Ringling Renaissance Marked With Opening of New Art Galleries
Sarasota, FL – Jan. 24, 2007 – The John and Mable Ringling Museum of Art opens the doors to its new art galleries on Feb. 3, 2007. The Ulla R. and Arthur F. Searing Wing is the fourth new building to open on the estate in 14 months and marks the completion of the of Museum’s successful, five-year Master Plan transformation.
The Master Plan included restoring all existing venues, building four new buildings and raising a more than $50 million endowment.
The Searing Wing is named for generous local philanthropist Ulla Searing and her late husband Arthur. Mrs. Searing’s pledge of $6.5 million was signed in 2005 and matches half of the building’s construction costs in endowment.
Mrs. Ulla R. Searing, 94, is a native of Sweden. She is an active philanthropist and resident of Sarasota. She along with Arthur, her husband of 30 years who died in 1983, arrived in Sarasota in 1973 and shared their time between Sarasota in the winter and Southampton, Long Island in the summer. The Searing name now honoring the new galleries stands as a lasting testament to the Mr. and Mrs. Searing’s long-standing interest.
in history and the arts and will be a visible and lasting symbol of her philanthropy.
Additional gifts made by Vern and Sandy Buchanan, Mark Peter and Jennie Famiglio, Diane and Bob Roskamp, the Amicus Foundation and the William G. Selby and Marie Selby Foundation also supported the endowment. Their names will be displayed in the Courtyard, Loggia and various galleries within the Searing Wing as benefactors.
“The completion of the Searing Wing is a milestone, not only for the museum and Sarasota, but for all of Florida State University and for the State of Florida,” said FSU President T.K. Wetherell. “The successful completion of the museum's Master Plan-including raising more than $50 million for its endowment and restoring existing structures is a testament to the dedication, hard work and generous support of Ulla Searing and of many other gracious contributors, dynamic leaders and devoted staff.”
The building’s architect, Yann Weymouth of the firm HOK in Tampa allowed John Ringling’s vision to shine through in the new building. The Searing Wing’s exterior blends seamlessly with the 21-gallery Museum of Art, originally planned by Mr. Ringling and the new wing’s design was based on the 1920s renderings by Ringling’s architect, John H. Phillips.
“Yann Weymouth’s most deferential gesture to the vision of John Ringling came in the design of the new art galleries with its exterior based on the 1920s renderings,” said Executive Director John Wetenhall. “By remaining true to our roots, we have completed John Ringling’s dream to expand his art galleries and we’ve allowed what will
be shown on the inside of those galleries to take center stage instead of the building’s shell.”
The original plans envisioned a wing extending from the northern Loggia of the museum to house a Ringling School of Art (later founded independently in Sarasota and now thriving as one of America’s leading schools of design).
The building is square and centered on a courtyard for sculpture. On the outside, an arcade extends the Italianate Loggia of the original museum, with a balustrade above like the original structure of the Museum of Art.
Traveling exhibitions will primarily be shown in the new Searing Wing. The 20,000 square feet of additional exhibition space available in the new wing enables larger and multiple exhibitions, as well as, many more objects from the Ringling’s vast collection to be placed on public view.
The interiors are thoroughly contemporary, presenting finished galleries suitable for the most demanding standards of 21st-century exhibition design. Spaces are equipped with ultra-sensitive climate controls, a comprehensive security system, flexible lighting for a variety of art forms, moveable walls, elegant bamboo and white oak flooring. There is a basement directly below the loading dock for temporary storage of crates and supplies.
The Courtyard was designed to host social functions, such as exhibition openings and corporate parties. The exterior of the Courtyard was left simple, in anticipation of a site-specific art installation by contemporary artist James Turrell.
A well-equipped catering kitchen abuts the loading dock, with segregated air.
handling systems separate from those for art. A corridor provides access from the kitchen to the open space without passing through art galleries.
Mrs. Ulla R. Searing, 94, is a native of Sweden. She is an active philanthropist and resident of Sarasota. She along with Arthur, her husband of 30 years who died in 1983, arrived in Sarasota in 1973 and shared their time between Sarasota in the winter and Southampton, Long Island in the summer. The Searing name now honoring the new galleries stands as a lasting testament to the Mr. and Mrs. Searing’s long-standing interest
in history and the arts and will be a visible and lasting symbol of her philanthropy.
Inaugurating the Searing Wing are two special exhibitions: Bedazzled: 5,000 Years of Jewelry from the Walters Museum of Art, through May 27 and Encouraging American Genius: Master Paintings from the Corcoran Gallery of Art, through April 29 and two pocket exhibitions: Masterworks Exchange featuring two paintings by Frans Hals, through April 29 and Stone and Fire, featuring a selection of works from the museum’s Asian collections.
The four new buildings of the master plan have doubled the size of the Ringling Museum, ranking it among the 20 largest art museums in North America. Over $56 million was invested in new structures, contributing more than 165,000 square feet of usable space. Added to the $21 million required to restore the Ringling’s historic structures, the total investment by the State of Florida in facilities and infrastructure exceeds $76 million.
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