The Florida State University Museum of Fine Arts (MoFA) will present “Floating Metal: UNDERcurrents In My Father’s Garden” beginning Aug. 27, an immersive performance exhibition bringing together the work of two artists and FSU faculty members, father and daughter Ed Love and nia love.

Conceived by School of Dance Professor and Guggenheim-winning choreographer nia love and co-curator Benin Ford, “Floating Metal” brings love’s choreography and dance films into conversation with the work of her father, Ed Love, a sculptor, fellow Guggenheim recipient and celebrated member of the Black Arts Movement. Known for transforming discarded scrap metal into powerful sculptures, Ed Love served as an FSU professor of visual arts from 1990 until his death in 1999.

“One of the central ideas of ‘Floating Metal: UNDERcurrents In My Father’s Garden’ is that our understanding of an artist is never complete. Knowledge unfolds as new works, memories, archives, relationships, and perspectives are brought into conversation,” said Kaylee Spencer, director of the museum. “By looking at Ed Love’s work through the experience of nia love’s performances and video installations, we can revisit the past with new information and see the present differently. We are excited to share this experience with the Tallahassee community.”

The exhibition will combine dance, live jazz music and video projection with the first museum presentation of images from Ed Love’s 1988 “Beloved” series and a selection of his metal sculptures commemorating Black historical figures.

The exhibition is personal for nia love because it draws on her relationship with her father and her own experiences as an artist.

“My father sent me forth to do the dance,” said love. “What happened to tear us apart is not a small thing. It all crosses the seas, estuaries and rivers. Floating Metal recalls and continues this movement. It is a prayer of memory and healing, and a message of invention and rupture.”

nia love will perform at the museum Aug. 27-29 as part of the exhibition. Performances are free and open to the public, but reservations are requiredbecause of limited capacity. Free tickets are available through Eventbrite.

The exhibition also will feature a live performance camera obscura installation encompassing the museum’s central gallery. The darkened installation will project the movements of performers and audience members as images onto the museum walls.

An opening reception will be held at 5:30 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 3. The event is free and open to the public.

love began developing work related to “Floating Metal” during a 2022 residency at FSU’s Maggie Allesee National Center for Choreography, before joining the School of Dance faculty. During the residency, she conducted research and developed choreography that contributed to the exhibition.

The presentation of “Floating Metal: UNDERcurrents In My Father’s Garden” was made possible by the New England Foundation for the Arts’ National Dance Project, with lead funding from the Doris Duke Foundation and the Mellon Foundation. Additional support comes from FSU’s Council on Research + Creativity.

MoFA is Tallahassee’s only art museum accredited by the American Association of Museums. Home to a permanent collection of over 7,000 objects and works of art, the museum fosters creativity, collaboration and connection in our community. Visit the MoFA website to learn more and plan your visit.

 Performance schedule

Thursday, Aug. 27: 5:30 p.m. 

Friday, Aug. 28: 5:30 p.m. 

Saturday, Aug. 29: 11:30 a.m., 3:30 p.m. 

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Watercolors and flowers came together in full bloom Thursday evening at the Florida State University Museum of Fine Arts’ inaugural Art in Bloom event.

Inspired by works in the Tallahassee Watercolor Society’s 2026 Tri-State Annual Juried Water Media Exhibition, local floral designers created striking botanical arrangements that transformed the museum’s galleries into a living work of art.

The event, sponsored by Tallahassee Nurseries, raised support for the museum’s exhibitions and programs while showcasing the creative connections between artists working in different mediums.

The floral arrangements will be on display free of charge during the museum’s regular hours: 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Friday, June 12, and 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday, June 13.

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The galleries of the Florida State University Museum of Fine Arts (MoFA) will be filled with vibrant florals June 11 during the museum’s inaugural Art in Bloom event, sponsored by Tallahassee Nurseries.

For the first time at MoFA, local floral artists will create botanical arrangements inspired by watercolor paintings featured in the Tallahassee Watercolor Society’s 2026 Tri-State Annual Juried Water Media Exhibition. The resulting displays will transform the galleries into a temporary collaborative installation.

