Museumgoers viewing art—that’s usually the finish line in the fine artist’s creative process. But for Joe Fig, it’s just the beginning.

In Fig’s latest exhibition, Contemplating Vermeer, the audience becomes the subject matter in a thoughtful painting series now on view at Sarasota Art Museum of Ringling College.

For almost a decade, Joe Fig has been fascinated by human contemplation and art. He wanders galleries in search of engaged visitors, letting colors, patterns, and textures guide him. When he finds just the right combination, Fig composes a scene: one or more figures gathered around a central work of art in a museum or gallery. Subtle elements within the paintings, like a hand on a hip or the strap of a handbag, direct the viewer’s gaze to the artwork on view at the center of the composition. Back in his studio, Fig uses oil paint on linen to transform these intimate moments into intimate paintings—time capsules of real people’s experiences taking in real works of art.

“I enjoy capturing the historical nature of exhibitions,” said Fig. “They are up for a limited time and are very fleeting. My paintings allow me to share these art exhibitions with people who may not have the chance to see them otherwise.”

Now on view at Sarasota Art Museum is Fig’s own contemplation of one such show. In 2023, the Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam hosted a blockbuster exhibition of Johannes Vermeer, showcasing 28 of the 35 paintings attributed to the Dutch master. The exhibition sold out, and tickets were in such demand, they were being auctioned online. Fig was one of the lucky ones who scored a highly coveted second-hand ticket (thank you, Ebay). He attended the historic Vermeer show in Amsterdam and channeled his experience into a new series: 16 small-scale paintings depicting viewers taking in the once-in-a-lifetime retrospective.

Those paintings make their debut in Joe Fig: Contemplating Vermeer. Through this series, Fig not only pays homage to the seventeenth-century painter’s mastery of light, color, and realism, but also channels the emotional experience of being in the Rijksmuseum’s galleries, standing in front of these magnificent, historic works.

“I traveled to Amsterdam specifically for this project as this was the last major gathering of works by the master painter in my lifetime,” said Fig. “These works are considered among the most prized treasures of every museum collection and are rarely lent out, so this installment of my ‘Contemplation’ series cements that moment in time.”

Visitors are calling Joe Fig’s exhibition “amazing,” “very clever,” and “impressive.” One visitor compared the experience of viewing this body of work to watching a sunset. Joe Fig: Contemplating Vermeer is now on view at Sarasota Art Museum of Ringling College through April 13, 2025. Admission is $20, or free to Museum Members.