ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — This Saturday, June 15, there will be an exciting convergence of events as The Dalí Museum opens three distinct special exhibitions. One showcases Salvador Dalí’s legendary Masterworks in augmented reality; one features paintings and first-edition prints by renowned Spanish artist Francisco Goya; and one exhibits rarely seen Dalí bronzes and large-scale outdoor sculptures. This first-ever trio of simultaneous exhibit openings underscores the Museum’s commitment to providing unique cultural inspiration for the local community and the world at large.
“We’re delighted to present such a wealth of new offerings simultaneously,” said Dr. Hank Hine, Executive Director of The Dalí. “Each exhibit, so different in content and scope, will individually enrich our visitors’ experience here at the Museum. Collectively, they provide guests with even deeper insights into Salvador Dalí, his influences and his ability to inspire.”
Visual Magic: Dalí’s Masterworks in Augmented Reality utilizes burgeoning augmented reality (AR) technology to engage visitors while highlighting the Museum’s collection of Dalí’s popular Masterworks – paintings exceeding five feet in height or width that occupied Dalí a year or more. Through spectacular digital effects, these monumental – and monumentally important – works come to life, allowing visitors to gain a deeper understanding of the meaning behind these eight significant Dalí works.
Visitors will experience the exhibition via the free Dalí Museum App, developed with the technology company, Guru, based in San Diego, CA. Each painting, when viewed through a mobile device, comes to life with digital animations highlighting various components of the work. Visitors then explore key elements of the complex paintings by navigating through informational “hot-spots” on their device screens. Visitors are strongly encouraged to download the free Dalí Museum app prior to their visit; the app not only features this AR experience, but a multitude of other features such as gallery tours, panoramic images, Museum events and more.
Before Dalí: Goya — Visions & Inventions showcases the work of Francisco José de Goya y Lucientes (1746-1828), one of Spain’s greatest artists and an integral influence on Salvador Dalí. His paintings and etchings from the late-18th and early-19th centuries are celebrated for their revolutionary qualities. Many scholars regard Goya’s life and works as the basis for modern art, bridging Classicism and Romanticism and introducing democratic themes into a previously elite art form. The exhibit’s works are on loan from the Meadows Museum in Dallas, which houses one of the most substantial collections of Goya.
Before Dalí: Goya – Visions & Inventions features two suites of first-edition prints, printed during Goya’s lifetime, alongside three significant paintings representing unique themes of Goya’s art. The first suite of prints, Los Caprichos (1799), on view June 15-September 15, is among Goya’s most famous works, a series of satirical prints exploring the superstitions and societal ills of his time. The second print suite, on view September 21 through the end of the exhibit, is La Tauromaquia (1816), a depiction of the history and evolution of bullfighting on the Iberian Peninsula. Both suites highlight Goya’s mastery of inventive printmaking techniques, revolutionary in his day and still relevant today.
“This is an opportunity for visitors to see rare first-edition prints and extraordinary paintings by Goya, whose work played a critical role in Salvador Dalí’s artistic development,” said Dr. William Jeffett, The Dalí Museum’s Chief Curator of Exhibitions. “The student Dalí studied Goya as part of his early training, and the mature Dalí revered Goya’s artistry throughout his long career.”
Bronzes from the Vault features Dalí sculptures from a series originally commissioned by gallery owner Isidro Clot and created 1969-79, the only sculptures Dalí ever worked on by hand. Twenty of the small-scale pieces will be released from the Museum’s vault and showcased in salons throughout The James Family Wing. Drawing on themes of Surrealism, Classicism and Catholicism, the bronzes present many familiar Dalinian images, including Christ of St. John of the Cross, Dragon-Swan-Elephant and the Cosmic Elephant. In addition to the sculptures displayed in the galleries, four large-scale bronzes ranging from 6.5 to 10 feet high will be on view in the Museum’s Avant-garden. One of them, Terpsichore (Muse of Dance), has been gifted to the Museum and will remain on view permanently in the Museum’s Avant-garden.
The exhibitions are sponsored by Tampa International Airport.
Click to visit the museum’s website.
# # #