Guests attending the ticketed event will be the first to view the floral installations while enjoying wine provided by Damas, light bites from Food Glorious Food and Cruton & Co., cakes from Eats by Elyse and live music.

MoFA Director Kaylee Spencer said the event highlights the creative connections between visual art and floral design.

“We are excited to host this event at MoFA. Art in Bloom celebrates the generative power of artistic dialogue: how a creative act in one medium can inspire, transform and expand into another,” said Spencer. “We are thrilled to share these floral creations alongside original watercolors, inviting guests to experience the conversation that emerges between paintings and floral design. That exchange between artists, materials and forms of expression is at the heart of what we foster here at the museum. Every ticket purchased helps support the museum’s exhibitions, programming and collections all year long.”

As presenting sponsor of Art in Bloom, Tallahassee Nurseries is providing both financial support and floral expertise to help bring MoFA’s inaugural celebration to life.

“We are excited to be involved with an event that showcases the artistry growing in our area and cultivates the community’s connection with the arts. Our floral designers’ creativity shines at every event or occasion, so we are delighted to see their bespoke designs displayed alongside the works of other talented florists and local artists,” said Melissa Hutchinson, social media and outreach manager for Tallahassee Nurseries.

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The Florida State University Department of Art and Museum of Fine Arts will open an exhibition this April showcasing the work of the department’s ten graduating MFA studio art students. “Decentered Reframed” offers a collection of contemporary artworks spanning installation, sculpture, print, video and performance projects.

The exhibition represents the professional debut of these artists following their time in the Department of Art’s MFA in studio art. As an intensive three-year program, it is designed to offer the students the discipline, training and artistic understanding required for life as a practicing artist and professional.

“In my 13 years at FSU, I have witnessed the evolution of our Studio Art MFA program and its students’ culminating exhibitions,” said Rob Duarte, associate professor and director of the graduate program. “The work in this year’s show represents some of the most thoughtful, considered and engaging artwork that has been produced through our program. The artists have worked extraordinarily hard to arrive at this point, and I can’t wait to share in this final celebration of their efforts as MFA candidates.”

The show highlights the growth and development of these featured artists throughout the three-year MFA program. In this collaborative exhibition, Alexia Benavent-Rivera, Ysabel Flores, Hannah Glaser, Moey Hewitt, Kea Kamiya, Amarachi Odimba, Keilicia Parker, Kyle Smith, J Woltz and Jay Yue each examine the power structures that shape our culture, environment and relationships.

The exhibit will run from April 10 through May 2, with an opening reception April 10 from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. The artists also invite the public to a meet-and-greet followed by a series of artist talks from 7:30 to 9 p.m. Thursday, April 16, at the Museum of Fine Arts. Additionally, there will be artist-led workshops available to the public.

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The Florida State University Museum of Fine Arts (MoFA) and the Native American and Indigenous Studies Center (NAIS) partnered to welcome Seminole artist Wilson Bowers to the museum for a collaborative painting event.  

Students, faculty, staff and community members came together on Feb. 27 to complete a colorful patchwork-inspired painting, which will be displayed at NAIS, in the Greene-Lewis House at 525 W. College Ave., following its completion.  

“We are honored that the museum is able to serve as a place where artists like Wilson Bowers can come together with the community, share their work, and form lasting and meaningful connections through events like this,” said Kaylee Spencer, Museum of Fine Arts director. “It’s wonderful to know that this piece of art will remain here on campus, where the creative experiences it generates become woven into the memories and placemaking of our community. We are deeply grateful to Wilson for inspiring this moment and for so generously sharing his creativity and knowledge with us.”  

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Florida State University’s Museum of Fine Arts is home to a permanent collection of more than 7,000 works of art, including 12 offset lithograph prints by renowned American artist Ernie Barnes. The pieces were donated by the late actor and former Florida State Seminole football star Burt Reynolds.

In honor of what would have been Reynolds’ 90th birthday, the museum and the Department of Art History are sharing a special look at these pieces.

“By contributing this portfolio of lithographs to MoFA, Reynolds made a lasting impact on FSU and the Tallahassee community,” said Kaylee Spencer, director of the Museum of Fine Arts. “We’re honored to have these prints as part of our collection. They serve as vital examples of Barnes’ work and 20th-century American art for generations to come.”

