Southwest Florida’s museums regularly curate traveling art exhibitions as well as artworks from their permanent collections. During the month of August, three exhibitions close and 25 others continue their runs.
These are the exhibitions visitors will find on view this month in museums from Sarasota to Naples:
“Jillian Mayer: Slumpies” [Sarasota Art Museum]: Jillian Mayer explores our ever-increasing relationship with technological devices and the impact device usage has on our bodies through her interactive sculpture series, “Slumpies.” Blurring the line between fine art and functional objects, “Slumpies” invites viewers to sit, climb, slump, and curl up, using these sculptures much like furniture. In doing so, visitors explore how Mayer’s objects provide support for the various postures we assume while using technology. Closes Aug. 19, 2026. See also, “Miami sculptor Jillian Mayer’s Slumpies a sardonic commentary on ubiquity of technology.”
“Molly Hatch: Amalgam” [Sarasota Art Museum]: Commissioned as part of Sarasota Art Museum’s “Inside Out” Program, Molly Hatch’s site-specific installation, “Amalgam” (2023-24) spans two floors, visually linking the Jan Schmidt Loggia and Mark & Irene Kauffman Arcade. Consisting of more than 450 earthenware plates hand-painted in white, blue, and gold luster, “Amalgam” is one ensemble framed by the four arched windows. Hatch also incorporated the empty spaces, so that viewers perceive lines and patterns between plates adjacent to each other. The whole composition may also be experienced from multiple points of view, from near and far, inside and outside of the museum. Runs to April 26, 2027. For more, hear/read “Ceramic artist Molly Hatch showed up in a car loaded with 450 bubble-wrapped earthenware plates.”
“Something Borrowed, Something New” [Sarasota Art Museum]: From paintings, sculptures, and prints to photographs and video works, “Something Borrowed, Something New” showcases artworks produced by a diverse range of prominent modern and contemporary artists such as Louise Bourgeois, Chuck Close, David Hockney, Yoko Ono, Kara Walker and Ai Weiwei. The exhibition also offers a rare glimpse into private collections held throughout Southwest Florida. Complementing these borrowed selections, this show also features exciting new pieces and creates a dialogue between the works of late 20th-century trailblazers and today’s leading global artists. Together, this curation by Sarasota Art Museum senior curator Rangsook Yoon celebrates our region’s passion for the visual arts with extraordinary artworks never to be exhibited side-by-side again. Runs to September 27, 2026. Also see/hear, “'Something Borrowed, Something New' at Sarasota Art Museum features 85 works from 10 private collections.” Also hear/read, “Sarasota Art Museum exhibits work by the late David Hockney, trailblazing queer artist.”
“Maria A. Guzman Capron: Penumbra [Sarasota Art Museum]: In this solo exhibition, Maria A. Guzmán Capron explores the complexities of identity through her vibrant figurative textiles. Born in Milan to Peruvian and Colombian parents and later relocating to Texas as a teenager, the California-based artist understands first-hand the challenges of toggling between different cultures and geographies. Capron channels these personal experiences into her artwork, creating layered portraits of exuberant, multi-faceted characters. In “Penumbra,” meaning almost- or half-shadow, Capron’s other worldly figures exist in a realm of possibility and express the duality within us all. Through her use of hand-dyed, painted, and screen-printed fabrics, Capron asks viewers to consider the way our own identities have been stitched together over time—beautiful, ever-evolving collages of ancestry, culture, and life experiences. Runs to September 27, 2026. Also see/hear, “Exhibition at the Sarasota Art Museum uses shadows to explore the way identity changes based on experiences.”
“Beautiful Ideas: The Prints of Sol LeWitt” [Sarasota Art Museum]: Sol LeWitt generated more than 350 print projects during his 40-year artistic career, including thousands of lithographs, silkscreens, etchings, aquatints, woodcuts, and linocuts. Printmaking proved to be the perfect medium for LeWitt’s brand of conceptual art, in which the “idea becomes a machine that makes the art.” This exhibition explores the artist’s extensive body of prints, beginning with his earliest works and extending through his mature expressions in abstraction. Organized in four thematic sections—”Lines, Arcs, Circles, and Grids,” “Bands and Colors,” “From Geometric Figures to Complex Forms,” and “Wavy, Curvy, Loopy Doopy, and in All Directions”—the exhibition reflects the bold geometric shapes and precise lines that defined LeWitt’s artistic style. Runs to October 25. For more, read/hear “Sol LeWitt print exhibition at Sarasota Art Museum is an illustration of conceptual art.”
