NAPLES, FLA.- Artis—Naples, The Baker Museum announced today the opening of Frank Stewart’s Nexus: An American Photographer’s Journey, 1960s to the Present. This dynamic retrospective of Stewart’s photography centers on his sensitive and spontaneous approach to portraying world cultures and Black life in many forms—including music, art, travel, food and dance. His work over the years captured intimate and empathetic images of lives experienced and observed across subjects, cities and countries.
“Frank Stewart’s work transcends traditional photography. His images tell stories, evoke emotions and provide a window into the world of music, culture and everyday life around the world,” said The Baker Museum Director and Chief Curator Courtney McNeil. “We are delighted to collaborate with The Phillips Collection to present this exhibition at The Baker Museum and to share Stewart’s unique perspective with our community.”
Organized into thematic groupings, Frank Stewart’s Nexus traces both his explorations of life on the road and the trajectory of his stylistic journey. The exhibition brings together a comprehensive visual autobiography through over 100 black-and-white and color photographs and includes a selection of cameras Stewart has used over the years. Born in 1949, Stewart’s nomadic life and vision can be traced to his childhood, with his shifts back and forth between Memphis, Chicago and New York.
One of Stewart’s defining influences is music—particularly gospel, blues and jazz. As the senior staff photographer for the Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra from 1990 to 2020, he captured both the public performances and the candid, personal moments of some of the most celebrated musicians of our time. His intimate portraits of such jazz legends as Miles Davis, Ahmad Jamal and Wynton Marsalis, along with candid shots of other artists in their creative spaces, are among the highlights of this exhibition.
Frank Stewart’s Nexus: An American Photographer’s Journey, 1960s to the Present is co-organized by The Phillips Collection and Telfair Museums and is curated by Ruth Fine, former curator of special projects in modern art at the National Gallery of Art, and Fred Moten, professor of performance studies at the Tisch School of Fine Arts, New York University. This project is supported in part by the National Endowment for the Arts. The presentation of this exhibition at Artis—Naples, The Baker Museum is curated by Courtney McNeil, museum director and chief curator.
Related Programming:
Photographer Frank Stewart in conversation with curator Ruth Fine
Tuesday, November 7, 10am, Signature Event Space
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ARTIS—NAPLES
Home of The Baker Museum and the Naples Philharmonic, Artis—Naples is unique among
cultural institutions nationwide, equally dedicated to both the visual and performing arts
featuring artists of global distinction.
KIMBERLY K. QUERREY and LOUIS A. SIMPSON CULTURAL CAMPUS
Led by CEO and President Kathleen van Bergen and, beginning in the 2024-25 season, Sharon and Timothy Ubben Artistic and Music Director Alexander Shelley, Artis—Naples offers more than 800 paid and free events annually across its 8.5-acre Kimberly K. Querrey and Louis A. Simpson Cultural Campus. Artis—Naples welcomes thousands of visitors each year for a broad array of artistic and educational opportunities perfect for audiences of all backgrounds and interests. The cultural campus is home to five buildings, including two performance halls (Frances Pew Hayes Hall and Myra J. Daniels Pavilion), The Baker Museum, the Toni Stabile Education Building and the Kohan Administration Building.
NAPLES PHILHARMONIC
The Naples Philharmonic has long been recognized as one of the cornerstones of Southwest Florida’s arts community. As part of Artis—Naples, the Naples Philharmonic performs more than 140 orchestral and chamber music concerts, as well as opera and ballet, education, community and special event concerts annually between September and June in the 1,477-seat Hayes Hall, the 283-seat Daniels Pavilion and around the Southwest Florida region. The Naples Philharmonic has enjoyed a history of working with world-class music directors and recently announced the appointment of Artistic and Music Director Alexander Shelley, who immediately assumes the role of Artistic and Music Director Designate through the 2023-24 season. Renowned violinist James Ehnes continues as artistic partner through the 2023-24 season, working with Naples Philharmonic musicians in a variety of settings with a focus on inspiring and embodying a high level of artistry. Podium leadership includes Principal Pops Conductor Jack Everly, celebrating 14 years in this role in the 2023-24 season and bringing pops performances that celebrate music in its many forms. Radu Paponiu serves as associate conductor of the Naples Philharmonic and director of the Naples Philharmonic Youth Orchestra, and Alvin Ho serves as assistant conductor of the Naples Philharmonic.
THE BAKER MUSEUM
The Baker Museum is the foremost fine art museum in Southwest Florida, presenting an ambitious slate of exhibitions annually to complement installations of works from its permanent collection. Comprising more than 4,000 objects, the museum’s broad holdings of
20th- and 21st-century art reflect particular strengths in modern art of the United States and Mexico. The Baker Museum's collections reflect the generosity and commitment of area collectors, including significant gifts from the collection of the late Olga Hirshhorn.
With more than two decades of collecting and exhibiting, the museum is committed to the stewardship and scholarship of its collections and to fostering inspiring and transformative experiences with the visual arts. At the same time, The Baker Museum partners with the world’s leading arts institutions to make extraordinary exhibitions accessible to the Southwest Florida community—including recently the National Portrait Gallery, London and the Helen Frankenthaler Foundation. In 2020, Artis—Naples celebrated the opening of an 18,000-square-foot expansion of The Baker Museum, designed by Weiss/Manfredi Architecture/Landscape/Urbanism, which created new spaces for multidisciplinary exploration and social interaction.
EDUCATION AND COMMUNITY
In addition to creating and presenting visual and performing arts, Artis—Naples provides
robust education and community activities for students of all ages in Collier and counties. Each season, thousands of Collier County Public Schools interact with Artis—Naples education programming, both on its cultural campus and in their classrooms. Beyond our commitment to youth education, the Lifelong Learning program provides engaging lectures and study opportunities for adults seeking to engage more deeply with the arts.
The Friends of Artis—Naples, comprised of more than 3,500 donor households, offers activities, travel experiences and events designed to foster a deeper relationship between patrons and the arts.
In 2017, Artis—Naples acquired the Naples International Film Festival (NIFF), expanding its
film offerings and providing a platform for the festival’s continued excellence and growth. The 2023-24 season marks its 15th anniversary in the community.
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