Arts + Entertainment 12.22.22

IN THE LAND OF GODS & LOVERS

On one wall, there’s a scene of a sacred wedding.

And on the other, there’s a goddess going full Day of Judgment.

The entire human and divine condition is on display at “Gods and Lovers,” the exhibit centered around centuries of Indian painting and sculpture currently housed at the John & Mable Ringling Museum of Art.

The sculptures, some carved in stone and some cast in metal, were collected by the Ringlings in the 1920s. But the paintings are mostly on loan; only one comes from the Ringling’s permanent collection, and 16 come from a loan from a private collection in South Florida. All of the paintings are small format artworks — also known as miniatures — and they were meant to be held in the hands of people either individually or as part of a book.

“Most of the time, they were collected in portfolios. And they were loose or bound,” says Rhiannon Paget, the Ringling Museum’s Curator of Asian Art.

“They were designed for someone to sit down for an intimate viewing with one person or a group of people to pass them around and enjoy them in that kind of situation. Not the way we have them framed on the wall.”

You may notice that the paintings come from a variety of locales across the Indian subcontinent, and they were all created at points in between the 16th and 19th centuries.

Some have raised surfaces and others have wallpaper type borders around them, but they all depict famous cultural tales.

One series of paintings depicts the Ramayana, an epic written in Sanskrit that brings Rama on an arduous journey from exile all the way to his eventual return and coronation as king. Another series depicts

the romance of Radha and Krishna. You see the lovers in repose after a night of passion, and in another painting, you see Krishna standing up to be married.

A third painting, made with opaque pigments and gold on paper, shows Krishna being received by Raja Bhismaka of Vidarbha.

This painting, believed to be made in Rajasthan at some point between 1860 and 1880, tells the story of Krishna’s betrothal to Rukmini.

“He has a lovely daughter he wants to get married,” says Paget of the Raja in the painting. “He holds a ceremony in which he invites all these eligible suitors, and the idea is he’s going to choose the most worthy one. Krishna shows up, and of course he’s going to be the one, but his ene-

mies intervene and put an end to him marrying the beautiful daughter. They sort of secretly scheme to get this other guy to marry her. But she’s seen him already. It’s too late.”

Collectively, the paintings and sculptures tell the story of melding cultures and religions, and the style of art in the exhibit shows how the ideas and arts spread throughout India over centuries.

Paget says the Mughal Empire, which ruled over northern India from the 16th through the 18th centuries, played a major role in diffusing artistic techniques and methods.

They brought in painters from Asia, they trained local artisans and they funded ateliers for art to be created. Eventually, those artisans moved and brought their newfound skills to different cities.

The paintings in this collection, says Paget, would all have belonged to wealthy families. They would’ve been prized possessions, which explains why they’ve remained intact and vivid all the way to this day.

were cared for.”

There’s more than just romantic epics and tales of weddings at the exhibit. There also are multiple depictions of the goddess Kali in full destruction mode; in two different paintings, she’s standing on her lover Shiva’s chest, holding a sword in one hand and a severed head in another.

In another painting, created in Himachal Pradesh between 1830 and 1840, there’s a scene depicting a secluded Shiva and Parvati being spied upon by a jealous demon.

“Shiva and Parvati are hiding out in the mountains,” says Paget, describing the story told in the painting. “This demon, Andhaka, hears that a beautiful woman is hanging out in the mountains with an ugly old sage. His minions tell him, ‘If you want to be the greatest, you need the most beautiful wife. There’s this woman in the mountains, and she belongs to this old sage. Marry her.’

ing her tenure. One series at “Gods and Lovers” shows Indian musicians playing instruments that are now hundreds of years old. The sculptures included in the exhibit come from a variety of different religions and philosophies.

Paget says there are Hindu, Buddhist and Jain sculptures included.

One sculpture, made of red sandstone, is believed to have been created in Mathura or Rajasthan all the way back in the fourth or fifth century. It depicts a figure seated on a lion’s throne and both its head and its hands have been conspicuously removed from the body.

That’s not really that rare, says Paget. Because India was the scene of centuries of religious conflict, much of the sculpture from the region has been irrevocably altered.

2022 OLO SEASON

IF YOU GO

“If you think of the climate in India, it’s high humidity and cold winters, especially in the north. So pretty brutal,” says Paget.

