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Alexander Calder: The Nature of MovementJean & Alfred Goldstein Exhibition Series
On view February 8 – May 31, 2026
Downtown Sarasota campus
Marie Selby Botanical Gardens is pleased to announce the 10th anniversary of the annual Jean & Alfred Goldstein Exhibition Series, Alexander Calder: The Nature of Movement, which will be on view February 8 through May 31, 2026, at the Downtown Sarasota campus.
The exhibitions in the Goldstein Series present the work of major artists and their connection to nature in the context of a botanical garden. The exhibitions combine original artworks in the galleries of the Richard and Ellen Sandor Museum of Botany & the Arts with horticultural vignettes throughout the outdoor gardens of the 15-acre Downtown Sarasota campus. The vignettes make use of Selby Gardens’ outstanding living plant collections, as well as our spectacular bayfront setting.
Calder’s work is a great source of interest to the team at Selby Gardens, particularly his fascination with energy and motion, coupled with his exploration of suspension and equilibrium. Selby Gardens is a leading center for the study of air plants and is home to the best scientifically documented collections of living epiphytic orchids and bromeliads in the world.
The Calder exhibition at Selby Gardens highlights the artist’s use of abstract forms that resonate with nature. The exhibition also explores Calder’s fascination with the circus, stemming from his studies of performers and animals at the Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus in 1925. The circus is a subject of great local interest in Sarasota, which became the winter quarters of the Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus in 1927.
“It is an honor to present our 2026 Jean & Alfred Goldstein Exhibition, dedicated to the pioneering work of Alexander Calder,” said Jennifer Rominiecki, President and CEO of Marie Selby Botanical Gardens. “This exhibition offers a thoughtful exploration of Calder’s profound engagement with the performing arts—particularly his fascination with the circus, which holds special significance in Sarasota’s cultural narrative. We are proud to continue advancing our interdisciplinary mission through this meaningful presentation as The Living Museum®.
© 2026 Calder Foundation, New York / Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York
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Event Venue
Selby Gardens - Marie Selby Botanical Gardens (Downtown Sarasota Campus), 922 S Palm Ave, Sarasota, FL 34236-7791, United States
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