The Tampa Museum of Art is pleased to present Having a Ball: Striking Portraits from America’s Pastime by George Sosnak. One of the most beloved and best-known folk art painters of baseball, George Sosnak (1924-1992) was a lifelong, passionate fan of the game. He parlayed his enthusiasm for the sport into two concurrent careers: first as a Minor League umpire, and eventually as an artist, meticulously painting baseballs decorated with the images and arcane statistics so dear to fans of the game.

In the 1950s, a young female fan asked Sosnak for a portrait of her favorite player on a ball, and thus began an almost 40-year career, largely avocational, of producing colorful and increasingly intricate, themed baseballs. Some celebrate particular moments, some honor legendary players, and other mark championship teams.

Sosnak’s final, self-chosen challenge was to create a ball for each player in the Baseball Hall of Fame, recreating his Hall of Fame plaque as well as an overview of the player’s career in glorious detail and color. In the end, Sosnak is thought to have begun some 3,000 baseballs, and to have finished about 800. Having a Ball includes 53 George Sosnak artworks – 43 baseballs, and 10 works on paper.

Having a Ball: George Sosnak’s Striking Portraits from America’s Pastime was organized by the Chrysler Museum of Art, Norfolk, Virginia.

TECO Public Art Gallery in downtown Tampa presents ‘FOR THE BIRDS’ March 1 through April 30, 2018.  Artist Leslie Jeffery, primarily an abstract expressionist style painter, returns often to an alternate oeuvre of birds and nests. Jeffery says, “I’ve long been fascinated with birds and their consistent demonstration of the continuum of life.  Each species unique “function follows form” physical characteristics, determine how they find a mate, build their nests, find food and care for and feed their young.  Tiny humming bird nests versus sprawling eagle nests, tiny thistle seed eating finches to diving fish catching ospreys, dark black crows to bright red cardinals – all endlessly artistically inspiring to me.” The twenty avian themed works are lushly painted, colorful and dynamic.

Please join artist Leslie Jeffery on Thursday, March 8th from 5:00 – 8:00 pm at TECO Public Art Gallery. She will host a Talk & Tour of the exhibition and share thoughts about her work, her inspirations and answer questions. This event is FREE and open to the Public.

Please join us.

The TECO Public Art Gallery is located at 702 North Franklin Street, Tampa, FL 33602. It is open Monday-Friday from 8 am-5 pm. For information about the gallery, please contact Curator Debra Radke at dradke2@gmail.com. For information about the artist please visit her website at www.LeslieJeffery.ART  or contact her at LJArtwork@yahoo.com. 

From antiquity through the present day, artists and craftsmen have found inspiration in the flora, fauna, and other forms of the natural world. For many artists, the vase in particular has lent itself to flourishes borrowed from nature, often together with – or in the form of – flowers and birds. While the forms and functions of the resulting artworks vary widely, from emulations to adaptations, and from aesthetic beauty to utilitarian purpose, all share a common inspiration worth exploring more closely. From the embrace of natural forms by artists associated with Art Nouveau – a movement only recently reconnected by scholars to the classical tradition – to more complex representations of vases, birds, and flowers by post-war and contemporary artists, Inspired by Nature will illustrate the beauty and vitality of the natural world alongside its many uncertainties.

Drawn primarily from the Museum’s permanent collection, the exhibition will include more than two dozen artworks from a variety of media and time periods, in two dimensions and three. Of particular interest is Sensuous Triptych (2000) by Betty Woodman, a prominent American ceramicist whose recent passing prompted renewed attention to her work here in Tampa. Brightly painted and made of fired clay, with elements of painting, drawing, sculpture, and more, her work defies categorization. And just as its three pieces come together as one, the front sides and back sides communicating with one another, so too will the larger whole engage in dialogue with so many other vases, birds, and flowers displayed nearby.

The Henry B. Plant Museum is pleased to announce a new exhibit, Imperial Designs: From The HaBsburg’s Herend to the Romanov’s Faberge.  This exhibit showcases an exquisite collection of porcelains and decorative arts that harken back to the grand dynasties of 19^th century Europe and Asia.  Included in the exhibit are a dozen rare Fabergè designs featuring a lacquered box, elegant cigarette cases, a chamberstick, and a gold mounted brooch.  Other treasures include Russian eggs presented by tsars; Imperial Porcelain Factory china from imperial yachts including the royal private yacht Livadia; an impressive collection of Herend china from Hungary with patterns ordered by the Russian Tsar, royal houses and eminent customers.  These amazing pieces are all from the private collection of Kathy Durdin.

