The Brushstrokes that Connect a Community
ST. PETERSBURG, Fla, Sept. 29, 2023 — ,
Through delicate brushstrokes and careful documentation of nature, impressionist art can come to life and become the most well-known genre in the art world. The Water Lily Pond, The Beach at Sainte-Adresse, The Artist’s Garden at Giverny and Poppies are some of the most famous works by Claude Monet, the French painter who founded the impressionist movement and revolutionized the art world. Monet is just one of the dozens of groundbreaking artists on display at the Museum of Fine Arts (MFA) in Saint Petersburg, Florida.
St. Petersburg has a heavy art scene and a strong community of artists and enthusiasts. From a wide variety of museums, like the MFA, to festivals, like the SHINE Mural Festival, St. Pete has become an area that celebrates art and its culture. The MFA furthers this as it was initially founded to provide an educational experience to its visitors and give locals access to global cultures.
Being one of the first, the MFA is one of a kind and has had a significant impact on the art community. “An art museum with extensive exhibits showing objects from antiquity to the present provides an educational opportunity to learn about different civilizations throughout history,” says Al Vukadin, the Membership and Museum Experience Coordinator at the MFA. Vukadin received his Bachelor of Arts in Art History at the University of South Florida (USF) and has worked at the MFA for almost three years. “In a town like St. Petersburg, having an institution that can teach others about different cultures and communities surrounding our society is vital to education. It allows people to reflect on the objects they see and enables an individual to broaden their mindset of the world around them.”
Becoming a place of community gathering is something the MFA strives to do. Past the art exhibits, the conservatory is open to the public and is a great place to take a break from the heat. Being a cornerstone in the community has allowed the museum to grow into a multi-functional space that allows the public to enjoy art at their own pace. The MFA offers an array of programming to bring people together, like their lecture series that features scholars, renowned artists and authors to enhance the museum experience.
The MFA was the first art museum to open in St. Petersburg by Margaret Acheson Stuart in 1965. The museum’s original layout is much smaller than the two-floor wall of windows it is now. The first wing of the museum was designed by architect John Volk, and the second wing was designed by Yann Weymouth, who also designed the Dalí Museum in St. Petersburg. The museum contains multiple permanent, and rotating exhibits, as well as, an in-house bakery, Café Clementine.
“The MFA is an encyclopedic museum, which means we have a little of everything for everyone,” explains Abigail Stanley, the Museum Experience Associate. She holds a BA in Art History and Visual Culture and is working towards getting an MA in Art History while also being a Graduate Assistant at USF. “I think education through art is an incredibly useful tool to supplement standard education. Children and adults can not only learn observational skills but can get a broader scope of global history, politics, and the economy.”
Since the museum’s opening, the MFA has been instrumental in introducing the community to a world of art that many would not be able to access. Museums can open up the world to people who may not have access to specific resources or the ability to travel to experience the world. Museums like the MFA are crucial to bettering any city’s art community and the locals’ lives.
