Art museums have cure for summer doldrums
Things To Do
The slog of summer temperatures can take a toll on the mind as well as the body. To keep the IQ points from melting away in a haze of streamed TV, why not venture out for some intellectual (and air-conditioned) stimulation?
In just the city of Winter Park, there are three museums hosting exhibits, each with its own take on the word brilliance. While these exhibitions seem beholden to one central concept, each offers a stunning variety within their topic.
One could feasibly visit all three of these museums in a day. But even though their addresses are close together, it is advised you don’t attempt to walk them all without some serious sunblock.
‘Precious Pollinators’
For more than a decade, scientists have been concerned about Colony Collapse Disorder, a phenomenon in which bee hives die off in mass for undiscovered reasons.
Rather than tackle this issue strictly by the numbers, the Central Florida Watercolor Society has elected to remind people of the beauty at stake. Bees, butterflies and other pollinators (such as lemurs, in case you didn’t know) are rendered in bright splashes of color among the flowers and plants they’re responsible for propagating.
The paintings vary from abstract interpretations of flora to photo-realistic depictions of local gardens to a metaphorical representation of Alexander Hamilton’s influence on democracy if voters were flowers.
There are several events throughout the exhibit to draw viewers in. July 12 will feature a Paint & Wine Night, and August has a walking tour of the gardens and a watercolor workshop.
Through Aug. 25; Albin Polasek Museum & Sculpture Gardens, 633 Osceola Ave.; $10; 407-647-6294; polasek.org
‘Mexican Modernity: 20th-Century Paintings From the Zapanta Collection’
Dr. Richard Zapanta is a fourth-generation Mexican American in Los Angeles who began collecting art more than 30 years. Now, his collection includes works by Diego Rivera, Frida Kahlo, Francisco Zúñiga and many more vital voices in Mexican art history.
This touring collection takes viewers into the world of these painters and the upheaval that world was undergoing at the dawn of a new century. Strong family figures and laborers are placed beside religious imagery, abstract expressionism and fantastical creations.
The political and social changes of Mexican life are chronicled here, allowing viewers to peer beyond the paint and grasp a living history.
If it seems like a lot to in, the Cornell Fine Arts Museum has you covered. They have free guided tours of the museum at 1 p.m. every Saturday.
Through Sept. 8; Rollins College, 1000 Holt Ave.; free; 407-646-2526; rollins.edu
‘Iridescence — A Celebration’
The Charles Hosmer Morse Museum of American Art is famous for its collection of art glass by Louis Comfort Tiffany, and everyone knows that glass is shiny, but did you know that some glass can be even shinier?
“Iridescence” looks at the art of glowing, iridized glass that gained popularity in the late-19th century. Ancient glass, dug up in that era, absorbed particular minerals that caused it to sparkle with an otherworldly glow heretofore uncaptured in man-made art.
Tiffany and other makers set about painting and blowing glass that could capture this same phenomenon. The trend set off an artistic chemical arms race in which artists exposed themselves to new and trademarked materials in pursuit of the perfect raditake ance.
In this exhibit, viewers can see different techniques and the wildly different results, from bright greens to shimmering gold.
Beginning July 12 and running the rest of the month, the Morse Museum will offer Friday Family Films featuring short movies and guided tours. Registration is required. Check the website for complete details.
Through Sept. 26, 2021; 445 N. Park Ave.; $6; 407-645-5311; morsemuseum.org