Our hosts for this Threads program are Dr. Sarah Cartwright, The Ringling’s Chief Curator and Ulla R. Searing Curator of Collections, and the artist Shinique Smith, whose work is featured in the exhibition Shinique Smith: Parade.

This dynamic, interactive program focuses on teasing out threads connecting the work of Shinique Smith and The Ringling’s permanent collection of European art. Over the course of six sessions, we’ll gather in the six Museum of Art galleries which feature Smith’s work for dynamic conversation with artists, art experts, and one another.

The salon, a forum for promoting and shaping the production of artistic and cultural taste, dates back to Renaissance Italy. France is well known for its salons in the 17^th and 18^th centuries, but the practice continued in various parts of Europe and the US into the mid-20^th century. Gathered by a host, the salon was a place for artists, collectors, thinkers, dreamers, and culture-makers to exchange ideas. During each Threads salon, we will gather voices to discover connections between Smith’s work and art history. Together, we will weave new meaning in the European galleries, considering them through the framework of contemporary art.

The remaining four sessions will be held in Fall 2024.