Art Center Sarasota’s New Exhibitions Cycle

July 19, 2024 | Sarasota

Art Center Sarasota’s 2023-2024 exhibition season continues with four exhibits, August 15-September 28. Precious Darling’s “How He Sees Me” explores, through black and white photography and sculpture, the nuanced and often troubling ways in which society, and particularly men, view and treat women. (Artist Talk on Thursday, September 12, 5:30-6:30 p.m.) In “The Unaligned Stars: Our Starlight,” features artwork created by teens from the Boys & Girls Club of Manatee County.  The show delves into the intricacies of self-identity amidst societal expectations; weaving together a diverse array of expressions through paintings, books, interactive pieces, and sculptures. Tanner Simon’s “Big Soup, Big Responsibility” features an installation of large-scale paintings that explores the intersection of humor, seriousness, and the absurd. (Artist Talk on Saturday, September 14, 5:30-6:30 p.m.) “Flora and Fauna,” juried by Dr. David Berry, is an open exhibit that invites artists to celebrate the characters of the natural world, both real and imagined, living and extinct, peaceful and poisonous. (Juror critique with Dr. Berry is Wednesday, August 21, 3:30 p.m.)  

The opening reception for all four exhibits is Thursday, August 15, 6-8 p.m. All works on display are available for purchase. Art Center Sarasota, 707 N. Tamiami Trail, Sarasota. For information, visit www.artsarasota.org or call 941-365-2032. 

Born and raised in Miami, Precious Darling is a multidisciplinary artist whose work spans photography, sculpture, and installation. In “How He Sees Me,” the artist explores “the nuanced and often troubling ways in which society, and particularly men, view and treat women. Through a series of black and white photographs and sculptures, my work serves as a commentary on the objectification and commodification of the female form. These pieces highlight the disturbing reality that women are frequently seen as mere consumable objects, devoid of autonomy and individuality.” In Darling’s artist statement, they state that the “stark contrast and raw intimacy of the photographs capture the vulnerability and strength of femininity, challenging the viewer to confront the subject matter directly. The accompanying sculptures, with their fragmented yet evocative representations, emphasize the societal tendency to reduce women’s identities to mere body parts. This exhibit offers an unflinching exploration of how men and society sometimes perceive women as objects—a disconcerting yet all-too-familiar phenomenon that lingers in the shadows of societal consciousness.” In 2023, Darling earned a BA in arts and humanities from New College of Florida. Precious has showcased their artwork in several exhibitions, including the “Visions in Black” annual juried exhibition in 2022 at Art Center Sarasota and in the 2023 exhibition, which was a collaboration that featured artists of color in three galleries across Sarasota and Manatee counties. 

Over the summer, teens from the Boys & Girls Club of Manatee County have been creating artwork inspired by Art Center Sarasota’s annual juried regional show, “Beyond Comfort.” The artworks in “The Unaligned Stars: Our Starlight” create a captivating showcase that delves into the intricacies of self-identity amidst societal expectations; weaving together a diverse array of expressions through paintings, books, interactive pieces, and sculptures. Each artwork speaks volumes about the profound journey of self-discovery and the pressures of conforming to societal norms. From vibrant canvases exploring the fluidity of identity to intricate sculptures challenging conventional perceptions, the exhibition offers a kaleidoscope of perspectives. Amidst the diversity of artistic forms, a powerful theme emerged: despite our individual struggles, we are inherently connected by our shared humanity. Funding for this exhibition is provided by the Boys & Girls Club of Manatee County and the Julie Ross Legacy Project, an initiative at ACS in memory of the late artist Julie Ross, with an emphasis on programs that encourage and teach children about the importance of art in their lives. Additional sponsorship comes from Artwork Installation. 

Tanner Simon’s “Big Soup, Big Responsibility” features an installation of large-scale paintings that explore the intersection of humor, seriousness, and the absurd. The exhibition invites viewers to engage with the dynamic relationships and visual conversations that emerge between the imagery and paintings in space. In his statement, Simon writes that his work “explores familiar visual tropes through the use of a heroic scale and parodies of power, challenging existing symbolic hierarchies.” Simon’s paintings assert their physicality through their scale and placement within space, forging a dynamic relationship with the viewer and questioning preconceived notions of their relationship with issues of representation, power, and meaning. Simon is a multidisciplinary artist from Honesdale, PA. He holds a BA in U.S. history and studio art from Elizabethtown College, with a minor in biological anthropology. He earned his MFA from the University of South Florida in 2024. Simon’s work has been exhibited across the east coast, including notable solo exhibitions in Tampa at 501 Gallery, Secret Mystery Artist No.1 at the DOCATPA, and at Carolyn Wilson Gallery. He has participated in group exhibitions at Heiress Gallery in St. Petersburg, Karst Grounds at Tempus Projects in Tampa, and is an award winner of the Shit in the Dirt Film Festival in Portland, ME. Simon’s work is published in the Artist Registry of the National September 11 Memorial and Museum in New York, NY. 

The open, juried exhibit, “Flora and Fauna,” juried by Dr. David Berry, invited artists to celebrate the characters of the natural world, both real and imagined, living and extinct, peaceful and poisonous. Artists were encouraged to reflect on contemporary philosophies on the importance of the Earth’s plants and animals, evolution, and humanity’s relationship to the natural environment. Dr. Berry is vice president for visitor engagement and chief museum curator at Selby Gardens. He did his doctoral research at the University of Oxford with a focus on the history of museums, gardens, and libraries.  He also teaches courses on the history of museums and art of natural history at New College of Florida. 

Art Center Sarasota’s exhibitions are paid for, in part, by Sarasota County Tourist Development Tax revenues and the State of Florida Department of State, Division of Cultural Affairs.