“Inside Out” [Sarasota Art Museum]: The Sarasota Art Museums also invites guests to explore its campus, which is home to sculpture and installations on Klein Plaza and the Great Lawn, as well as in unexpected spaces like Bistro, McGuire Hall, Schmidt Loggia, McCague Arcade and the Surkis/Elona Lobby. Works by Jose Alvarez, John Clement (“Shazam”), Samo Davis, Molly Hatch (“Staccato”), John Henry, Jillian Mayer, Olivier Mosset, Leah Rosenberg (“28 Colors”) and Christian Sampson included.
“In the Flesh: The Nude in Japanese Art” [John & Mable Ringling Museum of Art; Charles and Robyn Citrin Gallery]: This exhibition explores the emergence of the nude as a provocative and transformative subject in Japanese art from the late nineteenth century through the postwar period. Long associated in Japan with erotic imagery rather than fine art, the unclothed body became a focal point for debates about morality, modernity, and artistic freedom as artists engaged with Western academic traditions. As Japanese artists encountered new ideas about anatomy, realism, and the expressive potential of the human form, the nude gradually entered the repertoire of modern painting, printmaking, and other media. Bathing, grooming, and moments of private introspection offered socially acceptable frameworks for depicting the unclothed figure, while later modernist artists pushed beyond idealized forms toward bold color, abstraction, and psychological intensity. Featuring works on paper and an arresting oil painting by Ishikawa Toraji—"In the Flesh” traces how artists reimagined the body in response to changing social norms and artistic priorities. Predominantly images of women, these works reflect both the conventions of the genre and the perspectives of the artists and audiences who shaped it. Together, they reveal how the nude became a site for negotiating gender, desire, and artistic identity in modern Japan. Closes Aug. 23, 2026.
“Seventeenth-Century Dutch Paintings from the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston” [John & Mable Ringling Museum of Art]: This long-term installation in Gallery 10 of the Museum of Art showcases five outstanding examples of 17th-century Dutch painting on loan from the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston. Featuring a dramatic seascape, an expansive landscape, and captivating portraits set in detailed interiors, this exhibition offers a window into the vibrant artistic production of the Netherlands as the small nation rose to global prominence in the 17th century. The five exceptional paintings from the collections of the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, complement The Ringling’s holdings of Dutch art and provide additional perspective on the artistry, historical significance, and continuing appeal of Dutch painting from this period. Runs through Nov. 1, 2026.
“As Earth is to Sky” [John & Mable Ringling Museum of Art]: This exhibition presents the second installment from an ongoing celebration of a transformative gift of twenty-two works of abstract and minimalist art donated by Murray Bring and Kathleen (Kay) Delaney Bring. The Brings’ generous philanthropy and visionary commitment to the arts have left a lasting impact on The Ringling’s holdings of modern and contemporary art. This new iteration highlights abstract sculptures in wood, steel, copper, and bronze by acclaimed artists Mark di Suvero (b. 1933), Bryan Hunt (b. 1947), John Van Alstine (b. 1952), and Yuriko Yamaguchi (b. 1948). It also features works on paper and panel by notable artists Robin Rose (b. 1946) and Robert Stackhouse (b. 1942) who hold a connection to Florida. Together, these artists explore abstraction through diverse materials and forms, creating dynamic sculptures and works that engage with space, texture, and movement. Runs through Jan. 9, 2028.
“Ancient Art from Cyprus and the Mediterranean” [John & Mable Ringling Museum of Art]: This exhibition is the latest phase of The Ringling’s multi-year project to reinstall all 21 permanent collection galleries of the Museum of Art. This new installation in Gallery 12 highlights art from the island of Cyprus with a selection of 201 works from The Ringling’s permanent collection of ancient Mediterranean art—nearly all of which was purchased by John Ringling at auctions in 1928—including sculptures in limestone and terracotta as well as ceramic vessels, glass, and gold and silver jewelry. Ongoing.
