Spotlight on Ringling College Faculty

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5 Oct, 2021

Detail of "In the Spirit of Joan" by Sheryl Haler
I'm continuing my quest to "discover" local artists. Where better to look than an exhibit featuring the work of Ringling College faculty, instructors and staff? 

When we walked into the gallery, Sheryl Haler's "In the Spirit of Joan" immediately drew my attention. How could it not? At 90" tall,  the work is larger than life. But it was the concept behind the work and the immaculate detail that made me want to spend time with it. 

Haler describes "In the Spirit of Joan" as "a metaphor for women who have given their energies, their intelligence, their wisdom, their love, their spirit and their lives to the larger context of humankind throughout history." The tapestry includes the names of women from all time periods and walks of life. A quick look revealed women as disparate as Virginia Woolf, Bertha Palmer, Mother Teresa, Anne Frank and Nina Simone. It would be interesting to know how Haler selected the women literally sewn into this work of feminist history. 

Many more names (with short bios) are printed on fabric akin to luggage tags and attached to the bottom of the work with buttons. I learned, for instance, that Ellen Ochoa was the first Hispanic woman to travel into space and that she served as the director of NASA's Johnson Space Center. Linda Nochlin was an American feminist art historian who wrote an article in 1971 entitled "Why Have There Been No Great Female Artists?" (Click here for an illustrated summary of that article, compliments of Hyperallergic.) And did you know that Shirin Edabi is an Iranian lawyer, writer and teacher who won a Nobel Peace Price for her efforts to promote human rights and democracy?  And this might be the coolest part -- Haler invites visitors to post names of women they feel should be part of this work with the intention of adding them. (Deb was quick to name artist Bisa Butler, whose work we saw in Chicago.) I would love to take a class covering this work of art and the named women.For more on Haler -- and to see a full image of "In the Spirit of Joan" -- click here. (Interestingly, this image doesn't include the medieval scene that sat atop the work at the gallery, which is worthy of its own discussion.) Move over, Judy Chicago! 

"Jordan Casteel: Within Reach/New Museum"
by Joe Fig 
I was also extremely taken by the works of Joe Fig. Much of his work is an homage to other artists. In this painting, Fig depicts people studying paintings done by Jordan Casteel. I have to admit I kept thinking there were other visitors in the gallery when I saw his work out of the corner of my eye. The coats should have been a tip off, but the people are just so realistic. 

The Casteel painting is part of Fig's series entitled "Contemplation." The series features people considering works by artists from Kaws to Picasso to Vik Muniz. I am in love with them. Other series include cinematic paintings, paintings of artist studios (with and without the artists) and painters' tables. I know I'm being a bit repetitive here, but I'd love to take a class on Fig's work and the artists to whom he pays tribute. To see more of Fig's work, click here. And to learn more about the Jordan Casteel exhibit referenced in this work, click here. 

"Girl with a Pearl Earring"
by Sylviane De Roquebrune

"Girl with Pearl Earring" by Sylviane De Roquebrune is another work to which I immediately gravitated. It's just the right mixture of beautiful and unsettling. (I opted for "unsettling" over "creepy." Thoughts?)  The painting has an incredible amount of texture and detail, especially the veil. Each pop of color is outlined in black, making me think of a stained glass window. Overall, the work left me with a kind of Mardi Gras feeling. 

De Roquebrune explains on her website, "My new work is inspired by women with extravagant hair or hairpieces and sometimes masks. Masked images emerge from an eclectic collection of mystical and visual images. We wear many masks at different times for different reasons as we interact with the world." I'm pretty sure she's not talking about the type of masks we've become used to wearing during the pandemic. 

To see more of De Roquebrune's work -- including a much brighter picture of "Girl with Pearl Earring" -- click here. Interestingly, the work is called "Perceiving" there. Call me curious. 

I'll leave you with a painting that's straight up beautiful -- "Round" by Jeffrey A. Cornwell. I can't think of a better word to describe this painting than luminous. The feeling is enhanced by the shape of the canvas mimicking that of the sun. I wish I could just walk into this scene and stay a while. 

Cornwell explains his intentions by saying, "The imagery of sky, land and other elements are references to humankind's common bond, a dialogue shared with others sheltered under the same sky. I seek to capture the moment -- a fleeting memory, an encounter for the first time, a moment of awe or one of complete stillness. The sojourn underneath the sky represents the shared journey, the mystery and the ongoing query."  I particularly appreciate this concept of the shared journey. In a time when we face so many collective challenges -- including those posed by climate change -- it's good to remember we are all in this together. For more of Cornwell's work, click here.  

Unfortunately, I visited this exhibit in its final days so if you missed it you missed it. But there's good news. Ringling College has more than 20 exhibits and art-related events scheduled this academic year. Next up in the Lois + David Stuhlberg Gallery is "POW! The Comic Art of Mike Zweck from the Costa Collection."  I'll admit that this exhibit doesn't cry out to me, but I'm going to give it the old college try. Stay tuned! 

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