Mira Lehr’s entire career as an artist
has focused on the natural world and our relationship with our surroundings.
Her residence in Miami, with a studio nestled right on the water, has obviously
steered her work towards the waterways and open ocean that form such an
integral part of life in Florida.
A “high water mark” indicates a literal measurement for the highest point
the water level reaches in a given area at a particular time. However,
alternate meanings of the term suggest maximum value in various other sectors
of life. It seems fitting, then, that this phrase should be applied to the work
of an artist whose career spans five decades, building toward a well-earned
peak. Lehr’s recent work has been lauded by
critics for the meaningful and contemplative commentary she offers on a timely
and contentious subject, the state of our natural world. However, her sense of
wonder and optimism about humanity’s ability to rise to the occasion with
solutions guides both her life and work.
As an eco-feminist artist from Miami
whose career spans five decades, her nature-based imagery encompasses painting,
design, sculpture and video installations. Lehr’s processes include
non-traditional media such as resin, gunpowder, fire, Japanese paper, dyes and
welded steel.
Lehr has affected a new generation of young artists by serving as a mentor and collaborator, teaching master classes with the National Young Arts Foundation. She has also been an artist in residence at the Bascom Summer Programs.
The Mennello Museum of American Art proudly presents, John Baker: Mind Wealth — the captivating photography of artist John Baker, whose work unveils a moment in time where light interacts gracefully among crowds or an individual within charming human-built spaces. Baker brilliantly captures the interplay of human interaction surrounded by highly contrasted shadow and bright light cast onto the smooth metals and the textured brick of city streets encountered during his travels.
The title of the exhibition is
drawn from a photograph taken by the artist, which asks the viewer to confront
philosophical ideas associated with idealism and youth or materiality and
maturity in an art filled space that encourages the same attention to
thought. Inspired by the ephemeral and
profound moods evoked in Edward Steichen’s early photography, the soft-focused
documentation of urban life by Alfred Stieglitz, the architectural abstraction
of Paul Strand, and the high contrast drama commanded by Henri Cartier-Bresson,
Baker’s photographs continue a long tradition of considering place and people
through contemporary black and white photography.
“On the occasion of our major exhibition with pioneering photographer Edward Steichen, I am delighted to have the opportunity to share the photography of an outstanding local artist, John Baker, who has long admired the avant-garde work by photographers at the turn of the last century, and employs this creative exploration in his own work. Through his photography, Baker presents a wonderful consideration of the splendor of contemporary society with a modernist lens of location. Baker elegantly frames the world he sees, reminding us all to find the wonder in the lives we walk through every day.”
Katherine Navarro, Curator of Art and Education
John Baker is a recognized black and white film photographer and multimedia artist living and working in Orlando. He teaches photography at the Crealdé School of Art, holds a gallery studio at FAVO, is an annual Indie-Folkfest artist at the Mennello Museum and, among other accolades, has won Best of Show at the Orlando Museum of Art’s First Thursdays.
John Baker: Mind Wealth is curated by Katherine Navarro, Curator of Art and Education, Mennello Museum of American Art.
The Mennello Museum of American Art proudly presents, John Baker: Mind Wealth — the
captivating photography of artist John Baker, whose work unveils a moment in
time where light interacts gracefully among crowds or an individual within
charming human-built spaces. Baker brilliantly captures the interplay of human
interaction surrounded by highly contrasted shadow and bright light cast onto
the smooth metals and the textured brick of city streets encountered during his
travels.
The title of the exhibition is
drawn from a photograph taken by the artist, which asks the viewer to confront
philosophical ideas associated with idealism and youth or materiality and
maturity in an art filled space that encourages the same attention to
thought. Inspired by the ephemeral and
profound moods evoked in Edward Steichen’s early photography, the soft-focused
documentation of urban life by Alfred Stieglitz, the architectural abstraction
of Paul Strand, and the high contrast drama commanded by Henri Cartier-Bresson,
Baker’s photographs continue a long tradition of considering place and people
through contemporary black and white photography.
Katherine Navarro, Curator of Art
and Education states “On the occasion of our major exhibition with pioneering
photographer Edward Steichen, I am delighted to have the opportunity to share
the photography of an outstanding local artist, John Baker, who has long
admired the avant-garde work by photographers at the turn of the last century,
and employs this creative exploration in his own work. Through his photography,
Baker presents a wonderful consideration of the splendor of contemporary
society with a modernist lens of location. Baker elegantly frames the world he
sees, reminding us all to find the wonder in the lives we walk through every
day.”
John Baker is a recognized black and white film photographer and multimedia artist living and working in Orlando. He teaches photography at the Crealdé School of Art, holds a gallery studio at FAVO, is an annual Indie-Folkfest artist at the Mennello Museum and, among other accolades, has won Best of Show at the Orlando Museum of Art’s First Thursdays.
Please save the date for the opening reception of JOHN BAKER: MIND WEALTH
Public Reception Wednesday, December 11 | 5:30–7:30 pm
PLEASE NOTE THE BELOW REQUIRED CREDITS FOR IMAGES:
John Baker (b. 1966, NY) Mind Wealth Bruges, 2016, silver gelatin print. Courtesy of the Artist
John Baker (b. 1966, NY) Bus Stop, 1998, silver gelatin print. Courtesy of the Artist
About the Museum The Mennello Museum of American Art, owned and operated by the City of Orlando, is located on the beautiful shore of Lake Formosa in Orlando’s Loch Haven Cultural Park. The museum provides residents and visitors welcoming opportunities to understand and value creativity through innovative experiences with art further connecting it to nature and communal gathering. Our goal is to encourage creative and diverse experiences with art that nurtures audiences while reflecting the dynamic relationship between art and society. In addition to housing the permanent collection of folk modernist Earl Cunningham, the museum presents temporary exhibitions that feature a broad range of American art from traditional to contemporary practices.
