The Museum of Fine Arts is St. Pete marvel. The gorgeous facade is often illuminated in myriad colors, opting for rainbow patterning during pride month. From the outset of the pandemic MFA officials have put the safety of staff and visitors first. While we miss perusing the galleries, we respect the decision to remain closed. The wait is almost over; the MFA is set to reopen in September 2020 with a brand new exhibit.

“The MFA is optimistically looking ahead with a phased reopening will begin September 12 starting with MFA Members,” officials wrote in an Instagram post. “We will remain closed in the coming months as a commitment to do our part to help slow the increasing spread of this serious virus within our community.”

New exhibit coming this September to the MFA

When the MFA does reopen, it will debut a stunning new exhibit.

Originally scheduled for this summer in St. Pete, Derrick Adams: Buoyant will be on view from Sept 12–Nov 29. This special exhibition features a series by Derrick Adams called “Floaters” created between 2016-2019, wherein the Baltimore-born artist depicts Black men, women, and children relaxing on bright blue waters in colorful plastic floaties.

In his work, Adams seeks to represent the normalization of African American leisure, joy and love often omitted as a concept of Black culture in American mass media, the MFA wrote in a post announcing the exhibit. These vibrant images of “Buoyant” opens the viewers’ eyes to seeing a fuller, more authentic, representation of Black lives and experiences.

“Derrick Adams: Buoyant,” organized by the Hudson River Museum, is made possible at the MFA by James G. Sweeny with additional support from Ann and William Edwards.

Providing a fuller representation of Black lives and experiences 

In 2017, Adams used the archival collections of the Stony Island Arts Bank (along with material from other collections), to create a solo show there, Future People. An installation environment featured a looping video that projected images and quotes from Black authors and speakers. A series of collages in the exhibition, Orbiting Us #1-#10, depicted items designed by Charles Harrison, the first Black executive at Sears, Roebuck and Company. Adams used the exhibition to highlight the power of Black people to imagine and innovate through difficult circumstances.

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Museum of Fine Arts St. Pete, 255 Beach Drive Northeast.