On November 21, 2025, SPAACES presented Narrative Constructs: The Politics of Perception, an exhibition that brought together the work of two Sarasota-based artists whose figurative paintings engage deeply with the power of visual storytelling. The opening night drew a strong crowd of artists, art lovers, students, and supporters, filling the gallery with conversation, curiosity, and connection.
Narrative painting has ancient roots, stretching from prehistoric cave drawings to religious iconography, and Narrative Constructs situated itself firmly within this long lineage. The exhibition explored how contemporary artists continue to use figuration and symbolism to convey meaning, emotion, and memory—often drawing from personal experience, historical reflection, and social commentary. At its core, the work on view demonstrated narrative art’s enduring capacity not only to tell stories, but to question systems, expose injustice, and offer alternative perspectives that might otherwise remain unseen.
Throughout the evening, guests moved between the exhibition and SPAACES’ open artist studios, where they had the opportunity to meet resident artists, see works in progress, and gain insight into the creative practices the organization supports year-round. This openness—between gallery and studio, artist and audience—underscored SPAACES’ commitment to making contemporary art both rigorous and accessible.
The exhibition featured the work of Alicia Lisa Brown and Aaron Board, whose approaches to figuration differ yet resonate through shared themes of identity, symbolism, and perception.
Brown’s portraiture centers on members of her family, who, like her, immigrated to the United States from Jamaica. Her paintings celebrate the creativity and resilience of immigrants navigating the tension between integration and cultural preservation. Through lush imagery and symbolic use of Jamaican flora, Brown explored the complexities—and ultimate impossibility—of total assimilation. Plants appeared throughout her work as metaphors for adaptation and survival, reflecting both the beauty and tension of forging belonging in unfamiliar environments. The encroaching jungle present in many of her portraits mirrored the deeply human act of transformation through movement and change.
Board’s work also focused on the figure, with plants playing an equally significant role as metaphor and compositional structure. His transition from paint to colored pencil allowed for a heightened clarity and vibrancy, particularly in his botanical forms. Over time, his imagery evolved from photo-based realism toward a more candid, “warts and all” aesthetic, where imperfection became central rather than concealed. Drawing from decades of teaching anatomy at Ringling College of Art and Design, Board now constructs figures entirely from imagination, blending humor, emotional weight, and symbolic complexity in ways that invite sustained looking.
The evening was further enriched by live violin music performed by musicians from the Sarasota Music Conservatory, whose performance added an intimate, atmospheric layer to the experience. Guests enjoyed food and drinks while lingering in the gallery, studios, and shared spaces—creating a night that felt celebratory, thoughtful, and alive with exchange.
Through gesture, symbolism, and composition, Narrative Constructs: The Politics of Perception invited viewers to engage with the works as more than images. They were lived moments—layered with memory, meaning, and perspective. The exhibition affirmed the continued relevance of narrative painting in contemporary art, not as a relic of the past, but as a vital tool for reflecting on and reinterpreting the world we inhabit today.