The Mennello Museum of American Art and its exhibitions are generously supported by the City of Orlando and Friends of The Mennello Museum of American Art. Additional funding is provided by Orange County Government through the Arts & Cultural Affairs Program and United Arts of Central Florida. Sponsored in part by the State of Florida, Department of State, Division of Cultural Affairs and the Florida Council on Arts and Culture
Jeremy Kemp Marketing & Graphic Design Coordinator The Mennello Museum of American Art and Public Art, City of Orlando Jeremy.kemp@cityoforlando.net 407.246.4113
Friends of the Mennello Museum of American Art are pleased to
announce they have hired renowned architects Brooks + Scarpa & KMF
Architects as the design team for the 40,000 square-foot museum expansion. In a
special presentation, preliminary plans and a stunning architectural model were
unveiled by Orlando Mayor Buddy Dyer and museum director Shannon Fitzgerald at
the museum’s White Canvas Party on Friday night, October 4.
Michael A. Mennello, the museum’s founder, is thrilled with the design planning and states:
“My late wife, Marilyn, and I opened the museum in November 1998. We were avid art collectors who had a dream to create an intimate cultural gem. Never in a million years did I dream I would be alive to see our museum become a global destination for world-class American Art for all to enjoy.”
Orlando Mayor Buddy Dyer shares his support of the museum’s vision and
expansion:
“World-class cities place enormous value on their museums and expect them to deliver art and culture that enriches lives. I believe that the Mennello Museum is one of Orlando’s most beautiful cultural assets for our residents. As it reaches more people in our community through family-friendly programs, compelling exhibitions, and timely events, I am happy that the museum has developed a road map for the future that includes an expansion with a design that can help define what an art museum can be in the 21st Century.”
Walter Ketcham, Chairman, Friends Board shares:
“For nearly 21 years, the Mennello Museum has enriched our community with thought-provoking exhibitions. The future looks bright as we are now poised to add 40,000 square feet of enrichment opportunities; world-class exhibitions, innovative educational programs, and multi-purpose event spaces. This planned addition will make the museum a world-class destination experience.”
Shannon Fitzgerald, Executive Director, states:
“Our plan is inclusive, welcoming, and sustainable. With the open expansion, we will serve more in our community with a mission-driven building designed to seamlessly merge art, education, nature, dwell, respite, function, and form. We started with visionary ideas on how to make the museum more cohesive and increase public access and with Brooks + Scapa and KMF Architects’ brilliant partnership, the visionary has been put into action—a very exciting moment for us all!”
The museum will move forward cautiously to ensure all the private funds are raised to continue to work with such dynamic partners in dreaming the future together, and making it a reality. “The Friends of the Mennello Museum of American Art, along with the City Of Orlando, have mapped out a success story that is so powerful as we will become a cultural destination for both our local community and visitors,” states Jim Southall, Finance Chair, Friends Board.
The $20 million expansion includes:
40,000 square-foot museum facility integrated around the current 12,000 square-foot museum building
Increase the number and quality of programs, opportunities, and amenities to better serve our growing audiences
Create a cultural destination on beautiful Lake Formosa designed to preserve and reimagine our green space, the intimacy of the Dr. Phillips Home, walking and bike paths, and sculpture garden
Welcoming and inclusive space for the highest caliber of exhibitions and programs to best attract audiences
Expand family-friendly and diverse art education programs to serve the community
Multi-purpose spaces for earned income; events, weddings, classrooms, and conference room
Ability to seat 250 and accommodate 400+ for standing indoor & outdoor events
Attract larger audience through new branded tourism efforts
Greater impact in the art and economic prosperity of the region
Lawrence
Scarpa’s vision beautifully aligns with the museum’s goals:
“The Mennello Museum’s design is both futuristic and timeless. The design mirrors the objective of the artwork inside: It tells a story and furthers the Museum’s mission to be a place of education, culture, and inspiration. More than just a building, it is a civic place for social interaction, bringing people closer to art, each other and to nature, providing an opportunity for new, immersive, art experiences. The building is organized as a series of highly engaging spaces where the Museum’s mission of using art to connect people to the world around them can unfold.”
Museum Expansion Architect Team
Brooks +
Scarpa is a collective of architects, designers, and creative thinkers
dedicated to enhancing the human experience. Honored with some of the most
prestigious design awards, including the Smithsonian Cooper- Hewitt National
Design Award and the American Institute of Architects National Firm Award,
Brooks + Scarpa is a multi-disciplinary practice that includes architecture,
landscape architecture, planning, environmental design, materials research,
graphic, furniture, and interior design services that produces innovative,
sustainable iconic buildings and urban environments.
KMF Architects
has been active in Orlando for 20 years, bringing quality vision and
implementation to a diverse portfolio of award-winning projects. A knowledge
and passion for local history and infrastructure has led to a meaningful
interaction with our community here in Orlando and has left a substantial
impact in helping to inform its future. KMF features a diverse array of talent
and experience, offering a personalized service unmatched in the
industry. Brooks + Scarpa and KMF Architects have had a professional
creative relationship for over a decade, leading to award-winning solutions on
diverse program types.
