Emily Martinez, Mother’s Embrace (detail), 2024, acrylic on canvas and wood 109¼ x 96." Courtesy of Museum of Fine Arts, St. Petersburg. 

“What’s always so exciting in this series of exhibitions, is the diverse practices that we’re able to capture and present,” says Christopher Jones, the Ringling’s Stanton B. and Nancy W. Kaplan curator of photography and media art. “Our region has some really great arts communities, schools and institutions, and frequently we’re able to highlight grad students and younger, emerging artists. “We’ve also worked with artists that have been making an impact and others that have been in the region for decades, creating a legacy with teaching, mentoring and shaping dialogue in the arts.”

Saumitra Chandratreya, Royal Poinciana Reflections, 2022, cyanotype on sateen, 40 x 60." Courtesy of the artist © Saumitra Chandratreya.

In a nutshell, the Ringling, along with Museum of Fine Arts, St. Petersburg; USF Contemporary Art Museum; Sarasota Art Museum; and Tampa Museum of Art, feature presentations that are as expansive as possible to reflect the spectrum of what’s truly going on in their region of the country. “Each institution has a different niche and a slightly different audience it connects with, along with different programs and resources,” says Jones. “[This exhibition series] has been a great way to combine these resources and efforts, to amplify the voices of contemporary artists and weave together this regional identity.”

Jake Fernandez, Myakka Fork 2, 2024, oil on sixty-four wood panels, 88 x 154." Courtesy of the artist © Jake Fernandez.

Jones explains: “Fernandez spends a lot of time creating iterations [stemming from photographs], that begin as a graphite drawing, then an oil painting and sometimes large paintings on wooden panels. Often, his works have a three-dimensional aspect. He does these meditations on spaces and dynamics of visual experiences over time, but it’s all grounded in natural spaces and waterways. I’m very excited about this conceptual exploration because of the vision being grounded in places that are very local to our region and are important ecological sites.”

Samantha Modder, Field of Lost Hair Ties (detail), 2023, digitally manipulated ballpoint pen on adhesive print, dimensions variable. Courtesy of Sarasota Art Museum.

For the entirety of the exhibition series, Jones hopes that attendees grasp the diversity of perspectives, along with the connections that are made with not only other parts of the country, but the world. Jones adds, “I want people to know the strengths of this arts community, and the regional identity and distinction.”