Several Russian pieces take center stage in the exhibit.  The Durnovo Casket, presented to Ivan Nikolaevich Durnovo, a high ranking official in the Russian government, is lovely enameled silver gilt openwork over sheets of lapis lazuli made by the Ovchinnikov firm.  Visitors may recognize the frescoes of renaissance artist Raphael highlighted in the Raphael service.  These pieces feature allegorical figures from frescoes in the Vatican.  This service was commissioned in 1883 during the reign of Alexander III.

During the last quarter of the 19^th century, Henry Plant and other wealthy Americans traveled extensively in Europe, absorbing the culture and acquiring treasures that they brought back to the United States.  This exhibit brings together a collection of items similar to what these travelers would have seen while visiting the great courts of Europe. Plant himself ordered and used Herend china at the Tampa Bay Hotel in the 1890’s.

Imperial Designs: From the Habsburg’s Herend to the Romanov’s Faberge opens on March 23rd and runs through December 23, 2018. The exhibit will open with a lecture by Kathy Durdin and reception at the Museum on March 23^rd.  Entrance to the exhibit is included with admission to the Museum.

This exhibit has been graciously underwritten by BNY Mellon, Greenberg Traurig, KPMG in honor of Kathy Woodard, and The Bank of Tampa.

The Tampa Relic Collection

A celebrated art series on the landmarks of Tampa Bay

By Tim Boatright

Solo Exhibit – March 26th thru May 31st

Spain Restaurant and Toma Bar

513 N Tampa St, Tampa, FL 33602

On Tampa Street between Twiggs and Madison

March 26th thru May 31st

As a third-generation Tampa resident, Boatright is intrigued by the historic icons of our city –which help make the Tampa Bay area a truly special place.

This collection captures a love for art and a passion for the preservation of the history of the Tampa Bay area.

The collection of artworks were created via hand drawn and digital techniques in an illustrative style inspired by classic travel posters, cigar art, and vintage fruit crate labels, all significant parts of Tampa’s unique visual history.

Visit this site for information on the collection:

www.TampaRelics.bigcartel.com

Photographer Andrea Modica’s collection of black-and-white portraits of famous Yankees baseball players from their minor-league days is on view now at the Florida Museum of Photographic Arts.

The exhibition, which also includes portraits of best friends from Philadelphia and Modena, Italy, is titled Minor League and Best Friends. It will run through June 30 and is generously sponsored by the New York Yankees Tampa Foundation.

Modica’s skill using light to capture emotion and tone creates startlingly empathetic portraits of these now-celebrated athletes. Each image is a careful study of masculinity and teamwork, which is a neat complement for the series of best-friend portraits that is also featured in the exhibition.

Do the Local Motion Riverwalk Monuments Part 2 with Historian Marilyn Zoidis

Register here.

Do the Local Motion is a healthy and social way to enjoy your lunch hour and learn interesting tidbits about Tampa’s Downtown! Walks are free but a $5 donation is appreciated to fight childhood hunger in our community. Proudly brought to you by Where Love Grows and Tampa Downtown Partnership

University of Tampa’s Department of Art and Design and Scarfone/Hartley Gallery will be presenting an exhibition showcasing over 75 works by five graduating BFA in Art artists. Ranging from photo-realistic oil paintings, to wall installations, from photographs to video-performance, each artist offers a personal viewpoint on specific aspects of today’s reality. Featuring works by graduating artists Alex Martin, Elise Gutekunst, Symone Hall, Sierra Kroeter, John Guarneri and curated by Dr. Francesca Bacci Associate Professor of Art, Department of Art Design.  The exhibition runs from April 17^th – May 4^th and ends with a closing reception to celebrate the graduates on May 4^th from 7-9pm.