The Brooks + Scarpa and KMF Architects partnership provides a team that merges unparalleled design with localized service and expertise. The team is excited about the opportunity to establish a new sustainable icon for the City of Orlando and Orange County, creating a place that merges art, architecture, and people, telling the story of Orlando’s rich and diverse communities.
PRINCIPLES:
Lawrence Scarpa, FAIA – Brooks + Scarpa
Eric Kleinsteuber, AIA – KMF Architects
CAPITAL CAMPAIGN
The Friends
Board now embarks on the silent phase of a capital campaign to fully fund the
building expansion. The project will strengthen the Mennello Museum of American
Art as one of Central Florida’s preeminent art, culture, and education
institutions and enable us to advance how we celebrate the diversity of
American Art and the Central Florida community.
To find out how you can be part of our future and support our capital campaign please contact Genean McKinnon at genean@mckinnonstrong.com, 407. 341. 0341 or Kim Strong at kim@mckinnonstrong.com, 407. 619. 1711.
About the Museum The Mennello Museum of American Art, owned and operated by the City of Orlando, is located on the beautiful shore of Lake Formosa in Orlando’s Loch Haven Cultural Park. The museum provides residents and visitors welcoming opportunities to understand and value creativity through innovative experiences with art further connecting it to nature and communal gathering. Our goal is to encourage creative and diverse experiences with art that nurtures audiences while reflecting the dynamic relationship between art and society. In addition to housing the permanent collection of folk modernist Earl Cunningham, the museum presents temporary exhibitions that feature a broad range of American art from traditional to contemporary practices.
The Mennello Museum of American Art and its exhibitions are generously supported by the City of Orlando and Friends of The Mennello Museum of American Art. Additional funding is provided by Orange County Government through the Arts & Cultural Affairs Program and United Arts of Central Florida. Sponsored in part by the State of Florida, Department of State, Division of Cultural Affairs and the Florida Council on Arts and Culture
PLEASE NOTE THE BELOW REQUIRED CREDITS FOR IMAGES:
Mennello Museum of American Art, Preliminary Expansion Renderings, Exterior (1), Brooks + Scarpa and KMF Architects, 2019.
Mennello Museum of American Art, Preliminary Expansion Renderings, Exterior (2), Brooks + Scarpa and KMF Architects, 2019.
Mennello Museum of American Art, Preliminary Expansion Renderings, Exterior (3), Brooks + Scarpa and KMF Architects, 2019.
Mennello Museum of American Art, Preliminary Expansion Renderings, Exterior (4), Brooks + Scarpa and KMF Architects, 2019.
Mennello Museum of American Art, Preliminary Expansion Renderings, Exterior (5), Brooks + Scarpa and KMF Architects, 2019.
Mennello Museum of American Art, Preliminary Expansion Renderings, Exterior (6), Brooks + Scarpa and KMF Architects, 2019.
Mennello Museum of American Art, Preliminary Expansion Renderings, Interior (1), Brooks + Scarpa and KMF Architects, 2019.
Mennello Museum of American Art, Preliminary Expansion Renderings, Interior (2), Brooks + Scarpa and KMF Architects, 2019.
Mennello Museum of American Art, Preliminary Expansion Renderings, Interior (3), Brooks + Scarpa and KMF Architects, 2019.
Mennello Museum of American Art, Preliminary Expansion Renderings, Interior (4), Brooks + Scarpa and KMF Architects, 2019.
Mennello Museum of American Art, Preliminary Expansion Renderings, Interior (5), Brooks + Scarpa and KMF Architects, 2019.
Mennello Museum of American Art, Preliminary Expansion Renderings, Interior (6), Brooks + Scarpa and KMF Architects, 2019.
Mennello Museum of American Art, Preliminary Expansion Renderings, Interior (7), Brooks + Scarpa and KMF Architects, 2019.
Mennello Museum of American Art, Preliminary Expansion Renderings, Interior (8), Brooks + Scarpa and KMF Architects, 2019.
Mennello Museum of American Art, Preliminary Expansion Renderings, Interior (9), Brooks + Scarpa and KMF Architects, 2019.
Mennello Museum of American Art, Preliminary Expansion Renderings, Interior (10), Brooks + Scarpa and KMF Architects, 2019.
Mennello Museum of American Art, White Canvas Party, (from left to right – Lawrence Scarpa, FAIA (Brooks + Scarpa Architects), Shannon Fitzgerald (Director, Mennello Museum of American Art), Orlando Mayor Buddy Dyer (City of Orlando), Eric Kleinsteuber, AIA (KMF Architects). Courtesy: Jeremy Kemp, City of Orlando, 2019. Mennello Museum of American Art, White Canvas Party, Proposed Expansion Model (2), Courtesy: Matt Kaiser, City of Orlando, 2019
EDWARD STEICHEN: IN EXALTATION OF FLOWERS presents paintings and photography from the collections of Art Bridges, the Minneapolis Institute of Art, George Eastman Museum, and the Metropolitan Museum of Art, on view from September 20th – January 12th, 2020 at the Mennello Museum of American Art in partnership with Orlando Museum of Art.