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nia love, an associate professor in Florida State University’s School of Dance and an alumna of the university, was recognized for her work “UNDERcurrents,” a multimedia performance installation that “probes the seam between the catastrophic history of transatlantic slavery and our quotidian memories of people who have lived in this time.” 

“It is a powerful affirmation,” love said. “The awards aren’t why you do the work, but you are hoping that within the work that you do, you will be acknowledged.” 

According to The Bessie’s official announcement, love received this award “for a transporting experience, taking the audience through an immersive and sensory journey of live performance and projected visuals. Historical research and personal memories are woven together to pose questions to the audience — with urgency and compassion.” 

We are proud to celebrate nia love on the occasion of her recent Bessie Award,” said James Frazier, dean of the College of Fine Arts. “nia has spent her adult life working primarily as an independent artist based in New York City, no small feat in the field of dance, and her career exemplifies a sustained, uncompromising commitment to making art. We are honored to claim her both as a distinguished member of our School of Dance faculty and as an alum whose creative practice continues to shape and challenge the field.” 

“nia has spent her adult life working primarily as an independent artist based in New York City, no small feat in the field of dance, and her career exemplifies a sustained, uncompromising commitment to making art.”

— James Frazier, dean of the College of Fine Arts

The Bessie Awards, established in 1984, are widely considered the highest honor in the independent dance field, often described by industry professionals as the “Oscars of dance.” This marks love’s third Bessie Award; she was previously recognized for Outstanding Musical Composition for love’s “g1(host):lostatsea” production in 2019. 

“UNDERcurrents” is the result of research carried out over several years, including significant projects undertaken in Tallahassee, both at the university and throughout the Panhandle and gulf regions.

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Florida State University’s Museum of Fine Arts and the College of Fine Arts have announced a schedule of exhibitions, workshops and symposia for the spring semester.

The programming spans the college’s network of gallery spaces, including the Museum of Fine Arts (MoFA), the William Johnston Building (WJB) Gallery, the Fine Arts Building (FAB) Gallery and the Facility for Arts Research (FAR).

“This spring, we’re excited to welcome a series of world-class exhibitions and arts-focused experiences to FSU,” said Kaylee Spencer, director of the Museum of Fine Arts. “By working with visionary partners on campus and beyond, we’re able to bring this exciting season to fruition. We can’t wait to share these works with the Tallahassee community.”

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“Like everything alive that we try to hold forever”

On view from Thursday, Jan. 29, through Saturday, June 27, at the Museum of Fine Arts

Florida State University’s Museum of Fine Arts (MoFA) will debut a new exhibition this month that explores the deep and often complicated relationship between human beings and the non-human objects that shape our lives.

“Like everything alive that we try to hold forever” will be on view from Thursday, Jan. 29, through Saturday, June 27, at the Museum of Fine Arts, a part of the College of Fine Arts, with an opening reception at 5:30 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 29.

“This exhibit is an incredibly thought-provoking show, bringing work from internationally-renowned artists to the Tallahassee community — we hope you won’t miss the chance to enjoy it while it’s here,” said Kaylee Spencer, director of the museum.

The exhibition is curated by Esker Foundation’s Elizabeth Diggon, Naomi Potter, and Shauna Thompson and produced by Independent Curators International (ICI) in partnership with Esker Foundation (Calgary, Canada). It presents the work of seven artists whose work examines the relationship between human bodies and non-human objects.

The exhibition features artwork in photography, sculpture and video that explores a range of issues central to the human experience.

Artists include Larry Achiampong & David Blandy, England, United Kingdom; Diane Borsato, Guelph, Canada; Stephanie Dinkins, Brooklyn, New York; Bridget Moser, Toronto, Canada; Sondra Perry, Perth Amboy, New Jersey; and Miya Turnbull, Halifax, Canada.

Curatorial Statement:

These relationships are complex and interconnected, showing us how the systematic collection, consumption and contextualization of objects impacts our understanding of self and others. By drawing parallels between the legacy of archaeology, colonialism, the potential of artificial intelligence, digital technologies and the ever-blurring line between the self and the other, this exhibit seeks to thread the complex reality of the human experience. Some artists conduct their exploration from an internal perspective, studying issues of identity, likeness and self-authorship. Others reckon with the role of imposed knowledge systems in defining what is (and isn’t) human, addressing the biases and harms that are often entrenched within systems and collections under the guise of neutrality. 