The title As Far As I Know… is purposefully left open, to allow each artist to complete it through their unique perspectives, inviting the visitors to ponder how:

• …beauty can be revealed by photographs of everyday life, hiding in plain sight within the most overlooked details. Alex Martin presents 25 digital photographic prints in small and large scale, portraying abstract details form urban architecture and natural environments, affording the experience of visually lingering in commonly unacknowledged features.
• …color-saturated abstract compositions have the power to rewrite the connotation of a place, expressing hope in hopeless contexts. Elise Gutekunst recreates the texture and feel of an urban brick wall featuring weathered street art, to create a striking contrast with large works characterized by the dreamy colors of her unusual abandoned scenery.
• …I am here to testify that she was here, he was here, and now they are gone. Symone Hall offers 17 memorial portraits of victims of violence at the Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School, to challenge the societal ability to forget too quickly.
• …society sexualizes the female body. Pairing nudity with food, we can question the difference and sense the fine line dividing sexuality from sensuality. Sierra Kroeter shows ten photo-realistic paintings which use the luscious textures of food and skin as metaphors for the commodification and consumption of women’s body.
• …paintings inspired by comic book imagery encourage human interaction by encapsulating irony, cynicism, humor, and levity. Through a plethora of media and formats, John Guarneri elevates the value of individuals as superheroes, by drawing from the incongruous visual vocabulary of comic book iconography.

Brought to life by a groundbreaking all-female creative team, this irresistible new hit features original music and lyrics by five-time Grammy® nominee Sara Bareilles (“Brave,” “Love Song”), a book by acclaimed screenwriter Jessie Nelson (I Am Sam) and direction by Tony Award® winner Diane Paulus (Pippin, Finding Neverland). “It’s an empowering musical of the highest order!” raves the Chicago Tribune.

Inspired by Adrienne Shelly’s beloved film, WAITRESS tells the story of Jenna – a waitress and expert pie maker, Jenna dreams of a way out of her small town and loveless marriage. A baking contest in a nearby county and the town’s new doctor may offer her a chance at a fresh start, while her fellow waitresses offer their own recipes for happiness. But Jenna must summon the strength and courage to rebuild her own life.

“WAITRESS is a little slice of heaven!” says Entertainment Weekly and “a monumental contribution to Broadway!” according to Marie Claire. Don’t miss this uplifting musical celebrating friendship, motherhood and the magic of a well-made pie.

Intended for mature audiences; contains adult themes and language

1984 warns us with the story of Winston Smith, a small cog in the giant machine-state of Oceania. Physically and mentally under the omnipresent eye of Big Brother, Winston has been caught struggling for scraps of love and freedom in a world awash with distrust and violence. With the brutal “help” of four Party Members, Winston is forced to confess his Thoughtcrimes before an unseen Inquisitor and the audience – who act as a silent witness.

For more info, visit jobsitetheater.org/1984.

Show advisory: Following a national trend, Jobsite does not offer advisories about subject matter as tastes and sensitivities vary from person to person. If you have questions or concerns about content, age-appropriateness, or stage effects such as strobe lights or theatrical fog that might impact your enjoyment or comfort, please write to info@jobsitetheater.org or call (813) 476-7378.

A monthly celebration of Tampa’s rich arts and culture scene! An evening of special offerings and programs by cultural venues, restaurants & more!

Fourth Friday participants can pick up a wristband at any of the participating cultural venues during event hours and plan their route with the schedule and suggested itineraries online at FourthFridayTPA.com. Then, just park once and let Downtown’s many alternative transportation options do the rest. Take a complimentary ride on the TECO Line Streetcar, stroll along The Tampa Riverwalk, cruise the Hillsborough on the Pirate Water Taxi, hail the FREE Downtowner ride service with an app on your smartphone, or saunter along 7th Avenue in Ybor, Tampa’s only Historic District. Participants also get a FREE hour of Coast Bike rental with a promo code (visit FourthFridayTPA.com  or the Facebook page for details).

The return of spring means the return of Tampa’s longest running and most beloved concert series; Friday Concerts in the Park.  Celebrating 31 years of high-quality entertainment, Friday Concerts in the Park are held every Friday evening, April 6 – May 25.  The eight-week series highlights music of different genres to satisfy all tastes — from rock to blues to country to jazz.

Friday Concerts in the Park is a fun, family-friendly way showcasing the area’s variety of musical talent.  Concertgoers should bring low-back lawn chairs or blankets for seating.  Picnics are welcome at the Concerts, but local food trucks and vendors will also be onsite. Leashed dogs allowed.  Thanks to our sponsors, the concerts are FREE.

