In 2015, University Gallery located on the University of Florida (UF) campus in Gainesville, Florida, will celebrate its 50th anniversary. To commemorate this milestone, University Galleries will be hosting a series of exhibitions throughout the year that celebrate the gallery’s history as well as School of Art + Art History alumni. In the spring, four exhibitions will honor the legacy of Roy Craven, the gallery’s founding and longest standing director of 25 years. First is UG at 50: The Roy Craven Legacy, Dec. 2, 2014 through Feb. 27, 2015 in University Gallery. An opening reception for this exhibition will be held Friday, Jan. 9, 2015 from 7-9 p.m. and will feature baked goods by Vine in Focus Gallery. Both the exhibition and reception are free and open to the public.
UG at 50: The Roy Craven Legacy is guest curated by Roy Hunt, an original member of the Gallery Guild, whose drive gave birth to the Samuel P. Harn Museum of Art and its overall collections direction. UG at 50: The Roy Craven Legacy showcases approximately 50 objects acquired from 1965 to 1988 that were originally in the University Gallery collection and were later transferred to the Harn Museum of Art. The pieces selected showcase an even representation of mediums, from Indian sculptures to contemporary photographs by some of the leading photographers of our generation.
“How exciting it is to see so many old friends back on the walls of the University Gallery where they first became part of the Gator Nation,” said Hunt. “We are all indebted to the Harn Museum of Art for the loan of these works of art acquired for the University of Florida by the gallery’s founding director, Roy Craven, and transferred to the Harn upon its opening 25 years ago.”
University Galleries will host three other complementary exhibitions in its other two galleries, Focus Gallery and Grinter Gallery. UG at 50: The Making of a Museum, installed Jan. 6, 2015 through Feb. 27, 2015 in Focus Gallery, will feature a family tree and timeline designed by Mint Design Studio, a student-run graphic design studio at UF, that further explains the relationship between University Gallery and the Harn Museum of Art. UG at 50: Roy Craven’s Journey Through South America, on display Dec. 19, 2014 through March 20, 2015 in Grinter Gallery, is curated by Roslyn Levy and 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. University Gallery at 50: Gallery Beginnings; Window to Latin America, on display March 30, 2015 through June 12, 2015 in Grinter Gallery, is curated by Dr. John F. Scott and features works from the Harn Museum of Art collection. These exhibitions are also free and open to the public.
Special thanks to sponsors of the UG at 50 celebration: Gary R. Libby Charitable Trust, UF George A. Smathers Libraries and UF Samuel Proctor Oral History Program, as well as the UG at 50 Steering Committee: Gary Libby and Chris Machen, honorary co-chairs; Harold Barrand; Sarah Fitzpatrick; Regan Garner; Elsbeth K. (Buff) Gordon; Roy Hunt; Marcia Isaacson; Roslyn Levy; Don McGlothlin; Charlotte M. Porter; Norma Roth; Michelle Tillander; and Chuck Woods.
About University Galleries
University Galleries is comprised of three art galleries at the University of Florida (UF) in Gainesville, Florida, 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.
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.
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.
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