Alongside the exhibition, the Museum of Fine Arts will host a series of events and activities throughout its run.

Admission to the museum and these events are free and open to the public. For more information, visit mofa.fsu.edu.

“Like everything alive that we try to hold forever” is organized by Esker Foundation and produced as a traveling exhibition by Independent Curators International (ICI). Funding for the exhibition tour has been provided by the generous support from ICI’s International Forum and the ICI Board of Trustees. 

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A new Florida State University Museum of Fine Arts exhibition is highlighting how water shapes cultural geographies and artistic practice, featuring artists from Florida and all over the world.

“Water Ways: Indigenous Ecologies and Florida Heritage” is hosted in collaboration with the FSU Native American and Indigenous Studies Center (NAIS), the Department of Religion and the Council on Research and Creativity. The exhibition, which opens Sept. 18, 2025, with a reception from 5:30-7:30 p.m., includes a slate of programming to be held now through its closing March 14, 2026.

The title plays on the dual meaning of “ways,” exploring both the physical paths and routes shaped by water as well as the ways — or various methods and practices — through which Indigenous communities express their relationships with water.

“The exhibition highlights how Florida’s Indigenous material heritage embodies ways of living with water and relates these practices to parallel traditions across the Americas and Asia,” said Elizabeth A. Cecil, Timothy Gannon Associate Professor of Religion and the exhibition’s curator. “Water Ways also invites reflection on pressing environmental issues, including water access, ecological change and climate resilience, by highlighting how communities have long understood and responded to the challenges of living with water.”

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Florida State University’s Museum of Fine Arts (MoFA) has announced its lineup of exhibitions for the 2025-2026 academic year, featuring Indigenous artifacts alongside contemporary artwork, a traveling exhibition that explores what it means to be human, a showcase of FSU’s graduating Master of Fine Arts Studio Art students and more. 

The season begins on Thursday, Sept. 18, with “Water Ways: Indigenous Ecologies and Florida Heritage,” exploring community-water relationships. On Oct. 16, the museum will host an opening reception and artist talk for “Akimbo,” showcasing Zoë Charlton (BFA ‘95), a distinguished FSU Art alumna from Tallahassee. 

“We are thrilled to share these upcoming exhibitions with FSU and the entire Tallahassee community,” said Museum Director Kaylee Spencer. “Our season reflects the unique creative energy that defines our region and celebrates the strong academic partnerships that define our university. There is so much to look forward to.” 

ART MEETS FOOTBALL

On Saturdays when the FSU football team has a home game, visitors have the option to participate in art activities at the museum prior to the event at Doak Campbell Stadium. 

On Saturday, Sept. 20, ahead of FSU’s Family Weekend football game against Kent State, students and their families can visit the museum for a special kickoff event celebrating the arts and FSU Seminole spirit. Activities include screen-printing a custom MoFA pennant and guided tours of the museum’s exhibitions. 

A SHOWCASE THROUGH THE YEAR

In January, in partnership with Independent Curators International, the museum will present “Like everything alive that we try to hold forever,” featuring work from seven artists that examines how human bodies relate to non-human objects. Curated by Elizabeth Diggon, Naomi Potter and Shauna Thompson, the exhibition uses photography, sculpture and video to explore various topics associated with the human experience. 

MoFA’s annual “MFA Graduating Artists Showcase” opens Friday, April 10, presenting work by the Department of Art’s graduating studio art MFA students. Each year, the event provides an overview of the artistic practices of these students and gives the Tallahassee community an opportunity to view their work prior to graduation.  

In May, the museum will also hold the Tallahassee Watercolor Society’s annual juried exhibition, featuring artworks by local watercolor artists. 

Throughout the season, MoFA will also host a variety of events designed to engage FSU students and the Tallahassee community, including art workshops, artist talks, panel discussions and more.  

For more information, including hours, parking information and a list of upcoming events, visit mofa.fsu.edu.

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