2018 Friday Extra Concert Series Line-up

April 6              Chad Montana (Country)                                Water Works Park

April 13            Dick Rumore’s Jazz Cellar Orchestra (Jazz)    Water Works Park
presented by Ulele Restaurant

April 20            Jimmy Griswold Band (Blues/Rock)                Water Works Park

April 27            Orquesta Infinidad (Salsa)                              Water Works Park

In Paris 1964, famed painter Alberto Giacometti (Geoffrey Rush) bumps into his old friend James Lord (Armie Hammer), an American critic and art lover, and asks him to be a model for his latest portrait. The work will only take a few days, promises Giacometti, and flattered by the request, Lord complies. But as the days turn into weeks, he realizes how much of his life has been wasted by this erratic genius. Directed with an astute hand by Stanley Tucci, Final Portrait is not just the story of a touching and offbeat friendship, but – seen through the eyes of Lord – a uniquely revealing insight into the beauty, frustration, profundity and, at times, downright chaos of the artistic process as Giacometti leaps between joy and anxiety, loss and vision.

Theatre Performance | “Duck Hunter Shoots Angel”
7:30 p.m. Friday, April 27 and Saturday, April 28
1001 N. Florida Avenue

Donation: $30
Buy tickets here

“Duck Hunter Shoots Angel” is a comedy with heart by Mitch Albom, author of “Tuesdays with Morrie” and “The Five People You Meet in Heaven.”

The play is the uproarious story of two bumbling Alabama brothers who have never shot a duck, but think they shot an angel. As they lament their fates in a murky swamp, they are chased by a cynical tabloid journalist and his reluctant photographer, who don’t believe any of it until their research turns up more proof. Ultimately a sweet allegory about redemption, “Duck Hunter Shoots Angel” has been hailed by audiences as a rare comedy with a surprisingly heartfelt lesson.

Proceeds from this two-day production benefit The Portico, Metropolitan Ministries and Stageworks.

Starring:
Magrey DeVega, Keith Harris, Harold Oehler, Frank Robertson, Tom Scarritt, Mallory Scarritt, Eddie Steiner, Joshua Sussman and Cathy Unruh

Produced by Andrea Graham
Directed by Karen Buesing

Questions? 813.222.2299 or contact@theportico.org

The Junior League of Tampa in partnership with Pan Am will host the Tampa Bay International Dragon Boat Races, one of the organization’s newest Spring fundraising events to support its philanthropic efforts across the Tampa Bay community while also promoting health and wellness. Building off the success of last year’s inaugural event, which included more than 48 teams and 1,050 athletes, the 2018 Tampa Bay International Dragon Boat Races will bring paddlers and spectators together from across the state and country for a day of competition, entertainment, family-friendly activities and more.

This event is FREE to spectators and family friendly. We will have musical entertainment throughout the day from Southern Train, as well as a variety of food trucks, drink vendors and merchandise vendors.

This is an event that is sure to please the entire family!
It’s still not too late to sign up to participate in the races. Sign Up here:https://www.jltampa.org/featured-events/dragon-boat/paddlers/.

For more information on the event, how to participate, volunteer or become a sponsor, visit http://www.jltampa.org/dragonboat/ or email dragonboat@jltampa.org.

DO YOU HAVE WHAT IT TAKES?

Join our tallest fundraiser and “Rappel FOR A CAUSE” down 17 stories of the Hilton Downtown Tampa.

BE A PART OF SOMETHING BIG and join us April 28, 2018.

No rappelling or climbing experience is required for participants. The Over the Edge staff consists of professionals with an outstanding safety record who will provide the technical expertise, training and equipment needed to perform this event.
There are only 76 “Edger” or rappel spots available and are on a first come first serve basis.

By becoming an “Edger”, you are agreeing to raise a minimum of $1,500 for Big Brothers Big Sisters of Tampa Bay and changing a child’s life forever!!
The children in the Big Brothers Big Sisters program will reach new heights with an adult mentor.

Our goal is to find “Bigs” for the hundreds of “Littles” currently on our waiting list.

Interested in becoming a Corporate Sponsor or Tossing Your BOSS…Contact Dawn Kuhn at DawnK@BBBSTampabay.org or call 727.351.4669.

Dr. Steven Ball will present an open-to-the-public educational Saturday Session from 9:00am to noon for patrons to learn more about the Mighty Wurlitzer, the rise of the organ as the instrument of choice to accompany silent films, and the importance of music to the film-going experience. “Music In Film” will discuss the history of musical accompaniment from early silent films to today’s blockbusters; examine the advent of “talkies” and sound pictures’ impact on the way films were scored; and explore the inner workings of the theatre organ and how it was developed specifically to accompany films. Registration for the session is $20 per person.