Co-organized by the Mennello Museum of American Art (MMAA) with Orlando Museum of Art (OMA) and in partnership with Art Bridges, a pioneering new foundation dedicated to dramatically expanding access to American art across the country, this exhibit includes 20 photographs and a rare large-scale mural by groundbreaking, turn-of-the-last century artist Edward Steichen. Through fashion and flowers, Steichen presents portraits of the cultural luminaries of the day: actors, writers, dancers, and singers of the early 1920s in intimate black and white photography and seven stunningly grand, large-scale gold-leaf mural paintings filled with portraits of his friends (the creative icons) and their floral counterparts. The murals, In Exaltation of Flowers, had not been seen in over 100 years, until Art Bridges purchased them from MoMA who was gifted the murals from the Meyer family who commissioned them from Steichen in 1910. Art Bridges supported their conservation at Dallas Art Museum where they were unveiled again in 2018.
This innovative collaboration between MMAA and OMA is only
made possible by Art Bridge’s visionary mission to make collections of American
Art more accessible through the forging of collaborations and partnerships with
collection-rich museums and our smaller museums in Orlando. The exhibition, Edward
Steichen: In Exaltation of Flower brings the multi-disciplinary art of
Edward Steichen to our communities in Central Florida for the first time,
through a tightly-focused consideration of his masterpiece painting, In Exaltation of Flowers (1910-13; Art
Bridges Foundation) and related photographs from 1906-1923 handpicked
for their close association with the murals. The seven-panel mural will be
shown at OMA and twenty photographs from the collections of the Minneapolis Institute
of Art, George Eastman Museum, and the Metropolitan Museum of Art will be
presented at the MMAA. The two
presentations, together explore the important relationship between the artist’s
painting and his early photography, and give an in-depth look at the world in
which Steichen made his art.
The murals tell the story of philanthropists Agnes Ernst
Meyer, Eugene Meyer, Jr. Charles Lang Freer (Smithsonian Institution’s Freer
Gallery of Art), the mezzo soprano and dancer Mercedes de Cordoba, the artists
Katharine Rhoades and Marion Beckett, and the dancer Isadora Duncan, along with
their floral counterparts, inspired in part by the Symbolist writer Maurice
Maeterlinck’s 1907 book The Intelligence of Flowers. The
photographs feature the same friends along with multiple images of Steichen’s
wife, his most beloved muse, Dana Steichen.
Edward Steichen: In Exaltation of Flowers shares
multiple facets of Steichen’s early work as a photographer and painter while
also sharing a symbolic narrative about his circle of friends in both intimate
and grand iterations. The exhibition seeks to celebrate Steichen’s genius in
both mediums.
Edward Steichen: In
Exaltation of Flowersis
co-curated by Shannon Fitzgerald, Executive Director, Mennello Museum and
Coralie Claeysen-Gleyzon, Associate Curator, Orlando Museum of Art.
This exhibition and education programs are made possible
with the generous funding support of Art Bridges.
EDWARD STEICHEN: IN EXALTATION
OF FLOWERS presents paintings and photography from the collections of Art
Bridges, the Minneapolis Institute of Art, George Eastman Museum, and the
Metropolitan Museum of Art, on view from September 20th 2019 –
January 12th, 2020 at the Mennello Museum of American Art in
partnership with Orlando Museum of Art.
Opening reception will take place at both the Mennello Museum and OMA on
Friday, September 20th starting at 5:30pm – shuttles will be
provided between museums.
Co-organized by the Mennello Museum of American Art
(MMAA) with Orlando Museum of Art (OMA) and in partnership with Art
Bridges, a pioneering new foundation dedicated to dramatically expanding
access to American art across the country, this exhibit includes 20 photographs
and a rare large-scale mural by groundbreaking, turn-of-the-last century artist
Edward Steichen. Through fashion and flowers, Steichen presents portraits of
the cultural luminaries of the day: actors, writers, dancers, and singers of
the early 1920s in intimate black and white photography and seven stunningly
grand, large-scale gold-leaf mural paintings filled with portraits of his
friends (the creative icons) and their floral counterparts. The murals, In
Exaltation of Flowers, had not been seen in over 100 years, until Art
Bridges purchased them from MoMA, who was gifted the murals from the Meyer
family, who commissioned them from Steichen in 1910. Art Bridges supported their conservation at
Dallas Art Museum where they were unveiled again in 2018.
Executive Director of the Mennello Museum, Shannon
Fitzgerald stated, “I am delighted that this innovative shared exhibition and
partnership with collection-rich museums is creating a new standard for
museum experimentation and shared resources, and that both our museums are
part of this national dialogue moving the dial forward on how museums can truly
come together – in this instance, a significant first in the cultural
community that I hope will be part of a lasting model in national
museum practice, with gratitude to Art Bridges for such leadership.”
This pioneering collaboration between MMAA and OMA is only
made possible by Art Bridges’ visionary mission to make collections of American
Art more accessible through the forging of collaborations and partnerships with
collection-rich museums and our smaller museums in Orlando. Speaking on the collective efforts needed to
make this exhibition a reality, Director and CEO of OMA, Glen Gentele, said, “The
opportunity for the Orlando Museum of Art (OMA) to collaborate with the
Mennello Museum of American Art (MMAA) on co-organizing this important
exhibition featuring the photography and painting of Edward Steichen, one of
the most celebrated artists of the early 20th century, is extraordinary and
would not be possible without the support of Art Bridges.”
