University of South Florida

College of The Arts

University of South Florida

Associate Professor of Art & Art History Jason Lazarus to host a two-day, open call exhibition, HOW TO WATCH A SOLAR ECLIPSE: A Symphony and a Score

Heiress Gallery is pleased to announce, A Symphony and a Score (HOW TO WATCH A SOLAR ECLIPSE), a two-day, open-call exhibition (Friday April 5th and Saturday, April 6th) hosted by artist Jason Lazarus, in collaboration with the gallery, to prepare for and celebrate the upcoming solar eclipse on April 8th, 2024.

The exhibition invites the public to submit their own handmade solar eclipse viewers made out of everyday materials to be exhibited alongside ones made by the artist-participants who will become exhibiting artists. The ending of the exhibition will encourage participants to retrieve their handmade solar eclipse viewers to use for the upcoming solar eclipse.

On Friday April 5th, daytime from 11am-6pm the gallery will be open and the artist will be actively accepting and installing submitted handmade viewers. Participants can also bring their own cardboard box or carton container to the gallery and the artist will help them build their own solar eclipse viewer.

During the opening evening reception 6-10pm on Friday April 5th, at 7pm, Lazarus will give an artist talk –HOW TO WATCH A SOLAR ECLIPSE– that touches on vision and visibility, poetry and poetics, art, history, science, intergenerational intimacy, and access. HOW TO WATCH A SOLAR ECLIPSE particularly speaks to artists and art students, interdisciplinary thinkers, and dreamers–everyone is invited.

After the solar eclipse has concluded, Lazarus is inviting the public to donate used eclipse viewers to a public art project that endeavors to become the world’s largest archive of used handmade solar eclipse viewers–each one named by the name, age, and location of each project participant. The collection, to be titled April 8, 2024, is designed to become a safety net for those who might otherwise toss their viewers in the trash. Lazarus can come pick up your viewer throughout the greater Tampa Bay region and can be contacted direct at jasonlazarus.photo@gmail.com.

The exhibition calendar is as follows:

  • Friday, April 5th

    • Exhibition opens 11am to the public, artist present to accept or co-create handmade solar eclipse viewers

    • Opening reception 6-10pm

    • Artist gives solar eclipse lecture 7-8pm

  • Saturday April 6th
    • Exhibition open,11am-5pm, artist present to accept or co-create viewers
  • Monday, April 8
    • Solar Eclipse


About the gallery


HEIRESS Gallery
2622 Fairfield Ave S. Building 7 Unit A St. Petersburg, FL 33712
Wednesday - Saturday
Noon to 3pm EST or by appointment info@heiressgallery.com


About the artist


https://www.usf.edu/arts/art/about-us/contact/jason-lazarus.aspx

www.jasonlazarus.com / HOW TO WATCH A SOLAR ECLIPSE


Additional Media Coverage


Tampa art professor aims to collect world’s largest archive of used handmade solar eclipse viewers - Creative Loafing