Artist Lillian Blades invites visitors into an immersive labyrinth of veils and reflection at Sarasota Art Museum, beginning June 1
“Through the Veil” explores themes of memory, connection, self-discovery, and cultural identity in the artist's first solo museum exhibition.
Courtesy of the artist and Montgomery Museum of Fine Arts, Montgomery, Alabama. Photo: Nick Drollette Photography.
SARASOTA, Fla. (May 6, 2025) Sarasota Art Museum of Ringling College (SAM) presents “Lillian Blades: Through the Veil,” running June 1-October 26, 2025. “Through the Veil” marks the artist’s first solo museum show and her most ambitious exhibition to date. At the center of this monumental, site-specific installation is an immersive labyrinth of mixed-media veils. Suspended and lit by the central gallery skylight tower, these floating tapestries invite visitors to step inside, wander through and lose themselves within the veils of translucency and reflection. Constructed from acrylic, wood, fabric, found materials and shimmering reflective surfaces, these wired structures evoke lace-like patterns and bounce color and light throughout the space. On the walls, mounted assemblages further envelop visitors inside Blades’ mesmeric mixed-media installation.
“This exhibition is a great example of Sarasota Art Museum’s commitment to championing the work and supporting the careers of some of today’s rising artistic talents,” said Executive Director Virginia Shearer. “‘Through the Veil’ represents the Museum’s mission to present pioneering exhibitions and serve as a platform for exposure and experimentation. I think Sarasota audiences of all ages will really enjoy the immersive nature of this installation. Thanks to the literal and figurative reflective nature of ‘Through the Veil,’ we can all see ourselves within this compelling body of work.”
From stained glass, wood, wire and spray paint to cut canvas, printed photographs and jewelry, Blades utilizes a wide range of found and hand-made materials to construct her sculptures. Light is another important medium for the artist, as it activates the work, bouncing off reflective objects and passing through transparent materials to imbue the exhibition with dynamic energy.
“My patchwork veils are wired tapestries of images and texture,” said Blades. “I use reflection and transparency to engage the viewer. I want it to feel complex, but simple at the same time. I want the details and the objects to carry memory and trigger viewers into thinking about their associations with certain patterns and textures.”
In addition to semi-reflective surfaces, mirrors play an important visual and conceptual role in the works, each serving as a gateway to contemplation and self-reflection.
“Mirrors give the work a flickering quality and serve as a tool for bringing viewers back to the present moment,” explained Blades. “They’re also a reminder for us to stop and consider how others see us and how we see ourselves.”
Much like her artwork, Blades’ artistic process is complex. To create her massive veils, Blades cuts and paints hundreds of individual wood, acrylic and glass panes, and arranges them into intricate patterns. Then, she drills holes and wires each piece to its surrounding materials. The artist likens her wiring process to the art of quilt making, both rhythmic and tactile in their construction processes. In fact, Blades often invites family and friends to assist with the wiring process. The artist likens this communal approach to a Quilting Bee in the south, or the Junkanoo costume making in The Bahamas.
Courtesy of the artist. Photo: Toni Smailagic.
Blades’ artistic inspiration is rooted in a sense of home and profoundly personal experience. Her use of color and imagery evokes the energy of her home country, The Bahamas. Equally influential is the legacy of her mother, a skilled seamstress, who passed away immediately after the artist’s birth. Blades views this personal loss as a reflection of the broader, universal search for foundational and ancestral connection among people of African heritage. In response, she began collecting, dissecting, and reassembling eclectic materials as a way of reconnecting with those personal and cultural histories. Through this work, Blades brings fragmented elements—materials, ideas and identities—together as a way of mending and reimagining the past, while forging a deeper self-understanding.
Lillian Blades’ work has been featured in galleries, museums and botanical gardens across the United States, as well as in The Bahamas, Trinidad, Germany and South Africa. Her public installations include the Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport and the State Farm Arena in Atlanta, Georgia, and her works belong to the permanent collections of the Birmingham Museum of Art, Clark Atlanta University Art Museum and The National Art Gallery of The Bahamas, among others.
“Lillian Blades: Through the Veil” is organized by Sarasota Art Museum of Ringling College of Art and Design and curated by Lacie Barbour, associate curator of exhibitions at Sarasota Art Museum.
Related Public Programs:
Opening Day Talk and Book Signing: Joe Fig
Nov. 16, 1-3 p.m.
Free to Museum members, $20 for not-yet members (includes Museum admission)
Enjoy an engaging conversation between artist Joe Fig and Sarasota Art Museum Senior Curator Rangsook Yoon, Ph.D. as they explore the themes and inspirations behind Fig’s exhibition, “Contemplating Vermeer.” Discover the evolution of Fig’s artistic journey, the conceptual development of his “Contemplation” series and the unique insights that shaped the works on view. Whether you’re an art enthusiast or curious about the intersection of contemporary and historical influences in visual culture, this talk promises a thought-provoking look into Fig’s creative process and his homage to Vermeer.
About Sarasota Art Museum
Sarasota Art Museum is Ringling College of Art and Design’s dynamic laboratory for the exploration and advancement of contemporary art. As Sarasota’s only museum solely focused on contemporary artists and their work, Sarasota Art Museum offers visitors a place to see thought-provoking exhibitions and participate in education programs that start conversations and amplify the city’s creative spirit.
Located in the historic Sarasota High School, Sarasota Art Museum opened to the public in 2019 and features 15,000 square feet of dedicated exhibition space, the outdoor Marcy & Michael Klein Plaza, the Great Lawn featuring temporary sculpture and site-specific installations, Bistro, and SHOP. Sarasota Art Museum is home to a robust portfolio of education programs for all ages, including The Studios at SAM, a vibrant studio arts program, and the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute (OLLI) at Ringling College, which offers a variety of courses for adult learners.
Sarasota Art Museum is located at 1001 South Tamiami Trail, Sarasota, Florida, 34236. To stay in the know, become a Sarasota Art Museum Member, sign up for Museum email updates, visit our website at SarasotaArtMuseum.org, and follow us on Facebook and Instagram.
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