 "Photo: Photo by Jameshia Jefferson")
The new art exhibit on display at the Ybor campus art gallery is an array of sculptures composed of chicken wire, copper, fabric, and bird forms. The exhibit, “Cancelled” by Maria Saraceno, is on display through Jan. 28.
On Jan. 14 a reception for Saraceno included live music performed by the band Alone Together, who had a Spanish type sound that brought students to their feet dancing. Also present, was a table of complimentary hors d’oeuvres to welcome guests. Eight of Saraceno’s prismatic and lively pieces are for sale.
One piece, Cancelled, takes up an entire wall. It contains bird forms covered by fabric of many bright colors that are encapsulated by Plexiglas containers and displayed in the shape of a bowtie. Saraceno’s favorite piece, Easy Chair Activist, composed of brightly painted orange aluminum and steel, took her years to complete.
Students who attended the reception had positive reviews for the artist’s work. “There was so much to admire all at once when walking into the gallery,” said Monica Mendez, 23, a graphic design major. Another student complimented the artist’s work saying, “The art work presented a sense of an early time period,” said Simone Paulus, 20, an art major. Paulus thought Unairborne, a torso made of cement with expanded wings made of feathers, depicted how people go through depression wanting to fly but are held down. She also felt the artist illustrated irony through her work.
Saraceno, 59, said sculpting is not a job, but a passion. She was born and raised in Italy. “My artistic capabilities lay dormant within me until I reached college and began exploring art,” Saraceno said. Her professors at the University of South Florida, where she received her master’s in fine arts, were some of the first to recognize her artistic abilities. Years later, the artist has received several awards for her work as well as an artist’s grant, and has exhibited work at the Tampa Museum of Art, the Museum of Fine Arts in St. Petersburg, and at The University of South Florida Contemporary Art Museum.
“Fabric is a metaphor and vehicle for my artistic expression,” Saraceno said, “Religion also plays a large role as well as experiences and what touches me throughout life. This exhibit, she explained, represents the social and political issues that she is passionate about, with a special focus on extreme oppression within the world. I have always wanted to be a bird with wings and enjoy expressing the thought of freedom in my work.” Saraceno said. Working on each piece was rather therapeutic for the compassionate sculptor. She described feeling liberated that some of her work was completed and on exhibit to share with all.
She hopes as people come to view her exhibit that her art entices them to simply feel. Each and every person who comes to view art leaves with a different interpretation. She hopes they grasp the idea that one can deliver a meaningful message by using only their hands. For art majors and all who are interested in the line of study, Maria would like to impart this advice, “Art is hard work but follow your instinct and passions.”
For anyone who may have missed the reception, “Cancelled” is on display in the gallery until Jan. 28. Gallery hours are Monday, Wednesday, and Friday, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., and Tuesday Noon to 7 p.m. For more information, the gallery can be reached at 813-253-7674.
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