Celebrate Black History Month at The Ringling Museum

Here are some highlights of the exhibitions and events throughout February that feature the work of Black artists.

Presented by Ringling Museum What’s This? February 5, 2024

The Ringling’s Art of Performance series kicked off Black History Month on February 1 with a National Theatre presentation of Othello—a “history-making” production that brings the play’s love story and Black experience to the fore. Coming up in the performance series lineup is Etienne Charles with Creole Soul, MazelFreten with Rave Lucid, workshops, artist talks, and more.

In the Museum of Art, the gem exhibition to explore this month is Shinique Smith’s Parade, which reveals the universality of human experience explored by artists throughout time while also foregrounding notions of Black femininity and the history of the circus.

Insiders’ Tip: Every Thursday, Art After Five offers a way to enjoy reduced admission to Parade in the Museum of Art at dusk before heading to a performance in the Historic Asolo Theater.

The celebration continues through the month with an open application period for The Eleanor Merritt Fellowship beginning in late February. Through this fellowship, The Ringling celebrates Eleanor Merritt, the first African American board member at The Ringling, year-round. By way of a nine to twelve-month administrative and professional position, the fellowship develops cultural heritage leaders. Current and inaugural fellow, Jevon Brown, recently wrote about the impact Merrit had on the arts on The Ringling Blog. Merritt was an important early advocate within national and regional arts organizations such as the Women’s Caucus for Art (WCA) Women of Color Slide Project, the Sarasota Visual Arts Center, as well as the Sarasota Arts in Public Places Committee.

Shinique Smith (American, b. 1971), *Stargazer*, 2022. Images courtesy of Shinique Smith, Monique Meloche Gallery, and David Castillo Gallery.

Exhibition

Shinique Smith: Parade

Museum of Art
Original 21 Galleries

Shinique Smith: Parade is on view for a little over a year, through Jan. 5, 2025. The exhibition opened in December.

Parade speaks to the European artistic tradition while also foregrounding notions of Black femininity and the history of the circus while revealing the universality of human experience explored by artists throughout time.

Read this interview with Shinique Smith where she discusses the work Stargazer—which is in the Exhibition—saying that it was “inspired by ancestors who gazed at the stars as explorers and as slaves seeking freedom, like other artists before me.”

More information and tickets here.

Music

Creole Soul by Etienne Charles

February 15 & 16, 2024; 7:30 p.m.
Historic Asolo Theater

Jazz trumpet sensation Etienne Charles’ lush sound, varied compositional textures, and pulsating percussive grooves enable him to invoke trance as he soothes and excites listeners. Trinidad-born performer, composer, and storyteller Charles’ Sarasota premiere promises complexity and swing. Get tickets here.

Dance

Rave Lucid by Mazelfreten (France)

February 22, 2024; 11 a.m.
February 23-24, 2024; 7:30 p.m.
Historic Asolo Theater

In a thrilling tribute to electro dance, Rave Lucid combines choreographed movements at 120 bpm that require unfailing concentration. Hypnotic arm games celebrate “rave” as a party, an organic trance, and “lucid” state where extreme control achieves perfect synchronization.

Listen to the founding artists of this group, Brandon Masele, and Laura Defretin, discuss their inspirations.

Get tickets here.

Masterclasses and Artist Talks

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