“The Evocative Lens” [John & Mable Ringling Museum of Art]: Drawn from The Ringling’s permanent collection, this exhibition examines the emergence and evolution of art photography. To distinguish their work from commercial photography and the growing snapshot culture fueled by Kodak’s newly accessible cameras, Pictorialist photographers deliberately emulated the formal qualities of painters and graphic artists, and their subject matter often reflected themes found in Impressionist and Symbolist art. By the 1910s and 1920s, however, many of these artists—shaped by emerging modernist theories—began developing distinct visual languages unique to photography, using the medium to express themselves in new and innovative ways. Key figures featured in this exhibition include Alfred Stieglitz (1864–1946), Clarence H. White (1871–1925), and Edward Steichen (1879–1973), alongside Gertrude Käsebier (1852–1934), Eva Watson-Schütze (1867–1935), and Anne Brigman (1869–1950). The inclusion of these pioneering women underscores their significant contributions to camera clubs and photographic societies of the time, highlighting their impact on the evolution of art photography. Runs to Sept. 16, 2026.
“Andrea Carlson: A Constant Sky” [John & Mable Ringling Museum of Art]: “A Constant Sky” is the first museum survey of mixed-media visual artist Andrea Carlson (descended from Grand Portage Ojibwe and European settlers, b. 1979). Carlson creates works that challenge the colonial narratives presented by modern artists, museum collections, and cannibal genre horror films. Utilizing a combination of text and complex visual references to animals, art objects, and cultural belongings, Carlson creates prismatic landscapes that foil American landscape genre painting. Runs to Nov. 15, 2026.
“The Art of Care: Conservation at The Ringling” [John & Mable Ringling Museum of Art]: This exhibition provides viewers a peek behind-the-scenes to learn about the tools, materials, and methods Ringling’s Conservation Team utilizes to preserve and restore works of art. It might even be able to observe conservators in action, periodically working in the gallery space to examine, surface clean, and rehouse several large tapestries in the Ringling collection. Runs to Nov. 23, 2026.
“The Greatest Show on Earth” [John & Mable Ringling Museum of Art]: This latest addition to the museum celebrates the era of modern circus that began with Irvin Feld’s purchase of Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey® in 1967. The Greatest Show On Earth® Gallery modernizes the museum’s expansive history of the circus by exploring the first fifty years of the Feld family’s stewardship during which the spectacle of the show brought the circus experience to new heights. This exhibit continues the story, found throughout the Circus Museum, of how Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey® grew to become one of the most well-recognized brands in the world. The gallery space is designed to evoke the excitement of seeing a live show, while also representing the full spectrum of the production experience from both front- and back-of-house perspectives. Visitors can explore artifacts, costumes, and media footage in an engaging and multisensory experience throughout the exhibition area. This is a permanent exhibition that is periodically updated with new artifacts from the Museum’s permanent collection. Ongoing exhibition.
“Canvas City” [John & Mable Ringling Museum of Art]: The ephemeral nature of the tented circus is a source of wonder that has inspired popular fascination with the entertainment since shows first began performing under canvas. To accomplish the logistical feat of moving the show every day, the entire operation had to be efficient, sturdy, and easily packed up. To properly fulfill the expectations of audiences, it also had to be spectacular! The adaptability of textiles was often key to a show’s success in meeting these basic requirements. In “Canvas City,” the makers of circus are on display, from the drawings of master tentmaker William Hobson to the photographs of Frederick W. Glasier and costumes made by skilled seamstresses at the Sarasota Winter Quarters. The skills of these individuals may not have been listed in any program, but they all played their part in the magic of circus day. This exhibition is a supplement to the important work being done behind the scenes to document The Ringling’s collection of circus costumes, which numbers over 1,500 pieces – and includes everything from leotards, gowns, stockings, and shoes to band uniforms, clown costumes and even animal blankets. Runs to Jan. 3, 2027.
Marietta Museum of Art & Whimsy. Closed for the summer. Reopens Saturday, Nov. 28, 2026. For more, visit “Marietta Museum of Art & Whimsy happiest place in Sarasota.”
[Bob Rauschenberg Gallery Annex (J-118)]: No exhibition currently on display. No information available regarding upcoming events and shows.
“The Trees Know” [Cohen Student Union & Sugden Hall Walkway]: The FGCU Art Galleries has partnered with the Art and Language and Literature Programs to create a hybrid visual art and creative writing site-specific outdoor public exhibition. This exhibition features the coursework of FGCU students from Introduction to Nature Writing and Art and Community Engagement. As the arts become increasingly integrated throughout campus, these cross curricular efforts promote increased collaboration between students. The end result of the project is a large-scale multi panel mural on display in the highly visible walkway between the Cohen Student Union & Sugden Hall leading the way to Parking Garage 1. Runs through October 31, 2026.
