Crisp-Ellert Art Museum

10/14/2026

“List of 13 Historic Names of Rio Grande/Rio Bravo” stands tall as a stunning amate paper text wall installation in artist Nicole Antebi’s multi-media exhibition Rebel Waters/Aguas Rebeldes. As the name suggests, this work consists of thirteen different historic names for the nearly 1900-mile long river that runs through El Paso, Texas and Ciudad, Juárez—acting as a natural border between Mexico and the U.S.. Each name, displayed in a list-like format cascading down the gallery wall, was given to the river by a different historical groups. Each name, bearing their own semantic weight and connotations, are connected visually by their vivid colors: bright red, neon pink, electric orange, lime green, and highlighter yellow. The colors contrast with the muted tones of the amate paper from which each letter is formed. Amate paper, which is made from the inner bark of the Jonote tree, has roots reaching back to pre-Columbian Mesoamerica. This traditional bark paper—which physically connects all the names that have dominated the river throughout history—serves as a medium of resistance against the aggressive domination of the natural world that many of these names demand. 

Each name displayed on the wall was given to the river with a different intention. The many names given to the river by indigenous groups, such as P’osage, Paslápaane, and Hañapakwa, suggest understanding of the land and peaceful coexistence. This is contrasted with names such as the Rio Bravo, which was first given to the river by a Spanish colonial exploratory expedition. The act of naming and mapping the river in this context was one of political possession. In this light, Antebi’s “List of 13 Historic Names of Rio Grande/Rio Bravo” embodies, through the semantic connotations of naming, the different relationships the various historical and contemporary groups have with the river. Ultimately, this work’s visual form and context, blends beautifully into the larger Rebel Waters/Aguas Rebeldes exhibition—showcasing Antebi’s skill as an artist as well as her deep understanding of the politics and history of the Rio Grande/Río Bravo river.

Continued in the comments. �

10/09/2026

10/09/2026

Happy Friday to all who celebrate! 🥳🥳

We can't wait for next week's screening of the documentary RIVER OF GRASS, followed by a Q&A with director, editor, and producer Sasha Wortzel, and WJCT's Anne Schindler on Tuesday, October 13. Unfortunately, this event is officially full! If you'd like us to add your name to the waiting list, please send us an email to [email protected]

We are grateful to our partners, Flagler's Lifelong Learning and the St.Augustine Film Society for making this a sold out event!!

🐊🐊

10/07/2026

Nicole Antebi’s “Meander Story in Eight Maps” and the animation “Meander Story” is inspired, in part, by survey map of the Rio Grande El Paso-Juárez Valley showing the relative position of the river between 1852 and 1907. In these two works, the artist identifies and reflects on seven dates 1827, 1852, 1853, 1881, 1885, 1896, 1960, and 1968 related to the socio-political history of The Rio Grande/Rio Bravo river. The Rio Grande/Rio Bravo “meanders,” meaning it follows a winding, snake-like path that changes over time. Here, Antebi captures the trajectory of the river’s shape and gives her audience a freeze frame into history. She captures the freedom of the river that was once able to flow freely, unobscured and able to adjust to its surroundings. On February 1, 1933 a treaty was signed between the United States and Mexico agreeing to artificially straighten the river out in an effort to mitigate flooding and arbitrate land disputes along the United States-Mexican border. This treaty followed an early treaty which cut nearly 600 acres of meanders out of the river, thus cutting the river nearly in half. The 1963 Chamizal Convention was a celebrated attempt by both countries to resolve the dispute and return contested land to Mexico. However, the channelization and control of the river marked a shift toward the hyper-militarization and destruction of our shared riparian zones that we are seeing today. Once, like the Rio Grande/Rio Bravo, communities were able to meander freely back and forth across the border, but now these communities, along with the river have been put under unnatural restriction. 

Thanks to gallery assistant Miranda for her research and writing for this post, and Nicole for her contributions as well!

10/06/2026

During the month of October, we are exhibiting the artwork and poetry included in the 2027 “A Day Without Violence” Calendar in CEAM’s foyer. This annual display includes wonderful work by St. Johns County K-12 students in partnership with the Betty Griffin Center, a non-profit organization that helps survivors of domestic and sexual violence navigate through their life-changing traumas to live fulfilling lives on their terms. The Betty Griffin Center was created in 1990 and opened its permanent shelter in 1994. They operate two thrift shops where the calendars will be available to purchase in November.  

As a reminder, October is Domestic Violence Awareness Month. This education never stops for the Betty Griffin Center, who provide such an essential service to our community every single day, and whose efforts are deeply appreciated. Please stop by throughout the month to come support the children’s artwork and the Betty Griffin Center!

Thanks to our gallery assistant Rose for putting together this post!

