Ringling Museum speaks language of exhibition

Through its exhibits, galleries and objects curated from old masters and contemporary artists alike, the John and Mable Ringling Museum of Art acts like a time machine.

It informs patrons of the way things were, while creating a dialogue using the artistic portals of inspiration and expression.

The Ringling’s newest collection continues this role by focusing on the time when America became America.

“Behind Closed Doors: Art in the Spanish American Home, 1492-1898” is the first major exhibition in the United States that explores the genesis of the modern American character through the artwork, objects, clothes and possessions of Spanish and British colonists and indigenous peoples. It spans from Christopher Columbus’ momentous first steps into the New World to Cuba gaining independence from Spain in 1898 during the Spanish-American War.

To lend the vast amount of objects an added layer of authenticity and intimacy, the Ringling is using its newest initiative: docent tours in Spanish.

The museum believes the Spanish descriptions of the personal momentos and objects will help bring them to life.

“Our long-term goal is to be able to offer a variety of languages,” says Maureen Zaremba, curator of education. “This was our first exhibition where we were able to offer bilingual description labels in English and Spanish.”

But when searching through their ranks of regular docents, Zaremba and Beth Mattison, Selby education fellow, could not find a tour guide comfortable or fluid enough in Spanish to lead groups through the exhibit’s immense treasure trove. But they didn’t have to look too far to find their solution — New College of Florida’s humanities department. Five eager students fluent in Spanish volunteered for docent training.

“I talked about and taught the students different techniques of giving tours and working in the museum,” says Mattison. “I helped them think more about different manners of presentation and public speaking skills that can be implemented in tours, but really toward anything they might be doing in the future.”

Sarah Scully and Yates Gibson, two of the New College docents, have been learning and speaking Spanish for a combined 22 years and are comfortable conversing on the hyper-specific material within the “Behind Closed Doors” exhibit. However, the public-speaking aspect was a little intimidating.

“I think that one of the things we tried to focus on is that even though there is a performance aspect and there is that spotlight, we’re trying to have a dialogue with the people interacting with us and the art in the tour,” says Gibson.

Though it may not seem like a huge difference, the added touch of hearing the artwork and different sections of the exhibit described in Spanish adds another layer of connectedness for the viewer.

Navigating through the exhibition’s approximately 160 objects and paintings is a daunting task. However, thanks to the curatorial efforts of the Ringling and the exhibit’s home institution, the Brooklyn Museum, visitors follow a path that begins with  the colonial public square and progresses into the increasing intimacy of a standard Spanish elite family’s home, salon, bedroom and family chapel.

“The whole experience gives a better understanding of how people lived back then,” says Scully. “Going through the rooms where men and women relaxed, drank, smoked, prayed and had their lovers is very interesting.”