A PLACE FOR PEACE
New gallery director revives the spirit of Rauschenberg
There’s something about the space at the Bob Rauschenberg Gallery that draws you in. Nestled in the heart of the sprawling Florida SouthWestern State College campus in Fort Myers (formerly Edison State College), the bright room’s clean design invites quiet reflection. It allows the mind to expand and speculate with playful curiosity at the deeper message in every piece. Upon meeting newly appointed gallery director Jade Dellinger, I begin to understand that this is exactly what he had in mind.
Dellinger approaches art like a philosopher, searching for the bigger picture that might stimulate valid discussions about an increasingly global society. This drives his every move—from the artists he chooses to work with, to the lengths he’ll go to ensure a successful exhibition. His calm demeanor belies the pure zeal for art that exists beneath his composed surface, but the minute we begin speaking on the subject, he comes alive with enthusiasm. “I would say art is sort of my life,” he explains. After listening to the extensive work he’s contributed to the industry, it’s certainly an accurate conclusion.
Following a lengthy career in New York, Dellinger spent much of his time as an independent curator in Florida, working closely with notables like the Tampa Museum of Art and The Contemporary Art Museum at the University of South Florida.
“I really wasn’t looking for a job anywhere,” he laughs. “I had plenty of projects.” But after learning about the impending retirement of former Rauschenberg gallery director Ron Bishop, he decided to pursue the opportunity. “I just felt the situation here was so unique. I saw so much potential in it, really,” Dellinger says.
He wasted no time exploring that potential. Not only did Dellinger overhaul the space and logo after succeeding Bishop last September, but he pointed the gallery in a brave new direction while still preserving late artist Robert Rauschenberg’s legacy. Renewed life has resulted from gallery’s revamp, bringing it even closer, perhaps, to the original philosophy of its namesake.
The decision seems to be paying off well for Dellinger, as his year-long efforts have been met with appreciation—not just from the community, but from the artists as well. “Jade is an excellent curator who continues to work with high-profile artists and present compelling exhibitions,” says Sean Miller, whose presentation entitled ELEVEN: The John Erickson Museum of Art (JEMA) 10-Year
Retrospective, showed at the gallery this past summer. Collaborating with Miller, an internationally exhibiting artist and founder of JEMA, partly reflects Dellinger’s desire to bring cutting-edge, world-renowned creators to the area. He further demonstrated this goal by contracting conceptual artist Yoko Ono, who had a friendly history with Rauschenberg before her relationship with John Lennon impacted her career. “She made the point of saying that he was someone who was always very gracious, and he expressed admiration toward her work,” Dellinger says, his voice lightening as he relives the conversation. “I think she was pleased to be working in this context.”
Yoko Ono Imagine Peace, a participatory exhibition, showed at the gallery earlier this year and drew in nearly one thousand individuals upon opening. Though a pre-Grammy party prevented her from attending opening night festivities (The Beatles were being honored with a lifetime achievement award), Ono was in constant contact with Dellinger and his staff throughout the event, and during the entire installation process leading up to it. “It was really an honor and a thrill,” Dellinger says. “She’s an artist that I’ve wanted to do a project with for many years.”
Dellinger believes Ono’s presentation was just a philosophical extension of Rauschenberg’s own mission for peace, which was reflected in his acclaimed exhibit entitled Rauschenberg
Overseas Cultural Interchange (ROCI). ROCI embodied the idea of art serving as language, by stimulating conversations to bridge communication gaps not just within our own communities, but across oceans to other countries as well. In a way, Ono’s work brought the spirit of Rauschenberg’s message back to the gallery.
DELLINGER APPROACHES ART LIKE A PHILOSOPHER, SEARCHING FOR THE BIGGER PICTURE THAT MIGHT STIMULATE VALID DISCUSSIONS ABOUT AN INCREASINGLY GLOBAL SOCIETY.
I JUST FELT THE SITUATION HERE WAS SO UNIQUE. I SAW SO MUCH POTENTIAL IN IT, REALLY.” —JADE DELLINGER, DIRECTOR, BOB RAUSCHENBERG GALLERY
Though there hasn’t been a major Rauschenberg exhibit since his passing five years ago, plans are underway to present some of the works related to the ROCI project in celebration of Rauschenberg’s birthday, which is on October 22. Dellinger has even managed to obtain special permission from the National Gallery of Art in Washington to feature some of their acquired Rauschenberg pieces.
But what else does the future hold for the selectively managed gallery? In Dellinger’s own words: “The idea that we can reach out to artists around the world who might have been inspired by Rauschenberg and his legacy has opened a lot of doors for us. I think it’s about celebrating that history. My interest is in bringing top quality work from around the world.” Surely, Rauschenberg would be pleased. Renee Novelle is an author and freelance journalist living in Southwest Florida. More information can be discovered on her website, ReneeNovelle.com.