ART NEWS

COURTESY PHOTO Tal R, Liquid Sky, Mixed Media, 98" x 98", 2001 Rauschenberg opens new exhibit

The Bob Rauschenberg Gallery at Edison College will present "New Century New Painting: Recent Acquisitions from the Martin Z. Margulies Collection."

The exhibit will open with a reception from 6 to 8 p.m. on Friday, Feb. 22. It runs through April 5.

The work in this exhibition, produced since the turn of this century, speaks directly to some of the central issues painters are working with today. Imagery, gesture, form, abstraction, representation, pattern and materials are explored in this exhibit and reflect the broad range of ideas being developed by some of today's premier artists. On loan from the Martin Z. Margulies Collection in Miami Beach, the exhibit includes work by Claire Woods, Bram Bogart, Jonathan Meese, Tal R, Chris Ofili, Karin Davie, Ulf Puder, Oliver Dorfer and others.

Gallery hours are Monday-Friday, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. and Saturday, 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.

For additional information call: 239-489-9313 or visit www.bobRauschenberggallery. com

"Lucy" exhibit featured at Museum of History

One of the greatest anthropological finds in history, "LUCY: The Story of Human Origins," spans 50 million years in scope, from the early primates to the dawn of humanity.

This exhibition represents a historical frame of reference for the human timeline, which includes this comprehensive collection of exact replicas of skeletons, skulls, footprints, tools, and artifacts dramatically illustrating the story of the progression of humankind on Earth.

A major part of the exhibit will be the display of the replica Lucy, the most complete upright walking primate fossil providing the crucial missing link in the evolution timeline. Since her discovery 34 years ago, Lucy has become an ancestral ambassador and icon of human evolution.

As part of the exhibit, the museum store will feature anthropological items and gifts and the best-selling book by the man who discovered her: "Lucy: The Beginning of Humankind," by Donald Johanson and Maitland Edey.

The exhibit runs from Feb. 15 through June 12. Call (239) 332-5955 or visit www.cityftmyers.com/museum.

Hours are Tuesday - Saturday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Arts for ACT to host reception

Arts for ACT Gallery, located at 2265 First Street in downtown Fort Myers, will hold its artful evening opening artist's reception from 7-10 p.m. on Friday, March 7. The work of Tracie, Doug and Oscar Thompson will be featured.

The Thompsons, father, son and daughter, each possess unique styles and subject matters, including a mixture of painting, photography and mixed media using found objects. Michael Pohlman will also be exhibiting his mixed media baseball art.

Arts for ACT Gallery provides a quality, contemporary exhibition gallery featuring original art, limited edition prints, giclees, hand-crafted fine crafts, tee shirts, silver and glass bead jewelry, gourd art, raku, clay, and art cards. Highlighting the art of the current featured artist, the front gallery, reminiscent of galleries in SoHo, has high ceilings, distressed brick walls, and warm wooden floors. Come out to meet the gallery's featured artists, enjoy some local food and wine, and engage in lively artful discussions.