Twentieth—Century Painting in Iceland:

Art From the Land of Fire and Ice

From the Fernandez Collection | Guest Curator: Segundo J. Fernandez, Ph.D.

Oct. 6 – Dec. 16, 2023

Sara May Love Gallery

Though it is the most sparsely populated country in Europe, Iceland is home to a rich cultural history and a unique, stunning landscape. The island is predominantly a treeless mountainous and barren place – with extensive ice fields and over 30 active volcanoes spotted throughout that give the country its nickname, the “Land of Fire and Ice.” For centuries, artists have been inspired by Iceland’s otherworldly black sand beaches, lava fields, and glaciers, attempting to capture this awesome environment situated across the Mid-Atlantic Ridge. The island belongs to two worlds: a place where the North American and European tectonic plates meet. Iceland’s beginnings as a Viking settlement, with the world’s oldest functioning parliament, have given it a national history as complex and distinct as its native terrain. On loan this fall from the Fernandez Collection is a thoughtfully curated exhibition depicting Iceland’s majestic landscapes, bucolic countryside, and fishing customs, grounded in its Scandinavian heritage. This exhibition promises to transport the viewer across the Atlantic, to an awe-inspiring environment and a fascinating way of life.

Be sure to check out our Field Trips for all ages, ArtZone activities, and Art @ Home Kits during the exhibition, offering art-filled fun for all ages! Contact Museum Educator, Kaiyla Thompson at (850) 627 5023 to schedule a tour.

Exhibition Admission:
GACM Members FREE
Children (17 and under) FREE
Nonmember Adults – Holiday Special $5! (November 1 – December 16, 2023)

ArtZone & Museum Shop Admission: FREE for everyone!

Present Tense: Critical Conversations on Contemporary Landscapes

October 6 – June 29, 2024

Bates Permanent Collection Gallery

Presented in three parts, Present Tense pairs the monumental painting, 15 Canvas Study of the Grand Canyon by beloved Pop painter David Hockney, on loan from Art Bridges, with the work of Florida artists at various stages in their careers. The first piece featured alongside Hockney’s work is a painting by Dean Mitchell (on loan from the artist) from his award-winning Reservation series. These social realist works depict the poverty found in the Salt River Pima-Maricopa Native American community located in Arizona, breaking from the often romanticized views of the American West. In the spring, work by collaborative team Christopher Rivera and Sam McCoy present works created in a plein air process that mirrors Hockney’s work. Both aim to capture what Hockney called the essence of an “unphotographable place” in the vast spaces of the outdoors. Part three highlights the capacity of contemporary art to raise awareness, mixed media artist Holly Hanessian discuss concerns about human impact upon the environment through their work.

Generous support for this project is provided by Art Bridges.

Mary VanLandingham: Within These Walls

October 6, 2023 – December 16, 2023

Zoe Golloway Gallery

Within These Walls is a series of paintings of interiors by Mary VanLandingham. Meant to inspire peace and wonder, these pieces represent unforgettable moments in the artist’s life. She often finds her muse on road trips, where she is inspired with picturesque places and scenes. VanLandingham will take upwards of 700 photographs on these trips as source material for her oil paintings. She explains, “There’s an emotional connection and excitement because you can recall how you felt when you took that picture, and that’s what drives me to paint it.”

Experienced at creating landscapes and seascapes, these interiors capture a less exhibited side of VanLandingham’s work, displaying her talent with light, patterns, and textures. Born and raised in South Georgia, Mary VanLandingham works as a part-time artist and part-time librarian in Nashville, Georgia.

Duke Kraai: Moments in Time

On display through December 9, 2023

Munroe Family Community Gallery

Growing up in the Midwest, Duke Kraai was surrounded by fishing, hunting, and boating, inspiring his choice of landscapes and seascapes. A self-taught watercolor and oil painter, his works largely center on scenes from Florida, Michigan, and New England, reflecting what life is like in these diverse environments. As stated by Kraai, “I hope to catch a moment in time that allows viewers to slow down and experience all the wonders that nature provides.” Kraai has worked as a commercial artist for 20 years, receiving a degree in advertising design and teaching himself to paint with watercolors. He entered his first invitational exhibition in 1993, and has since been featured in numerous juried shows around the state of Florida. He received the First Award of Excellence from the Tallahassee Watercolor Society in 2019 and 2020.

Image: Duke Kraai, Apalachicola Red Fish, 2023, oil, 24 x 19 inches 

Gadsden Arts Artists Guild

On display through February 10, 2024

Bates Community Room

Enjoy the first Artists Guild exhibition of 2024, on view in the Gadsden Arts Center & Museum’s Bates Community Room through February 10, 2024. On display is artwork by Inger Avant, Monica E. Brion, Kelly Clark, Terrie Corbett, Wendy Devarieux, Robert DeWitt Smith, Suzanne Doddridge, Brenda Francis, Mark Georgiades, Terry Hawkins, Michele Tabor Kimbrough, Lily Lawson, Judy Macdonald, William McKeown, Pamela McLean, Roger Raepple, Stephen Revell, Monica Rios, Joel Thornton, and Harris Wiltsher.

Image: My dog, X by Lily Lawson, oil on canvas, 2023

Eddy Mumma: Compelled to Create

On display through December 9, 2023

Bates Permanent Collection Gallery

Compelled to Create presents spirit-infused work by “Mr. Eddy” Mumma, an individual who was driven to create hundreds of works of unique and powerful art. “Mr. Eddy,” a lonely shut-in due to complications from diabetes, painted hundreds of portraits and then refused to sell them, as they were his “companions.” A master of color and composition, Mumma’s highly stylized paintings vibrate with emotion.

Image: Eddy Mumma, untitled [detail], 1969-1986, acrylic on Masonite, 10 3/8 x 15 3/8 in, Gadsden Arts Center & Museum Permanent Collection, 2018.4.8