School opens exhibit by Gainesville artist

In a suitcase large enough for him to fit inside comfortably, Frank Curtis wants to fill it with his personality.

The large-scale suitcase installation, which is 12 feet long, 4 feet wide and 8 feet tall, is a part of Curtis’ new art installation titled “Lost and Found: The Art of Assemblage.” The free installation will open Friday and run until Oct. 20 at Cofrin Gallery at Oak Hall School, located at 8009 SW 14th Ave.

The event celebrates Curtis, a local Gainesville artist who has been creating sculptures out of suitcases for over 30 years.  

The exhibit includes original suitcase pieces and several other non-suitcase pieces.

“I began making suitcase sculptures in 1984 after I went on vacation to the Dominican Republic,” Curtis said. “I had this suitcase, and I realized it was made out of wood and I thought I could cut things out and put things into it and make artwork.”

The exhibition features artists who repurpose old belongings in their art, including Charisse Celino, Bill Paine, John Patterson and Marie and Rusty Hammer.

Curtis will spend about five days building the largest piece in the collection. The school’s art class students helped Curtis build his suitcase and will cover it with their art.

Robert Ponzio, a co-curator of the Cofrin Gallery, said Curtis and the students have learned from each other during the process.

“Students are painting, everyone’s just trying to do what we can,” Ponzio said.