“Some of the paintings do show condition issues, like they lose flakes of paint and that kind of thing. But these were precious objects. They

“So he sends out emissaries to negotiate with Shiva to hand over this beautiful woman and he answers them in riddles and mocks them as they go back to the demon. And the demon is kind of insulted.”

Paget says the Ringling has hosted two prior exhibits of Indian art dur-

“The story of Indian statuary is kind of the story of desecration,” she says. “This has been going on for centuries. “You’ve got waves of invasions, different people coming in and taking over an area.

“They sometimes desecrated things. And also temples fell into disuse because the city kind of changed. And sometimes they would repurpose sculpture that was there.”

A smart yet fun 1970s revue

“T

he ’70s: More Than a Decade” sets the Wayback Machine to the 1970s on the FST cabaret stage. This revue is the brainchild of Rebecca Hopkins, Richard Hopkins and Sarah Durham.

Jim Prosser created the snappy arrangements and bangs out the tunes on electric piano as only he can. The result is an intelligent gumbo of ’70s sounds. Brianna Barnes, Michael James Byrne, Jannie Jones and Eddie Weaver are the singers who serve it up.

The revue’s songs are smartly arranged in a series of emotional arcs.

The first act opens with “A Fifth of Beethoven” — Walter Murphy’s disco distortion of the first movement of Beethoven’s Fifth Symphony. After that, there’s a smattering of love songs.

(“Love Will Keep Us Together,” “Don’t Go Breaking My Heart,” etc.)

Loving words quickly lead to loving deeds. (Marvin Gaye’s “Let’s Get it On” says it all.)

The sexual revolution is in full force! Good times!

But war, male chauvinism and social injustice roil the separate peace of the bedroom.

And the songs now shift to the actual revolution. This sizzling selection includes Graham Nash’s “Teach Your Children,” Helen Reddy and Ray Burton’s “I Am Woman,” and Pete Townshend’s “Won’t Get Fooled Again.”

The section ends on an upbeat note — and segues to the secular equivalent of church music (“I’ll Be There,” “Lean On Me”).

They aren’t in any hymnal, but they might as well be.

The second act kicks off with a medley of TV themes.

They’re amazingly clever.

Charles Strouse and Lee Adams’ lyrics for “Those Were the Days” (the theme for “All in the Family”) knocked me out.

“People seemed to be content.

“Fifty dollars paid the rent.

“Freaks were in a circus tent.

“Those were the days!”

From the boob tube (or groove tube), we shift to songs of drugs and thugs from the “Taxi Driver” era.

Jim Croce’s “Bad, Bad Leroy Brown” meets a bigger badass — and winds up with a face resembling “a jigsaw puzzle with a couple of pieces gone.” (Cute image, huh?)

The innocence of Randy Newman’s “Mama Told Me (Not to Come)” has a panic attack at the “stale perfume” scent of the devil weed. Then the Life Force reaffirms itself in the form of … Disco. (Not my cup of sonic tea, though many love it.)

This includes an homage to The

IF YOU GO

”The ’70s: More Than A Decade.” Runs through Feb. 12. FST’s Court Cabaret, 1265 First St. $36-$39. Call 366-9000 or visit FloridaStudioTheatre.org.

Bee Gees’ falsetto commitment to “Stayin’ Alive” and ABBA’s “Dancing Queen.”

Disco’s escape from reality yields to a need for human connection.

This starts with misty-eyed nostalgia for past loves (“The Way We Were”) and ends with a defiant commitment to the present (“We are the Champions,” “I Will Survive”).

The vocal talents on stage are all first-rate, both individually and in combination. Brianna Barnes does a rip-roaring job with “I Am Woman.” She belts it out, but with deft vocal control.

All four singers harmonize beautifully on “Teach Your Children.” Jannie Jones and Eddie Weaver are

just plain beautiful in their “Let’s Get it On” duet.

Townshend’s “Won’t Get Fooled Again” is a high-diving board for male vocalists. But Michael James Byrne successfully executes a perfect one-and-a-half gainer.

Kudos to the singer — though the revue’s creators cut the song’s last two lines.

“Meet the new boss

“Same as the old boss.”

