By Nanette Wiser
NATIVE AMERICAN CULTURE
In April, The James Museum in downtown St. Pete will celebrate its fifth anniversary with its fundraiser Jamboree at The James 4/15 6-10:30pm where you kick up your heels for an evening of country western fun. In the last five years, their exhibits have put St. Pete in the art world’s spotlight (Andy Warhol, Ansel Adams). Kicking off 2023, the museum continues to showcase the imagination of Western artists and images with “The Stories They Tell: Indigenous Art and the Photography of Edward S. Curtis” on view Feb. 4-May 14.
This unique exhibition examines the relationships between art and cultural identity by pairing the photographic images of Native American culture by Edward S. Curtis with correlative Native art (90 objects curated from collections) and is presented in three sections: Southwest pottery and basketry, California basketry, and Northwest Coast carving and textiles. The mesmerizing show reflects on how objects harbor memories and tell stories about a time, a place, and a people.
Edward Curtis produced one of the most extensive photographic projects in history. He was working during the early 20th century, at a time when it was a commonly held belief among non-Natives that Native American culture would soon disappear, and his work reflects this. This exhibition offers examples of Native art from the 19th century to today, illustrating Native cultures as very much alive and thriving.
“This exhibition allows us to explore how diverse artforms are physical reflections of unique environments and ways of life,” says Caitlin Pendola, curator of this exhibition. “The objects chosen for this exhibition, not often seen in Florida, provide context and a new way of understanding Curtis’s work and Indigenous art.” Adds Curator of Art Emily Kapes: “This exhibition marks the beginning of what will be an ongoing examination of Curtis’s legacy, with more exhibitions of his work to come in the future.”
ALL THE WORLD IS A STAGE Is there no end to Matthew McGee’s charming chameleon performances such as James Beard in I Love To Eat? Now the game is afoot when he plays Sherlock Holmes with Eric Davis as Dr. Watson in Ken Ludwig’s Baskerville: A Sherlock Holmes Mystery at freeFall Theater 3/25-4/23. Playwright Ken Ludwig transforms Arthur Conan Doyle’s classic into a murderously funny adventure. Sherlock Holmes is on the case. The male heirs of the Baskerville line are being dispatched one by one. To find their ingenious killer, Holmes and Watson must brave the desolate moors before a family curse dooms its newest heir. Join the fun and see how far from elementary the truth can be. www.freefalltheatre.com
Want to indulge your dance fantasy? The Warehouse Arts District (WADA) presents a mini series of classes based on film choreography. Enjoy a curated curriculum of three 2-hr dance workshops that include brief screenings of popular movies, from Singing in the Rain to La La Land, followed by dance lessons to learn the choreography! All skill levels are welcome. $60/workshop @The Arts Education Center 515 22nd St. S on 3/4 and 4/1 from 5-7pm.
