{"id":118418,"date":"2026-01-14T22:55:04","date_gmt":"2026-01-14T22:55:04","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/118418\/"},"modified":"2026-01-14T22:55:04","modified_gmt":"2026-01-14T22:55:04","slug":"becoming-tomorrows-dream-onajide-shabaka-exhibit-at-wasmer-art-gallery-at-florida-gulf-coast-university","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/118418\/","title":{"rendered":"Becoming Tomorrow\u2019s Dream: Onajide Shabaka | Exhibit at Wasmer Art Gallery at Florida Gulf Coast University"},"content":{"rendered":"

Onajide Shabaka, Awakened boy malanga, 2023, conte, acrylic, collage on paper, 50 x 44.5 in \/ 127 x 113 cm. PROVIDED<\/p>\n

Can we bring a place out of obscurity and expose it to renewed scrutiny? A promising starting point is to delve into its intricate history. Uncovering the hidden history of a place is akin to finding a way back into the place-world, allowing us to savor the rebirth of place even on the most resistant terrain. <\/p>\n

In this exhibition at Florida Gulf Coast University\u2019s Wasmer Art Gallery (https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/FGCUArtGalleries) <\/p>\n

\u2014 Jan. 23 through Feb. 19 \u2014 we embark on a temporal journey, speculating about the people, places, and times of the 1850s to the present. Born before the end of US enslavement, Shabaka\u2019s paternal grandfather and other family members migrated to St. Lucie County around 1920. They carried with them tales of lives filled with hope, redemption, and reconciliation. <\/p>\n

Onajide Shabaka\u2019s artistic endeavors are deeply influenced by a fusion of historical and biographical content, particularly drawing inspiration from the southern United States population comprising African and Native American descent. Additionally, his practice incorporates elements reminiscent of Florida\u2019s unique ecology, which holds profound significance in relation to the history of medicinal plants and folk healing practices. <\/p>\n

The exhibit is sponsored by Gene and Lee Seidler, the Wasmer Endowment, and WGCU Public Media.<\/p>\n

Wasmer Art Gallery is inside Griffin Hall at 11020 FGCU Blvd. N., Fort Myers<\/a> on the campus of Florida Gulf Coast University.<\/p>\n

In conjunction with the Wasmer Art Gallery exhibition, Becoming Tomorrow\u2019s Dream: Onajide Shabaka, the FGCU Jazz Combo was invited to create new music based on the work of the artist, Onajide Shabaka. On Feb. 3 at 6:30 p.m. the FGCU Jazz Combo will perform new compositions in Wasmer Art Gallery.<\/p>\n

In October 2025 the Jazz Combo visited Shabaka in Miami to experience a behind the scenes understanding of his work and process. At 78, Shabaka revealed his longstanding interest in plants and animals as a way to connect to his ancestors. This trip included a nature walk as part of his art practice, revealing to the Jazz Combo some of Shabaka\u2019s references to nature. Through these experiences, the Jazz Combo has created new compositions that will be played in the Wasmer Art Gallery, immersing the audience visually and auditorially within the content of both the artist and musicians.<\/p>\n

This is an intimate concert in the Wasmer Art Gallery, limited to 50 seats. Please reserve your tickets early by following this link<\/a> or use the QR code. Tickets for this event are $15.<\/p>\n

\"article<\/p>\n

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