Ten art collectors from Tampa, St. Petersburg, and Sarasota have loaned 85 works from their private collections to the Sarasota Art Museum for the exhibition 'Something Borrowed, Something New.' The show features pieces by renowned artists including Kara Walker, Ai Weiwei, Alex Katz, Robert Mapplethorpe, Chuck Close, Hank Willis Thomas, and Yoko Ono, with many prints coming from Graphicstudio at the University of South Florida. The exhibition was conceived by executive director Virginia Shearer after visiting collectors' homes and was inspired by a trip to the Renwick Museum at the Smithsonian.
The exhibition matters because it offers a rare public glimpse into private collections, allowing viewers to see works that are usually hidden in homes and to appreciate how they converse with one another in a gallery setting. It also highlights the strong relationship between the museum and local art patrons, showcasing the region's vibrant collecting community and the ongoing legacy of Graphicstudio. The show includes unique pieces like Yoko Ono's 'A Box of Smile,' created in response to John Lennon's death, which gains new meaning when displayed on a pedestal rather than in a domestic setting.