In collaboration with the Tampa Bay International Gay and Lesbian Film Festival, with support provided by the Art Bridges Foundation and the St. Petersburg/Clearwater Film Commission, the Museum of Fine Arts is proud to present three films centered on LGBTQ artists, filmmakers, and allies and their role in advancing conversations about art, social justice, and queer visibility.

From the deeply closeted Marsden Hartley, who overtly referenced his sexuality using coded symbolism to the politically charged work of LGBT artists in the 1980s and the Black Lives Matter social justice movement of today, Stories We Tell advances our understanding of the intersection between art, LGBT visibility, and civil rights by exploring the economic and social forces connecting three distinct eras.

Together, these three films touch upon the myriad ways that art, activism, and the civil rights struggles of all peoples have been entwined throughout history.

Friday, July 23 at 7 PM – Virtual Screening

“The Patron Saint of Pop Culture”: What do Dolly Parton, Beyoncé, and Cam Parker all have in common?  They’ve all saved us from the clutches of basic-ness through pop culture!  Follow the short of this Tampa-based artist who has provided artwork and designer jackets to artists like Lady Gaga, Lizzo, and Janet Jackson, all while creating murals and art pieces around Central Florida.

“Kenny Scharf: When Worlds Collide” is a 2020 award-winning documentary on the life of Kenny Scharf, a prolific New York Street artist who, together with Keith Haring and Jean-Michael Basquiat, conquered the art world and would become one of the icons of Pop art. Along with friends Keith Haring and Jean-Michel Basquiat, Kenny Scharf grew from a graffiti artist into a major force in the 1980s NYC art scene. Obsessed with garbage, cartoons, and plastic, this playful Peter Pan’s roller coaster career flourished despite the decimation of the AIDS crisis and the fickle tastes of the art world. From street art to museums, Scharf continues to create colorful, complex work that puts him at the forefront of where popular culture meets fine art. The documentary features Kenny’s arrival in New York until the present day and his continued career as an artist and iconoclast. 1hr 17 min; Directed by Max Basch and Malia Scharf.

The virtual screening will be immediately followed by a Q&A with the director.

Free for MFA members; $5 for not-yet members

*Link will be sent 24 hours prior to the screening