The exhibition, Edward Steichen: In Exaltation of Flowers
brings the multi-disciplinary art of Edward Steichen to our communities in
Central Florida for the first time, through a tightly-focused consideration of
his masterpiece painting, In Exaltation
of Flowers (1910-13; Art Bridges Foundation) and related photographs from
1906-1923 handpicked for their close association with the murals. The
seven-panel mural will be shown at OMA and twenty photographs from the
collections of the Minneapolis Institute of Art, George Eastman Museum, and the
Metropolitan Museum of Art will be presented at the MMAA. The two presentations together explore the
important relationship between the artist’s painting and his early photography,
and give an in-depth look at the world in which Steichen made his art.
The murals tell the story of philanthropists Agnes Ernst
Meyer, Eugene Meyer, Jr. Charles Lang Freer (Smithsonian Institution’s Freer
Gallery of Art), the mezzo soprano and dancer Mercedes de Cordoba, the artists
Katharine Rhoades and Marion Beckett, and the dancer Isadora Duncan, along with
their floral counterparts, inspired in part by the Symbolist writer Maurice
Maeterlinck’s 1907 book The Intelligence of Flowers. The
photographs feature the same friends along with multiple images of Steichen’s
wife, his most beloved muse, Dana Steichen.
Edward Steichen: In Exaltation of Flowers shares multiple facets of Steichen’s early work as a photographer and painter while also sharing a symbolic narrative about his circle of friends in both intimate and grand iterations. The exhibition seeks to celebrate Steichen’s genius in both mediums.
Edward Steichen: In Exaltation of Flowers is co-curated by
Shannon Fitzgerald, Executive Director, Mennello Museum and Coralie
Claeysen-Gleyzon, Associate Curator, Orlando Museum of Art.
This exhibition and education programs are made possible
with the generous funding support of Art Bridges.
Orlando Mayor Buddy Dyer echoed his support for the project,
stating, “As a city, we are grateful for the continued support of Art
Bridges, who has already provided the Mennello Museum of American Art with
leadership that helped secure the valuable loans from three outstanding museums
in our country; The Metropolitan Museum of Art, Minneapolis Institute of Art,
and the George Eastman Museum. This
partnership not only further distinguishes our museum, but also allows the
various audiences of the Mennello and Orlando Museum of Art to further share in
programming and engage more of our community in the vibrant arts and culture
offerings of Orlando.”
This is a new program with a new foundation representing the
first dual museum project for Art Bridges, that reflects a pioneering national
model they are employing with collection-rich museums across the nation.
The leadership of MMAA and OMA have been working with Art Bridges
leadership on this project for nearly two years – in a complex development and
defining of the program, and it has only been possible because of a true
sharing of resources and working across museums and departments. The funding includes support for shipping,
crating, museum loans fees, installation materials and labor, education, and
marketing that otherwise would have been too cost prohibitive for either
museum.
Art Bridges, is a nonprofit founded by Alice Walton in late
2017 and is dedicated to sharing outstanding works of American art. The murals
are owned by Art Bridges which maintains a separate collection of art from the
Walton-founded Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art, Bentonville, Arkansas.
Edward Steichen: In Exaltation of Flowers at the Mennello
Museum of American Art is also generously supported by the City of Orlando and the
Friends of the Mennello Museum of American Art. Funding is provided by Orange
County Government through the Arts & Cultural Affairs Program and United
Arts of Central Florida. Sponsored in part by the State of Florida, Department
of State, Division of Cultural Affairs and the Florida Council on Arts and
Culture.
Funding for the Orlando Museum of Art is generated through
earned income, the Board of Trustees, OMA Ambassadors, Council of 101,
Acquisition Trust, Friends of American Art, and contributions from generous
individuals, corporations and foundations. Additional funding is provided by
Orange County Government through the Arts & Cultural Affairs Program, sponsored
in part by the State of Florida, Department of State, Division of Cultural
Affairs and the Florida Council on Arts and Culture, the City of Orlando, the
Clive Foundation, A Friendsʼ Foundation Trust, Bank of America, the Warren and
Augusta Hume Foundation, Rita and Jeffrey Adler Foundation, Walt Disney World
Company, the Chesley G. Magruder Foundation, the Martin Andersen-Gracia
Andersen Foundation, United Arts of Central Florida with funds from the United
Arts Campaign, Williams Family Foundation, Celebrity Cruises, UCF Foundation,
Advent Health, ABC Fine Wine & Spirits, CNL Charitable Foundation, Hunter
Vision, PNC Foundation, Sam Flax Art & Design Supplies, Sun Trust
Foundation, and anonymous donors.
This will be a dual opening
at both the Mennello Museum and OMA
– shuttle between museums
will be provided.
Public Reception Friday, September 20 | 5:30–8:30 pm
Free for members | $15 for Guests
PLEASE NOTE THE BELOW
REQUIRED CREDITS FOR IMAGES:
About
the Museum
The Mennello Museum of American Art, owned and operated by the City of Orlando,
is located on the beautiful shore of Lake Formosa in Orlando’s Loch Haven
Cultural Park. The museum provides residents and visitors welcoming
opportunities to understand and value creativity through innovative experiences
with art further connecting it to nature and communal gathering. Our goal is to
encourage creative and diverse experiences with art that nurtures audiences
while reflecting the dynamic relationship between art and society. In addition to housing the permanent
collection of folk modernist Earl Cunningham, the museum presents temporary
exhibitions that feature a broad range of American art from traditional to
contemporary practices.
