In the Loop
Press Release : Dec 10, 2014

UG at 50: Roy Craven’s Journey Through South America on Display in Grinter Gallery at the University of Florida December 19 Through March 20

Occurring as part of University Gallery’s 50th anniversary celebration in 2015 and honoring the legacy of University Gallery’s first director, Roy Craven, is UG at 50: Roy Craven’s Journey Through South America. The exhibition, which is free and open to the public, is on view Dec. 19, 2014 through March 20, 2015 in Grinter Gallery located in Grinter Hall on the University of Florida (UF) campus. Please note that Grinter Gallery will be closed during UF’s semester break from Dec. 25, 2014 through Jan. 1, 2015.

UG at 50: Roy Craven’s Journey Through South America, curated by long-standing Gallery Guild member, Roslyn Levy, features a collection of Andean arts and crafts that were part of the original University Gallery collection and are now part of the collection of the Florida Museum of Natural History. The featured objects highlight a variety of folk art traditions from the Andean region, including Bolivia, Colombia, Ecuador and Peru, and portray a segment of the collecting efforts of Craven and the many patrons of University Gallery. The pieces provide a glimpse into the history of Andean artistic culture, while also celebrating Craven’s travels throughout South America.

“This exhibition showcases a diverse range of Andean arts and includes household items, ceremonial objects, ceramic ware, weavings and musical instruments, as well as a large reed boat from Lake Titicaca that was commissioned for the exhibit,” said Levy. “Roy Craven was concerned that the Andean craft tradition was beginning to erode and was in danger of disappearing with exposure to modern technology and changing ways of life. This collection was a way of highlighting and preserving the rich indigenous heritage that had existed from pre-Incan times through the Colonial period and into the mid-20th Century.”

To learn about the other three University Galleries exhibitions that celebrate Craven’s legacy and the relationship between University Gallery and the founding of the Samuel P. Harn Museum of Art, visit arts.ufl.edu/university-galleries.

About University Galleries

University Galleries is comprised of three art galleries at the University of Florida (UF) in Gainesville, Fla., and is an integral part of the programs and curricula of the School of Art + Art History.

University Gallery, located at the intersection of SW 13th Street and SW 4th Avenue, provides high-quality, thought-provoking exhibitions changing every two to 12 weeks that engage the university and wider community in stimulating dialogue facilitated by contemporary visual language and culture. For the past 12 years the University Gallery has collaborated with myriad UF colleges, community and regional entities in creating a trans-disciplinary venue for the visual arts. Exhibitions feature internationally-recognized artists, an annual faculty exhibition, a juried student art show and two MFA graduating thesis project shows. The 3,000 square foot space is a lively, exciting venue that is utilized for many events throughout the academic year. University Gallery is open Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Fridays: 10 a.m.–5 p.m.; Thursdays: 10 a.m.–7 p.m.; and Saturdays: 12 p.m.–4 p.m. The gallery is closed Mondays, Sundays and holidays. University Gallery will be closed for the semester break from Dec. 16, 2014 through Jan. 3, 2015.

Focus Gallery is an 850-square-foot space that presents monthly exhibitions of student-curated exhibitions featuring student and alumni artworks. Focus Gallery is located adjacent to the lobby of the School of Art + Art History’s Fine Art Building C. Focus Gallery is open Monday through Friday 10 a.m.–5 p.m. and is closed weekends and holidays. Focus Gallery will be closed for UF’s semester break from Dec. 25, 2014 through Jan. 1, 2015.

Grinter Gallery is located in the lobby area of Grinter Hall. Established by an endowment from Linton and Constance Grinter, its primary mission is to present international and multicultural artwork through student curated exhibitions. Grinter Gallery is open Monday through Friday: 8 a.m.–5 p.m. and is closed weekends and holidays. Grinter Gallery will be closed for UF’s semester break from Dec. 25, 2014 through Jan. 1, 2015.

Parking Information

Daytime parking is available in reserved spaces between Fine Arts Building C (FAC) and Inner Road. From SW 13th Street, enter campus on Museum Drive. Turn right on Newell Drive, then right on Inner Road. Turn left into the parking lot behind FAC. The first three spaces on the left are reserved for gallery use. Parking permits are issued to gallery visitors in the University Gallery.

For more information, please contact the University Gallery at (352) 273-3000 or visit our website at arts.ufl.edu/university-galleries.

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Media Contact
Leah Craig
Public Relations and Marketing Manager
University of Florida College of the Arts
Office: 352.273.1489 | Cell: 904.419.3346 
lcraig@arts.ufl.edu