The Art Gallery (TAG) at UWF presents “Drifting Cabinets: A Curious Portable Collection of Gulf Biodiversity”
The Art Gallery at the University of West Florida presents “Drifting Cabinets: A Curious Portable Collection of Gulf Biodiversity” from Nov. 1 through Nov. 15. A reception will take place on Thursday, Nov. 15 from 5 to 7 p.m. with a gallery talk at 6 p.m.
“Drifting Cabinets” is a traveling museum experience reminiscent of the cabinets of curiosities found in 16th century Europe. One of the primary goals for the exhibition is to educate visitors on Gulf biodiversity and the environmental impact of the 2010 Deepwater Horizon oil spill. TAG is located in the Center for Fine and Performing Arts, Building 82 on the Pensacola campus.
Displayed in old traveling sea trunks are photographs, paintings, sculptures and collections of turtle shells, animal skulls, eggshells and other bird and reptile specimens. Also on view are illustrations that reveal ecological issues on the gulf and how the northwest Florida community can participate as citizen scientists to help document the many species that haven’t been seen since the spill. Visitors are encouraged to examine, touch and question what they see. One of the exhibition curators, Sean Miller, said, “our unconventional museum-on-the-move seeks to activate each audience’s sense of curiosity and wonder by putting the hands-on collection into a state of play, learning and discovery.”
TAG is open Tuesday through Friday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. and Saturday from noon to 4 p.m. All events are free and open to the public. For more information, visit our website at uwf.edu/tag or contact Nicholas Croghan, Gallery Director, at artgallery@uwf.edu or 850.474.2696.