The Sidney and Berne Davis Art Center offers two unique art exhibitions for the month of September.
Curated by Reynier Llanes, Voices of the Island – The Llanes Art Collection will be featured in the Grand Atrium.
David Monagas
In the Capital Gallery on the second floor, Spectrum of Life by the uber talented David Monagas will be showing. The opening night reception takes place during Art Walk on Friday, Sept. 3 from 6 to 10 p.m.
The Cuban culture collection, Voices of the Island, was created by students of the arts in Cuba during the 1990s. Historically in the previous decades, art expressions were sanctioned and politically supervised by the government.
Instead, these students were taught by graduates of the schools where freedom of expression and experimentation was encouraged using many mediums, materials, and styles of art. This was also stimulated out of necessity because of the limited availability of art supplies and materials.
The grouping of artists in this exhibition present works that include representational landscapes, figurative expressions, magic surrealism, and abstract expressionism styles of contemporary art in Cuba today that is a clear testament to their creativity and imagination, advanced education, rich cultural bonding, sense of humor, and vitality.
David Monagas explores the conversation of body coverings through his photography exhibition Spectrum of Life, showing in the Capital Gallery. Monagas hopes his work will spark a conversation over the idea of whether or not the human form being something that should be covered in the name of “decency.”
As we move forward into our new world, his painted bodies and fabric-covered works reflect on how people are affected by these ideas.
Sidney’s Rooftop Sculpture Garden will be open 6 p.m. to midnight. Both shows will be on display through Friday, Sept. 24. For more info, visit www.sbdac.com or call 239-333-1933. The Sidney & Berne Davis Art Center is located at 2301 First St. in downtown Fort Myers.