“Knowledge in Motion” [1st Floor, Wilson G. Bradshaw Library at Florida Gulf Coast University]: “Knowledge in Motion” is a new mural commissioned by the Wilson G. Bradshaw Library from fifth-year dual major (art and biology) FGCU student Macy Noll. The mural depicts a boat from the Vestor Marine and Environmental Field Station skimming the surface while the sun’s rays illuminate divers collecting samples for FGCU research scientists to identify and catalog. For more, visit “Fifth-year FGCU student Macy Noll installing ‘Knowledge in Motion’ mural in campus library.”
“Diamonds in the Light: Farrah Alkhadra” [North End of Arts Complex at Florida Gulf Coast University]: Farrah Alkhadra (‘21 Art) has created two mixed media murals for display at the end of the Arts Complex Courtyard. The murals include bright, saturated colors and geometric components projecting from the surface. The pieces are a continuation of Senior Project investigations that were inspired by forms, materials, and color theory. Working primarily as a 3D sculptor, Alkhadra combines her signature steel forms with mixed media installation for this project. Runs through Sept. 30, 2026.
“Lingling Lu: Fugue in 3 Voices” [Baker Museum of Art]: Baltimore and Washington, DC-based artist Linling Lu is best known for her circular paintings inspired by classical and contemporary music. To unite and expand experiences of art and music, the artist transforms complex musical information into painting, from an expansive view of an entire composition to a small group of notes in a measure. Her hard-edge paintings are composed of concentric rings of color that appear to vibrate and resonate with the sounds she hears in music. For this installation, Linling Lu: Fugue in 3 Voices, Lu created new pieces inspired by the works of three master composers: Ludwig van Beethoven, Antonín Dvořák and Igor Stravinsky, referencing works featured in the Naples Philharmonic Masterworks series during the 2025-26 and 2026-27 seasons. Just as a fugue interweaves different musical voices, this exhibition will entwine the influences of these three composers together into one cohesive installation that invites the viewer to consider music with their eyes as well as their ears. This synthesis of musical and visual sources of inspiration is deeply ingrained in Lu’s artistic practice: A classically trained pianist, she continues to find inspiration in the study of music and practices piano in her studio between painting sessions. Runs to Jan. 3, 2027.
“There & Here: New Perspectives of the Permanent Collection” [Baker Museum of Art]: In celebration of The Baker Museum’s 25th anniversary, this exhibition stands as a testament to the enduring legacy of artistic exploration and cultural preservation. Co-curated with a dedicated community advisory committee, “There & Here: New Perspectives of the Permanent Collection” showcases an exceptional selection of highlights and rare treasures from the museum’s permanent collection. Through this thoughtfully curated display, the exhibition examines the profound ways individuals preserve their identities and sustain meaningful connections to their cultural heritage, even amidst the challenges of geographical dislocation. By combining artistic expression with engaging community programs, There & Here strives to illuminate the diverse narratives of heritage and resilience. Visitors are invited to explore this compelling intersection of art and identity, gaining fresh perspectives on the museum’s enduring role in fostering connection and cultural dialogue. Ongoing (multi-year exhibition); located on second floor.
“The Passion of Collecting: Stories in Glass and Ceramics from the Sibrack Collection” [Baker Museum of Art]: This exhibition celebrates a major gift to the permanent collection of The Baker Museum from longtime supporters Dr. Laurence and Rita Sibrack of Naples, avid art collectors for more than 30 years. The Dr. Laurence and Rita Sibrack Collection of Contemporary Glass and Ceramics comprises 74 works by 60 different artists. Together, these works represent every major process of studio glass, from flame-worked to blown to cast. Ceramics are represented by striking figurative and abstract works. The collection includes some of the best-known figures associated with the studio glass movement, including Lucio Bubacco, Dale Chihuly, Amber Cowan, Dan Dailey, Michael Glancy, Judith Schaechter, Preston Singletary, Matthew Szösz, Loretta Yang, Toots Zynsky and more. Originating in the 1960s, the studio glass movement saw artists around the United States innovating methods of utilizing glass as a medium for original artistic expression. Before this time, glass was used for functional objects and was manufactured in large factories through industrial processes. The artists of the studio glass movement created techniques that could be accomplished on a more intimate scale in their studios, where they were free to experiment and create. Runs to Nov. 1. For more, visit “Baker Museum receives transformational gift of glass and ceramic art.”