The implied warning: Fascists can have long hair, paisley shirts and John Lennon-style round glasses.

Don’t want to get fooled again? Don’t drop your guard.

That biting ending is the whole point of the song. Cutting it defangs Townshend’s satire.

That’s the one fault I find in this smart, fast-paced, fun revue.

If your mind’s filled with happy memories of mirror balls and triumphs on the dance floor, this show will definitely bring them back.

If your memories of disco make you grind your teeth, close your eyes and think of The Ramones. Have a nice day!

THURSDAY

JIM BRICKMAN: A VERY MERRY CHRISTMAS

7:30 p.m. at Van Wezel Performing Arts Hall, 777 N. Tamiami Trail $32-$57

Visit VanWezel.org.

Jim Brickman will pull out all the stops to wish you and your loved ones a happy holiday. The Grammynominated songwriter and pianist will play some traditional favorites as well as hit songs of his own making including “The Gift,” “Angel Eyes” and “Sending You a Little Christmas.”

FRIDAY

‘THE NUTCRACKER’

2 p.m. and 6 p.m. at Van Wezel Performing Arts Hall, 777 N. Tamiami Trail $32-$99

Visit InternationalBalletOfFlorida. org.

The International Ballet of Florida welcomes the public to a pair of “The Nutcracker” performances that will blend both pre-professional and professional dancers in the classic Tchaikovsky ballet at the Van Wezel. The work is choreographed by Vadim Fedotov, and the local dancers will work with guests from American Ballet Theater, Orlando Ballet and Atlanta Ballet.

CHRISTMAS ON MAIN 4-8 p.m. at Main Street at Lakewood Ranch, 8100 Lakewood Ranch Blvd.

Free Visit LakewoodRanch.com.

Celebrate the season with Santa himself. Lakewood Ranch will host free games, rides, photo booths and attractions for the whole family. That

Cozy Christmas

same evening, Waterside Place will host live music from 6-9 p.m.

SATURDAY

‘CABARET’

1:30 p.m. at FSU Center for the Performing Arts, 5555 N. Tamiami Trail $38-$98

Visit AsoloRep.org.

The spotlight is on and the dancers have hit their marks. The Asolo Repertory Theatre’s production of “Cabaret” is entering its home stretch, giving you one final opportunity to see the reimagined classic before the New Year. The show’s final performances will occur on New Year’s Eve, and then the Asolo will make way for a whole new slate of productions in 2023.

‘SOMETHING ROTTEN!’

3 p.m. and 8 p.m. at FST’s Gompertz Theatre, 1265 First St. $29-$46

Visit FloridaStudioTheatre.org.

Ring in Christmas Eve with a Shakespearean cast of musical oddballs. “Something Rotten!” will bring a humorous mashup of Elizabethan England and modern Broadway to life in an attempt to seize the stage from Shakespeare. The show will run until the second week of January.

SUNDAY

HANNUKAH CONCERT

3 p.m. at Temple Beth Sholom, 1050 S. Tuttle Ave. Free

Visit TempleBethSholomFl.org.

Christmas Day is a pretty quiet day of performances. But Temple Beth Sholom provides an exception. Cantor Matt Austerklein, and special guest Cantor Alberto Mizrachi will bring you songs of the season from the Jewish faith. Visitors are asked to consider making a donation to the Tikkun Olam fund.

MONDAY

KOLO — DANCE SHOW 3 p.m. and 7 p.m. at Van Wezel Performing Arts Hall, 777 N. Tamiami Trail $58-$166 Visit VanWezel.org. American musicians and producers. Ukrainian visual artists. And a partnership designed to celebrate freedom and Ukraine’s rich cultural

heritage. Watch as these dancers cross international boundaries to bring an immersive visual experience that you won’t forget anytime soon.

TUESDAY

‘WHAT THE CONSTITUTION MEANS TO ME’ 8 p.m. at FST’s Keating Theatre, 1241 N. Palm Ave. $25-$36 Visit FloridaStudioTheatre.org. What does the Constitution mean to you? Every reader with an opportunity to digest this article may have their own opinion. But for playwright Heidi Schreck, it’s an experience in time travel that has her peeking back in at her teenage self and evaluating how her perspective has changed over time.

