ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. – Every three years, five Tampa Bay museums join together for Skyway: A Contemporary Collaboration.
For 2024, the work of 63 local artists is being showcased at the Tampa Museum of Art, USF Contemporary Art Museum, Museum of Fine Arts St. Petersburg, Sarasota Art Museum and The Ringling Museum of Art. Seven artists are featured at the Museum of Fine Arts St. Petersburg.
Senior Curator of Contemporary Art Katherine Pill took a unique approach to Skyway. Rather than dedicate a single gallery space to the exhibition, she chose to integrate the work within the different galleries at the museum.
“I wanted to work more closely with artists who really wanted to engage with the collection in our architectural spaces,” Pill said. “Many of the artists I spoke with were really excited about this prospect. It resulted in some really, really incredible installations.”
The art varies in size, scale and medium, from small sculptures to pencil collages to room-wide pieces. Artist Emily Martinez was inspired by Renaissance and Baroque era paintings, specifically a painting depicting the mystic marriage of Saint Catherine.
READ: Sarasota Museum of Art featuring 14 artists for Skyway: A Contemporary Collaboration exhibit
“I was looking at that painting. I was looking at these photographs of my grandmother’s wedding day, which was in the 70s in the Dominican Republic. This one specific photo, the reflection in the mirror, kind of shows these expressions of unease that I think was more relevant to the way women may feel around marriage now versus in that painting marriage is like this mystified thing that just like naturally happens onto women. I think it was interesting to connect my work to the collection by subverting those themes around marriage and femininity,” Martinez said.
Martinez said it’s an honor to be included in an exhibition that features work from fellow artists and professors. Since the exhibition is scattered throughout the museum, Pill hopes visitors take the time to view the permanent pieces within the galleries.
“First and foremost, we want people to understand the just incredible talents that live amongst us in Tampa Bay,” Pill said. “Secondly, we want people to sort of see our collection in a new light, see the museum in a new light. Any way we can sort of shake things up I think is important.”
Skyway 2024: A Contemporary Collaboration will be on display at the Museum of Fine Arts St. Petersburg until Nov. 3.
For more information on the collaboration, click here.
For more information on the Museum of Fine Arts St. Petersburg, click here.
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