Nivedita Girish Menon, 8th grade, Pacetti Bay Middle School

Ayla Faris, 10th grade, Bartram Trail High School

Hannah Single tart, 9th grade, Pedro Menendez

James Hill, 8th grade, Freedom Crossing Academy

09/30/2026

We are thrilled to welcome filmmaker and visual artist Sasha Wortzel back to STA for a special screening of her documentary "RIVER OF GRASS" (2025, 83 minutes) on Tuesday, October 13 at 6pm, in Gamache-Koger Theater (50 Sevilla St), in collaboration with Flagler's Lifelong Learning and the St. Augustine Film Society. The film will be followed by a Q&A with Wortzel, moderated by Anne Schindler, host of WJCT’s "First Coast Connect." This event is free, and tickets are VERY limited. 👉🏽 More information and RSVP in our bio.

"RIVER OF GRASS" is a present-day reimagining of environmentalist Marjory Stoneman Douglas’s celebrated book, “The Everglades: River of Grass” (1947), which forever changed the public’s understanding of the area from worthless swamps to an essential source of freshwater, enabling the ecosystem to endure, just barely, today. In the wake of a hurricane, Douglas visits filmmaker Sasha Wortzel in a dream, catalyzing a prismatic journey across the Everglades with Miccosukee educator and activist Betty Osceola. Interweaving Douglas's writing, personal narration, present-day verité, and archival footage, RIVER OF GRASS reveals how this country’s origin story haunts and inextricably shapes contemporary American life, while asking how we might weather coming storms better together. 

Raised in SW Florida and currently living in New York, Wortzel is an award-winning filmmaker and interdisciplinary artist whose practice includes video, installation, sculpture, and sound. She is a recipient of a 2023 Guggenheim Fellowship in Film-Video. Her films have screened at venues world-wide including at MoMA’s Doc Fortnight, CPH:DOX, True/False, Hot Docs, San Francisco International, and Dokufest. Her expanded cinematic work has been exhibited at the New Museum, The International Center for Photography, and The Kitchen. In 2022, her exhibition Dreams of Unknown Islands was exhibited at the Douglas F. Cooley Memorial Art Gallery and later traveled to CEAM at Flagler College, where Wortzel was also an artist in residence in 2021.

09/21/2026

Happy Monday! Swing by this week to check out Nicole Antebi's Rebel Waters / Aguas Rebeldes!

Please join us for a conversation with the artist and Dr. Jennifer Saracino next Monday, September 28 at 6pm in the Virginia Room (50 Sevilla Street). We hope to see you there!

📸: selections from Over Story, 2024-2026, fallen cottonwood sourced from the United States and Mexico on the Sonoran border and polyvinyl alcohol-based clay.

09/16/2026

Happy Wednesday! If you haven't had a chance to see Nicole Antebi's Rebel Waters/ Aguas Rebeldes, the exhibition will be on view through November 7!

In the meantime, the artist will return at the end of this month for a public program on Monday, Sept 28 with art historian Dr. Jennifer Saracino to discuss their respective work and how their interests align. Saracino wrote an essay to accompany the exhibition that wonderfully synthesizes Nicole's work (link to the essay in our bio). Keep scrolling for info on the Sept 28 event.

💬 Conversation with Nicole Antebi and Dr. Jennifer Saracino
🗓️ Monday, September 28
🕕 6 pm
📍Ringhaver Student Center, Virginia Room, 50 Sevilla Street

Over Story, 2024-2026
Fallen cottonwood sourced from the United States and Mexico on the Sonoran border, and polyvinyl alcohol-based clay

Installation view with Over Story sculpture and Selections from /Waves/ Public Domain Review Interventions, 2019-2026, digital animation paired with plates from Hamonshu: A Japanese Book of Wave and Ripple Designs (1903).

Over Story, 2024-2026
Fallen cottonwood sourced from the United States and Mexico on the Sonoran border, and polyvinyl alcohol-based clay

Installation view with Over Story sculptures and Sand Studies for Jonathan Rodriguez, 2025-2025, sand animation.

09/09/2026

Our artist in residence Brandon Ballengée is all about turtles and tortoises! Special thanks to our Natural Science faculty, department chair Ed McGinley, Assoc. prof Ben Atkinson, Flagler lab technicians Sara and Kennedy, Cat Eastman at the Whitney Lab, and all the folks who have helped Brandon locate specimens over the last couple of days.

Please join Brandon and Ben tomorrow evening at 6pm in the Virginia Room as they talk about fish and turtles, endlings, adaptation and more!

There are still a couple of spots left in Brandon's Sept 16 workshop - link to RSVP in our bio!

📸 credits, Ben Atkinson

08/31/2026

Nicole Antebi's Rebel Waters / Aguas Rebeldes is officially open!

We hope to see you at the opening reception this Friday, Sept 4 from 5 to 8pm. Nicole will do a walkthrough of the exhibition at 6pm!