WEDNESDAY

SAILOR CIRCUS HOLIDAY SPECIAL 2 p.m. and 7 p.m. at Sailor Circus Arena, 2075 Bahia Vista St. $20-$40 Visit CircusArts.org

Sure, you probably know a lot of talented teenagers. But do you know any that are at home on the trapeze or twisting themselves into contortions? The Sailor Circus Academy has been Sarasota’s “Greatest ‘Little’ Show on Earth”

OUR PICK

‘BLACK NATIVITY’

Come down for one of the final performances of the Westcoast Black Theatre Troupe’s semi-annual Christmas card to the community, “Black Nativity,” which is redesigned and refreshed by Theatre Artistic Director Nate Jacobs each time it’s presented. The show takes the timeless nativity story and pairs it with gospel, blues, Christmas music and the poetry of Langston Hughes.

IF YOU GO

When: 7:30 p.m., Dec. 22 and Dec. 23 Where: Donelly Theatre, 1012 N. Orange Ave. Tickets: $20-$48 Info: WestCoastBlackTheatre.org.

DON’T MISS LIGHTS IN BLOOM

The grounds at Selby Gardens have been lit up for your holiday experience, and more than 2 million individual lights were used in crafting this winter wonderland. Early entry starts every evening at 5:30 p.m., but the standard ticket price will allow you in at 6:30 p.m. for more than two hours of enjoyment. The holiday

group

precocious youngsters ages

has spent months preparing for this exhibition of strength, skill, agility and flexibility.

RAHN HORTMAN 7 p.m. at McCurdy’s Comedy Theatre, 1923 Ringling Blvd. $25 Visit McCurdysComedy.com.

Rahn Hortman’s website has some simple advice for anyone who comes calling: “No Matter What, Keep Smiling.” Hortman has performed in comedy festivals all across the country, and he can regularly be heard on Sirius XM radio.

lovingly set up each year by local wedding decorator

in the Air, will stay in place through Jan 5.

IF YOU GO

When: 6:30-9 p.m.; runs through Jan. 5 Where: Selby Gardens, 1534 Mound St. Tickets: $30 Visit: Selby.org.

A PLACE IN THE SUN 7:30 p.m. at FST’s Goldstein Cabaret, 1239 N. Palm Ave. $34 Visit FloridaStudioTheatre.org.

The rich and distinctive canon of Stevie Wonder takes center stage in this musical revue, which will hit all the right notes on superhits as varied as “Superstition” and “Isn’t She Lovely?” Joshua Pyram and Ben Senneff will bring the music to life, and they’ll be backed by pianist Sean Holland II, drummer Marcus James and guitarist Hannah Taylor.

Artist keeps living in the eye of the storm

It was a day of celebration for Mara Torres González, the culmination of an intense period of her life that resulted in some of her most fulfilling work. And it wound up hitting a little too close to home.

Torres González, a Puerto Rico native, celebrated the five-year anniversary of Hurricane Maria with a Sept. 20 book signing at Sarasota Art Museum. At that event, she spoke about her project painting images of the storm that had hit her homeland.

A week later, her home was buffeted by the heavy winds of Hurricane Ian. And even before Ian, the very day of her book signing, Puerto Rico was being hit by another storm.

“They were being hit by Fiona and I was supposed to be celebrating my book signing,” she said in early October. “There are artists that go through a lifetime and never get those doors open. But I stopped posting because I felt like, ‘I’m celebrating something and they’re going through the same thing all over again five years later.’”

Her book “209” refers to the precise date — Sept. 20, 2017 — Hurricane Maria hit Puerto Rico, and its cover image is a striking painting that looks like a doppler radar image.

That painting hangs in the artist’s bedroom. It’s a constant reminder of trauma, but it brings her a semblance of peace. She endured Hurricanes Irma and Maria at home, and she spent a long time documenting the aftermath of the storm. Then, after taking photographs, she spent a long time turning them into paintings.

Torres González says the process

started as soon as she opened the door of her house, and it continued for months after Hurricane Maria.

Life repeated itself with Hurricane Ian, and her home was actually more damaged here in Sarasota than her home had been in Puerto Rico. But in her mind, the difference between the two places is the hope of recovery.

