The Crisp-Ellert Art Museum (CEAM) and Flagler College will present an exhibition of new work by Tampa-based artist Kendra Frorup, entitled “Roots, Return, and the Weight of Memory.” The exhibition will be on view from January 20th to March 28th, 2026, at CEAM, located at 48 Sevilla Street in downtown St. Augustine.
An opening reception will be held on Friday, February 6th, from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. as part of First Friday Art Walk, with an exhibition walkthrough led by the artist at 6 p.m. This event is free and open to the public.
Frorup’s mixed-media assemblages and sculptures draw heavily on her Afro-Caribbean roots for inspiration. Her current work references The Bahamas, where she was born and raised, as well as her travels abroad, and incorporates materials such as coconut crowns, found objects, cast materials such as metal and concrete, as well as printmaking, all of which continue her longtime exploration of how culture influences artistic expression.
Frorup describes how the work included in “Roots, Return, and the Weight of Memory” evokes “themes of home, migration, and the balance between leadership and care,” ideas central to the exhibition and her “ongoing exploration of Caribbean material culture and diasporic identity.”
Kendra Frorup has exhibited her work throughout the United States and at museums and institutions in the Caribbean, France, and Puerto Rico. In 2022, the National Gallery of the Bahamas hosted her mid-career retrospective, The Whimsical Collector. In 2025, Frorup was awarded a Fulbright Scholarship, partnering with the University of the Bahamas. She received her M.F.A. in sculpture from Syracuse University. Frorup is currently an Associate Professor of Art and Design at the University of Tampa, where she teaches courses in sculpture, printmaking, and book arts.
The Crisp-Ellert Art Museum is an accessible building. If you are a person with a disability and need reasonable accommodation, please contact Phil Pownall at 904-819-6460. Sign Language Interpreters are available upon request, provided a minimum of three days’ notice is given.
About Crisp-Ellert Art Museum
CEAM programming is supported through grants from the Dr. JoAnn Crisp-Ellert Fund at The Community Foundation for Northeast Florida, and the St. Johns County Tourist Development Council administered through the St. Johns Cultural Council. Additional support is provided by Volkswagen of St. Augustine, VyStar Credit Union, and AC Hotel St. Augustine. For further information on programming, please visit the website at www.flagler.edu/ceam, or contact CEAM Director Julie Dickover at 904-826-8530 or crispellert@flagler.edu. The museum’s hours are Monday through Friday, 10am to 4pm, and Saturday, 12pm to 4pm, while classes are in session. Photos to accompany the press release can be found here.