Dr. Ball is the Organist Emeritus of the world’s largest pipe organ, located at Boardwalk Hall in Atlantic City, NJ. Widely recognized for his scholarship in both classical improvisation as well as the art of silent film composition and accompaniment, Dr. Ball has traveled and performed extensively in both the United States and abroad, including several visits to Tampa Theatre for recent presentations such as Metropolis and Nosferatu. Following his April 28 Saturday Session, he will present the 1925 epic Ben-Hur: A Tale of the Christ with live accompaniment at 7:30pm.

Class will meet on two consecutive Saturday’s from 12:30 pm – 4:30 pm:

Saturday, April 28th

Saturday, May 5th

The objective of this advance photography course is to utilize the aesthetic fundamentals of Photoshop to create a digital collage while engaging in studio photography, street photography and abstract photography using a digital camera, smartphone or tablet. Thorough examining of Adobe Photoshop mix, Adobe Photoshop Express, and Adobe Lightroom while learning to challenge one’s photographic perspective to the fullest and create an entirely new approach and outlook to the individual photographer. All photographic levels are welcome. Everyone will work at their own abilities while challenging themselves to produce their very best work.

Prerequisites:

Basic foundation of Adobe Photoshop required.

In Paris 1964, famed painter Alberto Giacometti (Geoffrey Rush) bumps into his old friend James Lord (Armie Hammer), an American critic and art lover, and asks him to be a model for his latest portrait. The work will only take a few days, promises Giacometti, and flattered by the request, Lord complies. But as the days turn into weeks, he realizes how much of his life has been wasted by this erratic genius. Directed with an astute hand by Stanley Tucci, Final Portrait is not just the story of a touching and offbeat friendship, but – seen through the eyes of Lord – a uniquely revealing insight into the beauty, frustration, profundity and, at times, downright chaos of the artistic process as Giacometti leaps between joy and anxiety, loss and vision.

Upon its publication in 1880, the novel Ben-Hur: A Tale of the Christ became for a time the best-selling American book ever. Its popularity and influence had not much waned by 1959, when it was made the basis of the huge MGM epic film starring Charlton Heston. But in between, another feature-length movie was made from the story of Ben-Hur, the prince turned slave. Starring Ramon Novarro, Francis X. Bushman, and May McAvoy, this version of Ben-Hur was the most expensive movie of the silent era and cost more than $3.9 million to make — and its cinematographic techniques and sense of huge scale would remain as influential in the world of film as the book was in the world of literature.

This silent film will be presented with live accompaniment on the Mighty Wurlitzer Theatre Organ by Dr. Steven Ball, Organist Emeritus of the world’s largest pipe organ, located at Boardwalk Hall in Atlantic City, NJ. Patrons are invited to prepare for their silent film experience by joining Dr. Ball for an educational session, “Music In Film,” from 9:00am-Noon that morning.

Join The Florida Aquarium for its 17^th annual SeaGrapes Wine & Food Festival fundraising event, presented by Amalie Oil, on Saturday, April 28 from 8-11 p.m. VIP ticketholder entry will begin at 7 p.m. for early access to the food and drinks, as well as a special VIP area with exclusive food and drink options. New this year, a sunset cruise will be offered as an add-on to any ticket. 100% of the proceeds from tickets purchased support The Florida Aquarium’s mission to entertain, educate and inspire stewardship of our natural environment.

Immerse yourself in a wine and food festival unlike any other. Enjoy fantastic wine and sample delicious food while strolling among more than 7,000 animals and plants, all while supporting a good cause. There will be 50+ types of wine available to sample and more than 20 different local restaurant partners in attendance. The festive atmosphere will be complemented by a variety of live entertainment throughout the Aquarium.

Dress is cocktail attire.

General admission tickets are $125, VIP tickets are $250, and an add-on sunset cruise for any ticket is $75. For more information about the event call 813-273-4000 or visit flaquarium.org/seagrapes.

Join us for a culinary journey the last Sunday of every show. Saborea by chef José Alfredo will delight attendees with menus intended to immerse guests in the vibrant culture of each production. Best of all it’s all you can eat. You can also enjoy beers and brews from Pour House Tampa and Ginger Beard Coffee. Join us afterwards at the theatre for the 3pm show.