“We started to lose shingles around 9 a.m.,” she says of Hurricane Ian. “We had water coming though light fixtures, AC vents and the ceiling but we never lost power. In Puerto Rico, we lost power with Irma. By the time Maria made landfall, we didn’t have any power. And then we were without power in our house for 105 days.”

The painter is struck by the pace of the recovery process for places like the Dominican Republic compared to Puerto Rico. It’s so much slower despite or because of the island’s connection to the United States; it’s complicated, she says, and it’s a topic that will never be far from her heart.

“I’m always questioned about why I get inspiration from social injustice or catastrophes,” she says of her ouevre. “I don’t know. But I would say my best work has come from them. I guess it’s my way of being a voice and helping whoever does not have a voice. This is the most meaningful and personal life project because it’s not just my story.”

ART BASH 2022

The Sarasota Art Museum regaled its supporters with a dazzling Art Bash fundraiser on Dec. 10.

The museum’s signature fundraiser — this year adopting an “Immersive Nature” theme — brought 350 of the museum’s top donors and supporters to the building’s front lawn for light bites and mingling.

Guests then filled a tented event space outside the museum for an evening celebrating the relationship between art and nature. Much of the interior’s decor celebrated nature, with cedarwood and flower

petal designs adorning much of the space.

Artists Steven and William Ladd, as well as Janet Biggs, who all have exhibitions currently on display at the museum, were present and recognized at the gala as well.

Ringling College of Art and Design President Larry Thompson welcomed the audience and spoke of his enthusiasm for the continued growth of the art museum.

“If you haven’t (been to the museum before), I hope tonight demonstrates what you’ve been missing,” Thompson said.

“The Sarasota Art Museum is for

everyone.”

Chairwoman and conservation activist Elizabeth Moore then took to the podium to address the crowd.

“Art can inspire solutions and give us hope,” Moore said. “It can connect us to our roots in nature.”

The program continued with words from Executive Director Virginia Shearer and a subsequent live auction. The night ended with dessert being served and music from the night’s band.

Martin Indyk Master of the Game

In an attempt to understand the arc of American diplomatic influence in the Middle East, author Martin Indyk returns to the origins of American-led peace efforts and to the man who created the Middle East peace process, Henry Kissinger. Based on newly available documents from American and Israeli archives, extensive interviews with Kissinger, and Indyk’s own interactions with some of the main players, the author takes readers inside the negotiations.

Martin Indyk is a distinguished fellow at the Council on Foreign Relations and a former U.S. ambassador to Israel, assistant secretary of state for Near East Affairs and special assistant to President Clinton. Previously, Indyk was executive vice president of the Brookings Institution, where he had also served as vice president and director of the Foreign Policy program and the founding director of its Center for Middle East Policy. He served as President Obama’s special envoy for the Israeli-Palestinian negotiations from July 2013 to June 2014.

Corinthian Society Dinner 2022

Thursday, Dec. 8, at Michael’s On East | Benefiting Sarasota

Sarasota Memorial Healthcare Foundation’s closest supporters and donors were celebrated during an elegant evening at Michael’s On East on Dec. 8.

The annual Corinthian Society Dinner brought together longtime members and new honorees — the latter of whom have donated cumulative gifts valued at $25,000 or more to SMHF — for a refined dinner.

Guests mingled before taking to their seats, where they heard

from Board of Trustees Chair Deb Kabinoff and sponsor Paul Hudson of Northern Trust. Sarasota Memorial Health Care System

President and CEO David Verinder later gave an update on the health system and then passed things off to new SMHF President Stacey Corley, who spoke to the future of the organization.

New honorees were then presented awards for their ongoing contributions to the nonprofit.

Ann Judd and SMHF President Stacey Corley

Dec. 5,

Artistic Director Victor DeRenzi and General Director Richard Russell welcomed the audience before a performance from mezzo-soprano Heather Johnson and pianist Jesse Martins.

Help make The Bay sustainable in every way.

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Everyone who came to The Bay for the ten-day grand opening, everyone who enjoys a walk in the park, and everyone who participates in free park programs and events is encouraged to become a Friend of The Bay.

Every dollar donated by a Friend goes to operate, maintain and program the park. Your gift of only $25, $50 or $100 will enable you, your family and friends, neighbors and visitors to enjoy The Bay, and enable others to experience that same joy.

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