The Mennello Museum of American Art and its
exhibitions are generously supported by the City of Orlando and Friends of The
Mennello Museum of American Art. Additional funding is provided by Orange
County Government through the Arts & Cultural Affairs Program and United
Arts of Central Florida. Sponsored in part by the State of Florida, Department
of State, Division of Cultural Affairs and the Florida Council on Arts and
Culture
This Call for Artists is open to all artists of the City of Orlando, Orange County, Osceola County, Lake County, and Seminole County (must have resided here from July 2018 – May 2020). It is not open to students or previous Our Orlando artists. Media eligible includes drawing, painting, photography, sculpture, printmaking, mixed media, installation, film/video/digital.
About the Exhibition
The Mennello Museum will expand on the success of Our Orlando, an exhibition established to feature a diverse range of emerging local artists enlivening our City Beautiful. In 2020 MMAA will relaunch the show with a new biennial structure, bringing amplified visibility and financial support to talented artists in Orange County. As Central Florida’s population and the arts and culture scene within continue to grow, it is crucial to promote the varied contemporary artistic voices and to contextualize their work amongst one another in critical thought. Our Orlando artists selected after an application and studio visit process will be awarded a stipend prior to exhibition and on selection by curator, Katherine Navarro.
The title for the exhibition, CONSTRUCT, draws on the word’s plurality to inspire new levels of reflection. Construct can be an action of creation, shaping, and framing, displayed by artist or curator, but also a way to identify complex themes or concepts, explored within artwork and the space of the museum.
APPLICATION
There is a limit of four artwork uploads per artist, please be sure to submit the work that best fits the theme and your talents.
Application deadline: August 31, 2019, midnight 7 semi-finalists chosen: September 2019 Studio visits: September 23 – October 4, 2019 Winners announced: November 2019 Exhibition on view: May 22– September 13, 2020
The Mennello Museum of American Art will soon be undergoing a transformation of its gallery spaces – creating a richer, more unique experience for its visitors and its community.
The museum will temporarily close while the interior renovations take place from May 13th– June 6th.
As part of the renovations, the gallery spaces will be recreated with modern lightings systems, interior design modifications, and a completely new presentation of its celebrated Earl Cunningham collection.
Executive Director, Shannon Fitzgerald said, “Exciting changes are coming. We are thrilled to have the opportunity to revitalize to our space and develop even better showcases for our collections. These changes will allow us to create a more immersive and complete presentation for our artists’ works, the visitors, and our community as a whole. We can’t wait to share the enhancements with everyone.”
The Mennello Museum apologizes for the temporary closure but encourages everyone to help them celebrate the reopening on June 7thby attending the opening reception of Immersion into Compounded Time and the Paintings of Firelei Báez.
The Marilyn L. Mennello Sculpture Garden will remain open, featuring pieces from world-renowned sculptor, Alice Aycock.
About the Museum The Mennello Museum of American Art, owned and operated by the City of Orlando, is located on the beautiful shore of Lake Formosa in Orlando’s Loch Haven Cultural Park. The museum provides residents and visitors welcoming opportunities to understand and value creativity through innovative experiences with art further connecting it to nature and communal gathering. Our goal is to encourage creative and diverse experiences with art that nurtures audiences while reflecting the dynamic relationship between art and society. In addition to housing the permanent collection of folk modernist Earl Cunningham, the museum presents temporary exhibitions that feature a broad range of American art from traditional to contemporary practices.
The exhibitions and
the Mennello Museum of American Art are generously supported by the City of
Orlando and Friends of the Mennello Museum of American Art. Additional funding
is provided by Orange County Government through the Arts & Cultural Affairs
Program and United Arts of Central Florida. Sponsored in part by the State of
Florida, Department of State, Division of Cultural Affairs and the Florida
Council on Arts and Culture.
Download this Press Release
Jeremy Kemp Marketing & Graphic Design Coordinator The Mennello Museum of American Art and Public Art, City of Orlando Jeremy.kemp@cityoforlando.net 407.246.4113
As a Smithsonian Affiliate, The Mennello Museum of American Art is proud to partner with the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum in the presentation of the exhibition Art of the Airport Tower at Terrace Gallery, City Hall through April 19, 2019.
Celebrating beautiful photography of airport towers across the globe, Carolyn Russo’s work expands our understanding of architecture form and function, including Orlando International Airport.
Free and open to the public at City Hall, first floor.
New Views on Airport Form and Function featured in Smithsonian Photography Exhibition “Art of the Airport Tower”
Showcased at City of Orlando’s Terrace Gallery at City Hall
Touring Smithsonian Exhibition Provides New Views on Airport Form and Function. “Art of the Airport Tower” opens at the City of Orlando’s Terrace Gallery at City Hall. The exhibition is composed of 50 photographs by Smithsonian photographer Carolyn Russo and explores the varied forms and functions of airport traffic control towers in the U.S. and around the world. The exhibit is on view beginning February 4 and will remain on display at Orlando City Hall until April 19, 2019.
Russo traveled to 85 airports in 23 countries to capture images of these towers. The resulting photos interpret them as monumental abstractions, symbols of cultural expression and testimonies of technological change. What started out as a strictly functional structure, the airport tower has become a symbol of its airport, its community and even its country. Visitors to the Stockholm-Arlanda Airport in Sweden, for example, are greeted by two lookout points perched like birds at the top of the control tower to evoke protective ravens from Nordic mythology, while the crescent-shaped tower at the Abu Dhabi International Airport resembles the sail of a dhow boat to emphasize the area’s proud maritime heritage.