“Louise Nevelson: Dawn’s Forest” [The Baker Museum and Hayes Hall]: The monumental sculpture “Dawn’s Forest” by preeminent American artist Louise Nevelson (1899-1988) is one of the most iconic works in The Baker Museum’s permanent collection. The work is made of various white-painted abstract wood elements, some as tall as 25 feet, created by Nevelson in her signature assemblage style over a period of more than a year. This is a permanent exhibit located in the Drackett Gallery and throughout Hayes Hall. Ongoing exhibition.
Sculpture Trail [throughout the Kimberly K. Querrey and Louis A. Simpson Cultural Campus and Sculpture Trail at Pelican Bay]: The Baker Museum Sculpture Trail offers a distinctive way to experience art in harmony with nature. This dynamic outdoor exhibition features sculptures from The Baker Museum’s collection and select loans, including works by George Rickey and Albert Paley. Visitors can enjoy self-guided tours anytime. Ongoing exhibition. For more, hear/read, “Baker Museum collaborates with Pelican Bay Foundation on outdoor sculpture trail.”
Chihuly Collection [The Baker Museum]: Dale Chihuly is a multimedia artist known for pushing the boundaries of glass and revolutionizing the American studio glass movement. The Baker Museum is the permanent home to four of his dynamic large-scale installations: “Blue Icicle Chandelier,” “Red Chandelier,” “Red Reeds” and “Persian Seaform Ceiling.” On view to museum visitors during all normal operating hours.
“Intersections” [Naples Art Institute]: “Intersections celebrates the evolving history of the Naples Art Institute Collection and the many artists, students, collectors, and supporters who have shaped the organization over the decades. Beginning in the late 1990s, Naples Art Institute formally established its permanent collection, laying the foundation for a growing archive of works that continues to expand today. The exhibition highlights the breadth of the collection and the wide range of artistic voices represented within it. Together, these works reflect the ongoing role of Naples Art Institute as a place for artistic discovery, learning, and community engagement in Southwest Florida. Summer 2026 – Coming Soon.
“The Battle of the Paddle: The Great Dock Canoe Race” [Naples Depot Museum]: What started as a celebration of the “end of season” transformed into an almost fifty-year-old tradition to pay homage to the locals of Naples, Florida. Explore the many themes and awards that captivated participants and onlookers of the Great Dock Canoe Races. Also learn how and where the races operate today!Closes Aug. 29, 2026.
“American Spirit, American Dream (America 250) Exhibit” [Museum of the Everglades]: Every year Museum of the Everglades collaborates with its local school – one of the last two K-12 public schools on a single campus in the state of Florida – to create an exhibit that celebrates a specific aspect of the community. Students submit artwork, photos, videos, stories, interviews and more that are designed to share a part of the character and history of the area with visitors from around the world. A contest with cash prizes is held with a variety of categories open to currently enrolled students of all ages. This year, Museum of the Everglades has invited students to celebrate America 250 by sharing what the American Spirit means to them and how their lives and those of their families and friends connect them to the two and a half century-long tradition of pursuing the American Dream. Runs to Sept. 13.
The exhibit will be augmented with historic information and established traditional stories that provide context for the creative responses the students have submitted. Runs to October 3, 2026.
“UNDERWATER WORLD The Beauty Beneath” [Marco Island Historical Museum]: Artist Inez Hudson exhibits paintings based on underwater photographs. Inez loves to explore themes of South Florida nature in these realistic images. She presents fascinating facts and stories around the flora and fauna painted. Runs to November 1, 2026.
“SELF DOCUMENTED: Community Memory & Lived Experience Art Exhibition” [Immokalee Pioneer Museum]: This is a community exhibition centered on storytelling, memory, and lived experiences within the immigrant community of Immokalee and neighboring communities. Runs to October 24, 2026.
Support for WGCU’s arts & culture reporting comes from the Estate of Myra Janco Daniels, the Charles M. and Joan R. Taylor Foundation, and Naomi Bloom in loving memory of her husband, Ron Wallace.
For full disclosure, FGCU holds the broadcast license for WGCU. WGCU is a member-supported service of FGCU.
