John Ringling Museum | The world is just so small, now

The exhibition’s title, The world is just so small, now, is borrowed from the first stanza of a poem by Brazilian artist Abraão Batista. Bringing together additional prints, watercolors, and drawings by artists working on paper, the exhibition highlights the medium as fundamental to the artists’ practice. Assembled from The Ringling’s collection of contemporary works on paper, most of the pieces are on display for the first time since their recent acquisition through purchase or donation. Shown along with these are several rarely seen lithographs, woodblocks, and a relief print on glass acquired between the early 1960s and late 1990s. The works on view grant us an intimate look into the artists’ lived experiences and their unique observations on the state of the global community, as well as offer insight into the printing and drawing processes from an up-close perspective.

This exhibition is located in the Keith D. and Linda L. Monda Gallery for Contemporary Art and features the work of Abel Barroso, Abraão Batista, Romare Bearden, Sandra Cinto, Francesco Clemente, Elisabeth Condon, Mary Beth Edelson, Leon Hicks, Corita Kent, Hung Liu, Jason Middlebrook, Ibrahim Miranda, Duke Riley, John Scott, David Alfaro Siqueiros, Cauleen Smith, Linda Stein, Howie Tsui, and William Villalongo.

Image: Linda Stein, American, born 1943, Profile Solid 383.033, 1975, acrylic on paper, 7 1/2 × 9 in., Gift from The Raymond Learsy Collection, 2021, 2021.41.8

Generous support provided by The Ringling Museum General Fund and the Peter and Mary Lou Vogt Exhibition Fund.

Paid for in part by Sarasota County Tourist Development Tax revenues.