“Airport traffic control towers have a powerful presence—they watch over the vastness of the airport and sky, are a nonjudgmental cultural greeter, a choreographer or conductor of the aircraft dance, a mother bird caring for her flock and an omniscient, intelligent structure keeping humans safe,” said Russo. “I saw them as the unsung heroes of the airport landscape and tried to elevate them beyond their height and amazing architecture.”
Russo attempted to humanize the contemporary towers by focusing on their anthropomorphic properties, while others became abstractions. The photos of the historic, inactive airport towers were captured in their natural state, as witnesses to aviation history. They tell the story of changing technology, design and architecture, making the case for their continued care and preservation.
The exhibition is sponsored by the National Air Traffic Controllers Association, Air Traffic Control Association, Harris Corp., Rockwell Collins, Saab and Thales. Epson America Inc. and Manfrotto provided in-kind support.
A companion book, Art of the Airport Tower, published by Smithsonian Books, is for sale online and wherever books are sold. It includes 100 photos by Carolyn Russo and an introduction by F. Robert van der Linden, curator of commercial aviation at the National Air and Space Museum, and tells the history of airport traffic control towers to contextualize the photos.
“Art of the Airport Tower” premiered at the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum building on the National Mall in Washington, D.C. from November 2015 through November 2016. The National Air and Space Museum, composed of the flagship building on the National Mall in Washington and the Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center in Chantilly, Va., is home to the world’s finest collection of flight artifacts. From aircraft and space vehicles to engines, art and models, the wide array of the museum’s holdings tells the story of the history and technology of air and space exploration. The museum is also a key resource for research into the history, science and technology of aviation and space flight. The exhibition is on tour December 2017 through January 2020. For more information about the exhibition, visit airandspace.si.edu/exhibitions/airport-towers.
Orlando support is provided by the City of Orlando’s Public Art Advisory Board.
The exhibit is in conjunction with the A View from the Top: Orlando International Airport exhibition in the Mayor’s Gallery at Orlando City Hall. The exhibit features photographs from the collection of the Greater Orlando Aviation Authority’s archives. The photos consist of images taken from the Orlando International Airport over the last 4 decades. From the interiors of the airport and the first Airport Tower, to present day including Orlando’s current airport tower and the recent expansion that will join travelers making their way through the City of Orlando via train, bus or automobile.
SMITHSONIAN INSTITUTION
National Air and Space Museum
Independence Avenue at Sixth Street SW
Washington, DC 20560.0312
Telephone: 202.633.2389
Fax: 202.357.4579
E-mail: russoc@si.edu
About the Mennello Museum of American Art
The Mennello Museum of American Art, owned and operated by the City of Orlando, is located on the beautiful shore of Lake Formosa in Orlando’s Loch Haven Cultural Park. The museum provides residents and visitors welcoming opportunities to understand and value creativity through innovative experiences with art further connecting it to nature and communal gathering. Our goal is to encourage creative and diverse experiences with art that nurtures audiences while reflecting the dynamic relationship between art and society. In addition to housing the permanent collection of folk modernist Earl Cunningham, the museum presents temporary exhibitions that feature a broad range of American art from traditional to contemporary practices.
The Mennello Museum of American Art and its exhibitions are generously supported by the City of Orlando and Friends of The Mennello Museum of American Art. Additional funding is provided by Orange County Government through the Arts & Cultural Affairs Program and United Arts of Central Florida. Sponsored in part by the State of Florida, Department of State, Division of Cultural Affairs and the Florida Council on Arts and Culture.
Jeremy Kemp Marketing & Graphic Design Coordinator
The Mennello Museum of American Art and Public Art, City of Orlando Jeremy.kemp@cityoforlando.net
407.246.4113
IMMERSION INTO COMPOUNDED TIME AND THE PAINTINGS OF FIRELEI BÁEZpresents a survey of paintings in a variety of media by internationally renowned artist, Firelei Báez on view June 7th – September 1st, 2019 at the Mennello Museum of American Art. Báez’s practice investigates the visibility and the construction of complex cultural identities, especially for those within the Afro-Caribbean diaspora, and how notions of selfhood are constructed, perceived, displayed, and read in today’s global world. Her art converges at a beautiful demonstration of portraiture and intricate metaphors that give rise to powerful narratives of overlooked histories and obscured memories voiced for those in the present, merging geography, legend, and representation. Within the diverse cultural landscape of Florida, Báez’s work catalyzes and projects shared voices of multifaceted stories, symbols, and notions of beauty within the history of the diasporas, pre-colonialism to now, and individually, how that confluence of personal identity is reflected and felt in her own life.
Báez is known for her intricate paintings on paper, deaccessioned texts, canvas, and institutional walls, creating a space for the viewer to immerse their minds and memories to consider dialogues of past and present, story and text. The artist constructs figures, myths, and narratives into visual manifestations of cultures that have been shaped, and continue to be shaped, through the historic, forced diasporas within the Americas, employing symbols of lush, valuable lands and forgotten history. Báez’s work resists traditional notions and labels of geography and personhood, through depictions of marbled, flowing, and fiery individuality. The paintings and works on paper can be seen as a negotiation of self, strengthened through the female body and mythology of her being. Báez further blends time, generating a view of the modern experience of diverse peoples, women especially, embracing her past and staking her place in a universal future.
