Virginia Shearer Executive Director | Sarasota Art Museum
Virginia Shearer Executive Director | Sarasota Art Museum
Sarasota Art Museum is set to host "Personal to Political: Celebrating the African American Artists of Paulson Fontaine Press" from May 4 to August 10, 2025. This exhibition features works by 17 artists and highlights the contributions of African American artists in contemporary art. The exhibition showcases prints from Paulson Fontaine Press, a San Francisco Bay Area-based fine art print studio known for supporting celebrated artists like Martin Puryear and Kerry James Marshall.
Executive Director Virginia Shearer expressed enthusiasm about bringing these works to Sarasota, stating, “We are thrilled to bring this selection of incredible works to Sarasota.” She noted that neither Paulson Fontaine Press prints nor Gee’s Bend quilts have been previously shown in Sarasota.
The exhibition includes 46 fine art prints and additional pieces not featured in the original traveling show. Among these are four mixed-media sculptures by Lonnie Holley and a selection of Gee’s Bend Quilts. These quilts, created by women in Gee’s Bend, Alabama, hold historical significance as they evolved from necessity during the early 19th century when enslaved women crafted them from limited materials.
Shearer emphasized the importance of these quilts: “These quilts are significant both artistically and historically—rich in tradition, cultural identity and multi-generation artistry.”
"Personal to Political" initially debuted at Bedford Gallery in Walnut Creek, California, in 2018 and has since traveled nationally. After its run at Sarasota Art Museum, it will continue its tour across various venues including Jundt Art Museum in Spokane, Washington.
The exhibition also features work by artists such as Edgar Arceneaux, Radcliffe Bailey, McArthur Binion, Woody De Othello, David Huffman among others.
Paulson Fontaine Press was established in Emeryville in 1996 and is recognized for amplifying underrepresented voices in visual arts. Co-founder Pam Paulson initiated this focus after recognizing a lack of Black representation in major museums following a talk by painter Kerry James Marshall.
Rhea Fontaine highlighted the press's mission: “People like William Arnett...and Lowery Stokes Sims...are taking risks that others aren’t willing to take.”
Sarasota Art Museum serves as Ringling College of Art and Design’s platform for contemporary art exploration. It opened to the public in 2019 within the historic Sarasota High School building offering various educational programs.
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