Progressive Dominican Cuisine Menu:

• Cassava bred with pigeon peas and coconut hummus
• Chicken and waffles with Dominican braised style chicken and guava maple syrup
• Pastelón de plátano maduro- sweet ripe plantain with beef, egg, salami and cheddar
• Mangú- boiled green plantain mashed with pickled red onion, peppers and olive oil
• Chechén (cracked corn pilaf) with longaniza (chicken sausage)
• Yuca, papaya and queso frito salad with garlic sweet and sour dressing

Individual Brunch Show Ticket $60 pp

Group (4 ) Brunch Show Ticket $50 pp no fees

Subscriber Brunch Ticket $28pp fees inlcuded

Buy at stageworkstheatre.org

Contact:

oreli@stageworkstheatre.org

813-374-2416 x1

Brunch only tickets $30pp

Contact:

chefjosealfredo@gmail.com

813-613-5202

No tickets are issued. No refunds. Your name will be on the paid list with the number of tickets you purchased. Everyone in the party should check-in under the purchasers last name. Price includes processing fees. Brews and Beers not included.

Young parents, we know what you’re thinking. “The Dark Crystal gave me nightmares for years!” Listen, we get it. Those Skeksis are creepy. But think of it this way: just by bringing your kids to one movie, you can help teach them bravery and the triumph of heroism in a comfortable and safe environment; you can expose them to the genius of the Henson Muppet workshop at the height of its powers; and you can show them the power of cinematic storytelling in a timeless tale of high fantasy, wherein the heroic Jen must help her friends and heal the magic Crystal before it falls into the clutches of evil. Or don’t bring your kids and come by yourself to relive the excitement and terror of your own first viewing. We won’t judge.

Record-breaking, global comedy superstar, Jeff Dunham, is bringing his cast of characters on the road this fall through spring 2018 as America’s favorite ventriloquist tours North America on his 60-city Passively Aggressive tour. The tour will make a stop in Tampa at AMALIE Arena on April 29, 2018 at 3:00 PM.

Dunham just released his latest standup special, Jeff Dunham: Relative Disaster, on Netflix this month. The special features Dunham along with his ill-behaved and slightly demented posse of characters for a gleeful skewering of family and politics. Dunham and his famous cohorts Walter, Achmed the Dead Terrorist, Bubba J, and Peanut also consider what a new member to their already dysfunctional family could mean, putting the ‘relative’ in Relative Disaster.

Dunham, a Guinness World Record holder for “Most Tickets Sold for a Stand-up Comedy Tour,” has built an entertainment empire over years of non-stop touring and innovation. With over a million YouTube subscribers amassing over a billion views, he has carved out his own unique space in the comedy world leading to record-breaking viewership with his comedy specials on Comedy Central and NBC. His 2015 standup special, Jeff Dunham: Unhinged in Hollywood, debuted on NBC Primetime in the fall and ranked as the time period’s top non-sports program on the Big 4 in every key measure.

After taping Relative Disaster in Dublin, Ireland, Dunham returned to the U.S. and has continued selling out arenas across the country on his Perfectly Unbalanced Tour.

And finally, adding to an amazing list of recent accomplishments, Dunham’s contribution to the world of show business and comedy will be recognized on Thursday, September 21 when he receives a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, commemorating over two decades of superstardom. Said Dunham recently, “When I moved to Los Angeles in 1988 with a car full of clothes and a couple of dummies, never in my wildest dreams did I imagine that one day I would be tripping over my own star on the Walk of Fame.  It’s truly fantastic and a great honor; I just hope it’s not in front of an adult store.  Okay, actually, that would be hilarious.”

In Paris 1964, famed painter Alberto Giacometti (Geoffrey Rush) bumps into his old friend James Lord (Armie Hammer), an American critic and art lover, and asks him to be a model for his latest portrait. The work will only take a few days, promises Giacometti, and flattered by the request, Lord complies. But as the days turn into weeks, he realizes how much of his life has been wasted by this erratic genius. Directed with an astute hand by Stanley Tucci, Final Portrait is not just the story of a touching and offbeat friendship, but – seen through the eyes of Lord – a uniquely revealing insight into the beauty, frustration, profundity and, at times, downright chaos of the artistic process as Giacometti leaps between joy and anxiety, loss and vision.

In Paris 1964, famed painter Alberto Giacometti (Geoffrey Rush) bumps into his old friend James Lord (Armie Hammer), an American critic and art lover, and asks him to be a model for his latest portrait. The work will only take a few days, promises Giacometti, and flattered by the request, Lord complies. But as the days turn into weeks, he realizes how much of his life has been wasted by this erratic genius. Directed with an astute hand by Stanley Tucci, Final Portrait is not just the story of a touching and offbeat friendship, but – seen through the eyes of Lord – a uniquely revealing insight into the beauty, frustration, profundity and, at times, downright chaos of the artistic process as Giacometti leaps between joy and anxiety, loss and vision.