The Florida State University Museum of Fine Arts and the Winthrop-King Institute for Contemporary French and Francophone Studies' collaborative exhibition "HOMO SARGASSUM" is host a closing symposium March 4-6.
The exhibition, which opened Sept. 9, features the works of 25 Caribbean artists exploring the spread of sargassum seaweed -- floating seaweed that moves in large masses and can cause environmental harm when present in excessive quantities -- in Florida and the Caribbean through a lens of art and science.
The "HOMO SARGASSUM" exhibition is free to the public and the symposium is free with registration. A wide array of artistic media is on display, including paintings, photographs, videos and other works of mixed media, along with creative works incorporating multisensory elements, such as a dress made using sargassum and a tasting experience.
"One particularly striking work is 'Poetics of Relation and Entanglement,' a reimagined map of the Americas made by the Grenadian artist Billy Gérard Frank in 2024," said Kaylee Spencer, MoFA director and professor in the Department of Art Education. "This immersive installation, rendered with pigments derived from sargassum, is accompanied by a video element showcasing coastal imagery alongside a display of ceramic vessels and dried sargassum."
The exhibition was conceptualized by and is hosted in partnership with the Tout-Monde Art Foundation (TMAF), a charity striving to support and connect contemporary Caribbean artists to the world. "HOMO SARGASSUM" is co-curated by Vanessa Selk, executive and artistic director at TMAF, and Michael Carrasco, associate dean for research in FSU's College of Fine Arts.
"This is more than just an exhibit - it's a journey," Selk said. "Much like sargassum migrating through the Atlantic Ocean, we encounter natural and human-made challenges such as pandemics, pollutants and hurricanes. This narrative of the global ecological crisis, reflected in silent floating algae, warns us to change our existing paradigms and consider ourselves as one with our environment."
Alongside artist talks, panel discussions and scholarly presentations to accompany the displays, this symposium features immersive and participatory experiences, inviting attendees to engage with the exhibit in new ways.
"Bringing together different voices - artists, performers, researchers and community members - ensures that conversations sparked by the exhibition continue beyond the museum walls. The discussions, performances and hands-on activities provide an opportunity for attendees to engage with the themes of ecological change and resilience, leaving them with a lasting impression of how art can address urgent environmental concerns."
- Kaylee Spencer, MoFA director
"In-gallery experiences and dance performances will bring the exhibit's artwork to life while workshops and outdoor activities provide hands-on opportunities for attendees to connect with the environmental and material realities that inspired these works," Spencer said. "As a unique sensory experience, participants will even have the chance to sample a mocktail featuring sargassum as an ingredient, highlighting the transformative potential of this often-overlooked material."
Through a blend of academic discourse and experiential engagement, the "HOMO SARGASSUM" closing symposium will deepen conversations around the exhibit and ensure attendees leave with a rich connection to the ideas the exhibit and closing symposium explore, such as connection between ecological and social issues.
"Bringing together different voices - artists, performers, researchers and community members - ensures that conversations sparked by the exhibition continue beyond the museum walls," Spencer said. "The discussions, performances and hands-on activities provide an opportunity for attendees to engage with the themes of ecological change and resilience, leaving them with a lasting impression of how art can address urgent environmental concerns."
The last day to view the exhibit is March 8 and visitors that day can also attend a special program geared toward K-12 students. "HOMO SARGASSUM -- A Puppetry and Art Adventure," explores the exhibition's themes through a puppet show and allows participants to design a sea creature puppet from recycled materials.
"HOMO SARGASSUM" is sponsored in part by the State of Florida through the Division of Arts and Culture and the National Endowment for the Arts.
To register to attend the closing symposium and to see the event program, visit winthropking.fsu.edu/event/homo-sargassum-intl-symposium. To plan a visit and learn more about the museum's upcoming exhibits and events, visit MoFA.fsu.edu.