Curator Katherine Navarro states: “Firelei Báez’s paintings bring the viewer into a full-bodied experience of space and time that is enrapturing. One cannot help but engage with the printed landscapes or swirling portraits she creates, becoming absorbed in a space of unlimited potential knowledge. The artist’s complex and opulent practice generates expansive, overlapping identities and universes in the subjects she depicts and begs the viewer to contend with the past, present, and future of people throughout the Americas.”
The title of the exhibition refers to the artist’s work engaging imaginings of goddesses and historical peoples of the African and Caribbean diasporas in conversation with her and her viewer’s contemporary selves. Báez tends to work in a large and empowering heroic scale, not purely to suggest importance, but also to create a physical, enveloping space for voices that may be well-known to some but have fallen out of recollection for others. The artist imparts the viewer with information to look into and study the past, discovering how tales extolled, obscured, and evolved have shaped social knowledge and memory of those presently living. Her installations house viewers in materials of meaning, eliciting notions of ruin and construction, shaping of identity and one’s own story within what has been written of history.
Executive Director Shannon Fitzgerald states: “As we are constantly tasked with thinking about how we define art in American museums and strive for the broadest understanding of how we as a culture developed, I am delighted to welcome Firelei Báez’s powerful work and introduce her to our community. Her work is evocative and brings expansive ideas about the Caribbean and its diverse diaspora in the Americas through emotive and poetic expressions; I look forward to witnessing her resonance unfold with our growing audiences.”
Firelei Báez was born in Santiago de los Caballeros, Dominican Republic. She earned her BFA at The Cooper Union School of Art in 2004, participated in The Skowhegan School of Painting and Sculpture in 2008, and later earned her MFA at Hunter College in 2010. Báez currently lives and works in New York City. She has held residencies at The Lower Manhattan Cultural Council Workspace, The Lower East Side Print Shop and The Bronx Museum’s Artist in the Marketplace. Báez has had solo exhibitions at Contemporary Arts Center, Cincinnati, Pérez Art Museum Miami, The Andy Warhol Museum, Pittsburgh, and the Kemper Museum of Contemporary Art, Kansas City, among others. Báez was included in the 2018 Berlin Biennial, the United States Biennial Prospect.3, New Orleans, the Getty’s Pacific Standard Time’s LA>LA exhibition at the Museum of Latin American Art, Los Angeles and at the 2017 Venice Biennale with the Pinchuk Art Foundation’s Future Generation’s Art Prize exhibition. Her work is in the collections of the BNY Mellon Art Collection, Pittsburgh, Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, Pérez Art Museum, Miami, Sindika Dokolo Foundation Collection, Luanda, Angola, San Jose Museum of Art, San Jose, The Studio Museum in Harlem, New York, and Tiroche DeLeon Collection, Jaffa, Israel. She is currently represented by Kavi Gupta, Chicago and James Cohan, New York.
IMMERSION INTO COMPOUNDED TIME AND THE PAINTINGS OF FIRELEI BÁEZ is curated by Katherine Navarro, Mennello Museum of American Art. A fully illustrated catalog with curatorial essay, and poem by Koleka Putuma will be produced on occurrence of the exhibition.
Firelei Báez, Study in blue (We have come to stir the other world, to cleanse ourselves, to connect our living to our dead here), 2018. Courtesy of the artist and Kavi Gupta, Chicago, Photography by John Lusis, photo editing by Jackie Furtado.
Firelei Báez, Collector of shouts (April 21), 2016. Courtesy of the artist, Gallery Wendi Norris, San Francisco, and Kavi Gupta, Chicago.
Firelei Báez, Displacing all reduction, 2017. Courtesy of the artist and Kavi Gupta, Chicago. Photography by Jackie Furtado.
Firelei Báez, I write love poems, too (The right to non-imperative clarities), 2018. Courtesy of the artist and Kavi Gupta Gallery, Chicago. Photography by John Lusis, photo editing by Jackie Furtado.
Firelei Báez, Years of holding your tongue, 2018. Courtesy of the artist and Kavi Gupta Gallery, Chicago. Photography by John Lusis.
Firelei Báez, for Marie-Louise Coidavid, exiled, keeper of order, Anacona, 2017. Courtesy of the artist and Kavi Gupta, Chicago. Photography by John Lusis.
About the Museum
The Mennello Museum of American Art, owned and operated by the City of Orlando, is located on the beautiful shore of Lake Formosa in Orlando’s Loch Haven Cultural Park. The museum provides residents and visitors welcoming opportunities to understand and value creativity through innovative experiences with art further connecting it to nature and communal gathering. Our goal is to encourage creative and diverse experiences with art that nurtures audiences while reflecting the dynamic relationship between art and society. In addition to housing the permanent collection of folk modernist Earl Cunningham, the museum presents temporary exhibitions that feature a broad range of American art from traditional to contemporary practices.
The Mennello Museum of American Art and its exhibitions are generously supported by the City of Orlando and Friends of The Mennello Museum of American Art. Additional funding is provided by Orange County Government through the Arts & Cultural Affairs Program and United Arts of Central Florida. Sponsored in part by the State of Florida, Department of State, Division of Cultural Affairs and the Florida Council on Arts and Culture.
Jeremy Kemp Marketing & Graphic Design Coordinator
The Mennello Museum of American Art and Public Art, City of Orlando Jeremy.kemp@cityoforlando.net
407.246.4113
