collective joy of parades, both near and far, transforming personal experiences into shared celebrations. The artist says: “As long as I can remember, I have loved parades. These community celebrations bring out the kid in all of us. There is something electric about a crowd coming together to collectively bask in the sheer joy of such an event.”

Ermin Tabakovic’s “Sigma Series – Space, Paradox & Beauty,” showcases vibrant geometric forms that evoke a “sense of mystery, enigma, and visual drama.” Born in former Yugoslavia, Tabakovic’s early talent led him into special art programs, and after his family moved to Berlin as refugees, he became a graffiti artist. The family later settled in Tampa Bay, where his art practice transitioned to painting and he earned a BFA from the University of Central Florida. Now based in Tampa with his wife and their cat, Maximus, Tabakovic describes his work: “By intertwining two-dimensional and three-dimensional space, I create tension, ambiguity, and dynamism, defining the visual paradox of the canvas. Inspired by Geometric Abstraction, the Constructivists, and our digital age, my goal is to create a new, futuristic geometric language that transcends the past and points to something new.”

In “Push,” Keenan Perren transforms broken skateboards into layered compositions celebrating human connection and shared experiences. A self-taught artist from Vineland, NJ, Perren, now based in Bradenton, repurposes discarded skateboards into intricate portraits and sculptures, reflecting his “desire to give them new life” without covering their worn surfaces. Perren’s work has been featured in

numerous exhibitions and media, including Sarasota Magazine and Voyage Tampa. The artist says that it’s “important to me not to paint over the skateboards. I feel like showing all of the scratched graphics, markings, and chips shows how much life they had and what someone went through with them. To me, it gives the figures that I make with them more life and personality.”

“Trompe L’oeil” is an open, juried exhibit that invites artists to explore illusion, perception, and reality, creating lifelike works that challenge viewers to question the boundary between art and everyday experience. The juror is the Sarasota-based portrait photographer, filmmaker and actor, Michael Kinsey, who brings nearly 40 years of passion to his craft. A Ringling College scholarship recipient and founding member of the Westcoast Black Theater Troupe, Kinsey has won national acclaim for his photography, with work featured in Rolling Stone, Inc. Magazine, and The Washington Post. Kinsey wrote, directed and produced his first short film in 2019, “Killer Date Night,” a dark comedy. The film was selected into three film festivals, including The Pan African Film Festival in Los Angeles. His 2024 solo exhibition, “Views from the New Horizon,” presented portraits from Sarasota Magazine’s “Listening to Black Voices” series, showcasing his commitment to impactful storytelling.