In a world full of advertisement, people grow numb to the everlasting bombardment of slogans, snapshots, flashing neon lights and PhotoShopped persuasion that is daily life—or at least they think they do. Opening this Sunday, February 11, in the Monda Gallery of the Ringling Museum of Art, a new exhibition showcasing the work of conceptual artist Hank Willis Thomas will make audiences look at this daily deluge in a new light. Curated by Ringling Museum Curator of Photography Chris Jones, the exhibition includes work from three separate series, and ephemera not previously shown.

Beginning with Caesar’s Visa—a sculptural piece recreating the Visa and Caesar’s Palace slogans in neon lights, then mish-mashing the two into various and often loaded phrases by blinking individual words on and off—Thomas’ work immediately displays both humor and pointed craft, letting the audience know what’s in store. Moving forward, the artist pulls no punches.

With images from one of Thomas’ earlier series, Branded, the artist explores the evolution of African-American identity and the impact of advertising on how it is understood and viewed. One image shows the faceless torso of a black man, the famous Nike swoosh literally branded in welted scars across his chest. “A lot of our early formation of our identity happens around the same time that we become aware of brands,” says Jones, and thus, especially for the young, branding and advertising can hold enormous power. For Thomas, that brand was Nike, which became near synonymous with black athleticism by tying the brand to Michael Jordan, among others. In another image, a similarly faceless black football player dives with the ball but chains lashed to his ankle hold him back, evoking a history of slavery while reminding that black male identity remains defined by the physical power of the body.

Through two other series featured—Unbranded: Reflections in Black by Corporate America 1968-2008 and Unbranded: A Century of White Women, 1915-2015—Thomas more directly explores and challenges the language of advertising. Selecting advertisements through history, he removes all ad copy, slogans and brand names, leaving only the raw image to speak for itself. Arranged in a collection, they lay bare much about the thought processes of the time, and how they have or have not changed. “And because there is no one author of each of these images,” says Jones, “[Thomas] sees them as bellwethers—they reflect collective ideas and social values.” And savvy viewers will make note of the dates chosen as endpoints for the two projects.

And while selections from Reflections in Black by Corporate America reveal racist attitudes from the Blaxploitation era and beyond, it’s the more extensive collection from the latter series, charting the evolution of marketing to white women from the height of the suffragette movement to modern day, that most completely reflects the scale of Thomas’ concept. Showing an image from each decade, shifting attitudes towards women through history become apparent, as they are seen at different times as delicate creatures, part of the war effort, a burden and, often, an object of sexual desire.

In the center of the room, encased in glass, visitors can see some of the original ads, on loan from Thomas and never before shown alongside the artist’s work. Some help make sense of the images, others further bewilder—and some brand names will be surprising. “I hope it provokes us to think,” says Jones, “and makes us pay attention to consumer culture and the messages that circulate even today.”

Opening February 11, the Hank Willis Thomas exhibit runs at Ringling Museum through June 10. 

Pictured: "Caesar's Visa" by Hank Willis Thomas. Photo by Phil Lederer.

A new aquarium will soon stand in University Park and research facilities will expand at Mote Marine Laboratory & Aquarium’s current home on City Island in Sarasota. Dr. Michael Crosby, Mote’s CEO, announced plans for the $100-million aquarium at an invitation-only event Thursday morning at Nathan Benderson Park, where Mote plans to lease five to seven acres to house a new marine research campus.

"We hope you, all leaders in this community, are supportive friends and members, and will help us together to create this vision of oceans for all," Crosby said. The hard cost for the Mote Science Education Aquarium (SEA) will be about $100 million, Crosby says, with another $20 to $30 million in "soft costs" in addition.

In an interview with SRQ later in the afternoon, Crosby noted that the new aquarium also makes room for scientists to take over the existing aquarium in the city. In fact, he’s giddy about it. “I’m drooling over this opportunity,” he says, noting that with existing seawater plumbing and numerous over-sized tanks, the City Island aquarium could become a premier research facility the envy of scientists around the world. Already, Mote has to turn away scientists who want to do sabbaticals or use research grants at the Sarasota facilities; the last two scientists Mote took in went to Key West facilities because of lack of space. 

