The Ringling Receives Grant from The Andy Warhol Foundation for the Visual Arts

January 22, 2021 – Sarasota

The John and Mable Ringling Museum of Art is the recipient of a Curatorial Research Fellowship from The Andy Warhol Foundation for the Visual Arts. The Research Fellowship, valued at $31,000 will help support curatorial activities, such as travel and scholarly research, associated with an upcoming exhibition of contemporary Indigenous art at the Museum in 2023.

“We are grateful for the generous support that The Warhol Foundation will provide for the museum. This grant is essential to exhibition planning as it will allow The Ringling’s curator to focus their time on research outside Florida and conduct studio visits with artists locally and across the United States, as well as identify potential exhibition partners,” said Steven High, The Ringling’s Executive Director. “The Ringling is thrilled to have received this prestigious award from The Andy Warhol Foundation for the Visual Arts and we are thankful for their recognition and support.”

In preparation for an exhibition in 2023, Ola Wlusek, The Ringling’s Keith D. and Linda L. Monda Curator of Modern and Contemporary Art, will spend the next two years learning about the complex histories of the Seminole and Miccosukee peoples, the impacts of acculturations on their traditional ways of life, and the development of artistic expression. “This research is in preparation for a group exhibition featuring work by contemporary artists from tribal nations with historical and current connections to Florida.” Said Wlusek, adding: “I’m excited to pursue  deeper research about Florida’s history and meet with Indigenous artists across Florida and beyond to learn about their material culture, innovative modes of expression, and fresh art forms.”

The Ringling is situated on the traditional, ancestral, and unceded territory of the Seminole, Miccosukee and Calusa Tribes’ native lands. Presenting important artwork by Indigenous contemporary artists from this region within a broader socio-political context will expand upon the Museum’s original European-based collection and bring greater awareness to Sarasota’s community about the enduring creative legacy of Native Americans. This significant exhibition celebrating the contemporary visual art by the Seminole, Miccosukee and mixed-heritage artists will be the first presentation of Indigenous art at The Ringling. It is necessary for the Museum to acknowledge and honor the local Indigenous history and the thriving Native American artistic community on their ancestral land by creating an ongoing platform for Indigenous voices within the Museum’s programs. 

About The Andy Warhol Foundation for the Visual Arts: 
In accordance with Andy Warhol’s will, the mission of The Andy Warhol Foundation for the Visual Arts is the advancement of the visual arts. The foundation manages an innovative and flexible grants program while also preserving Warhol’s legacy through creative and responsible licensing policies and extensive scholarly research for ongoing catalogue raisonné projects. To date, the foundation has given over $218 million in cash grants to over 1,000 arts organizations in 49 states and abroad and has donated 52,786 works of art to 322 institutions worldwide.

For more information, visit warholfoundation.org

About The Ringling:
The Ringling is a preeminent center for the arts, history and learning that is dedicated to bringing the past and contemporary culture to life through extraordinary visitor experiences. From its inception, The Ringling has joined the diverse visual traditions and theatrical spectacle of yesterday with the genre-defying global practitioners of today. 

A place of exploration, discovery and respite, The Ringling’s campus in Sarasota, Florida – which includes the Museum of Art, the Circus Museum, an historic mansion, an 18th-century theater and bayfront gardens – is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. 

As the State Art Museum of Florida and part of Florida State University, The Ringling fulfills an important educational mission. The Ringling offers formal and informal programs of study serving as a major resource for students, scholars, and lifelong learners of every age within the region, across the country and around the world.