Visitors to the Henry Plant Museum marvel at the building’s Moorish-inspired architecture and the fantastic collection of orientalist décor housed inside. Imagined East: Decorative Arts and the Imperial Gaze will explore the roots of Orientalism, its appeal and significance as a decorative style, and the cultural impact of this movement. The exhibit will feature original artifacts from the Tampa Bay Hotel as well as loans from public institutions and private collectors. Objects on display will include sculptures, pottery, paintings, prints, furniture and more.
Orientalist art and décor swept through the Western world in the late 19th century. Beautiful objects from, or inspired by, North Africa, the Middle East, South Asia, and East Asia were brought together in the homes of wealthy collectors to signify that one was both well-traveled and well-educated. The influence of this movement can be seen throughout the Tampa Bay Hotel. Visitors to this exhibit will learn how international trade created this movement and how Orientalism shaped the way that cultures viewed themselves and each other.
In conjunction with this exhibit, the Museum hosted two lectures on Saturday, June 10, 2023 that was free and open to the public. Dr. John Kuo Wei Tchen opened the exhibit on March 4, 2023 with the lecture, “George Washington Ate Here”: “Oriental” Luxuries in American Culture. On June 10, 2023 In the Shadow of the Crescent: The Tampa Bay Hotel & Islamic Architecture was provided by University of Tampa Professor Richard Ellis.
This exhibit is graciously underwritten by:
Explore the aesthetic movement known as Orientalism.