Mote’s long-term plans call for bringing 10 more PhD-holding scientists on board, along with probably 100 more people in staff support positions, and having the chance to convert the Sarasota aquarium into a lab will allow that. Certainly, Crosby says, new wings and renovations will take place, all of which will only make the research campus more attractive. Ultimately, he’d like to bring academics, entrepreneurs and respected scientists together to create a “Silicon Valley of marine science.” “That vision is really driving us to say let’s move the aquarium off the island,” he says.

As for the new facility? Renderings by CambridgeSeven show a landmark structure will soon adorn the shores at Nathan Benderson Park. Mote officials hope to break ground in 2019 and have a ribbon-cutting by late 2021 for a 110,000-square-foot facility holding 1 million gallons of water, a much larger aquarium space than Mote runs now. A fundraising campaign, officially launched Thursday, already has covered more than 20 percent of costs, but Mote will also discuss partnerships with both Sarasota and Manatee counties, the state and local school districts to fund what will be known as the Mote Science Education Aquarium (SEA). Crosby announced the organization will pursue corporate sponsorships as well. The aquarium is expected to draw more than 700,000 visitors through its doors in its first year of operation, and to have more than 600,000 visitors a year after that. Economic studies anticipate a $28-million annual economic impact.

Of course the announcement also puts down speculation of other places Mote might relocate its aquarium. Crosby says about five sites were considered; officials a couple years ago went to Sarasota City Commissioners about the prospect of a Bayfront location. Crosby says Mote remains a committed partner with The Bay visioning process. 

The Baltimore Orioles have named Adam Esselman as coordinator of baseball information. Esselman will assist in all facets of Orioles public relations efforts and will continue to report to Kristen Hudak, director of public relations. Esselman joined the Orioles after the 2016 season as a public relations assistant. The 2018 season will mark his fourth in professional baseball, including one season as a communications intern with the Minnesota Twins and one season working in the ticket office of the Seattle Mariners. Esselman graduated from Gustavus Adolphus College with a Bachelor’s degree in Management in 2013 and from Gonzaga University with a Master’s degree in Sport and Athletic Administration in 2015. 

Baltimore Orioles

Venice Regional Bayfront Health had the lowest readmission rate of any major South Florida hospital for patients undergoing one of the most frequently used procedures in treating narrowing heart arteries, according to Dexur, a data-driven hospital and healthcare news and research service. Analysts from Dexur studied discharge data between January 2013 and December 2016 for patients undergoing angioplasty (percutaneous coronary intervention, or PCI) with drug-eluting stents. The analysts found that Venice Regional’s readmission rate of 7.32 percent was the lowest for the heart procedure in South Florida and second lowest in Florida. The average readmission rate for all Florida hospitals was 12.94. The average for all U.S. hospitals was 11.16. Venice Regional’s heart center has earned numerous commendations and certifications, including Advanced Heart Failure Disease-Specific Care Certification by the Joint Commission for six consecutive years, the American Heart Association’s Get With The Guidelines Gold Plus Quality Achievement Award for Heart Failure and U.S. News & World Report 2016-2017 Best Hospital in Heart Failure. 

Venice Regional Bayfront Health

The office of the Manatee County Clerk of the Circuit Court and Comptroller recently adopted an e-recording platform to streamline the overall recording process for Manatee County residents. Through Simplifile, a leading provider of real estate document collaboration and recording technologies for lenders, settlement agents and counties, the Clerk’s Office is now able to electronically receive, stamp, record and return documents through its system in a matter of minutes. This efficient platform reduces documentation and processing errors and eliminates check-writing expenses by allowing settlement agents to submit recording fees and other recording-related expenses directly through an integrated electronic payment system. Manatee County joins 51 other Florida counties that also offer e-recording through the system. Nationwide, more than 1,735 counties e-record with Simplifile, making it the largest e-recording network in the US. 

Manatee County Clerk of the Circuit Court and Comptroller