The Sheldon Art Galleries is pleased to announce that the 3rd annual “Golf the Galleries” exhibition has been rescheduled to run Friday, July 3 through Sunday, September 6, 2020. The playable, artist-designed, nine-hole mini golf installation, designed by St. Louis-area artists, architects, and other creatives, will once again be situated inside the beautiful Sheldon Art Galleries space.
Timed tickets will be sold in advance starting Monday, June 22 at 10 a.m. through MetroTix at 314-534-1111 or at TheSheldon.org. Tickets are $10 adults / $7 children 12 and under; Sheldon members: $8 adult / $5 children 12 and under. Same-day tickets may be available for purchase at the door, based on capacity and advanced sales.
“Golf the Galleries” will be open Monday – Friday, 12 p.m. – 8 p.m.; Saturday, 10 a.m. – 3 p.m.; and Sunday, 11 a.m. – 4 p.m. More information can be found atTheSheldon.org.
As The Sheldon continues to monitor the regulations and recommendations set forth by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the City of St. Louis regarding the COVID-19 outbreak, the following practices will be in place to ensure the health and wellness of The Sheldon’s patrons, artists and staff during “Golf the Galleries:”
- Visitor capacity will be limited to 8 golfers per 15-minute time slot.
- Advanced, timed tickets will be sold via MetroTix. A limited number of tickets may be available at the door each day, based on advanced sales and available capacity.
- Visitors will be asked to remain in their cars, or outside, until their appointed ticket time.
- All in-person tickets and bar sales will be limited to credit card payments only. No cash or check payments will be accepted.
- Dedicated entrance and exit routes will be designated at the street level entrance of the Emerson Galleries building.
- All staff and visitors age 9 and older will be required to wear masks; masks for visitors between the ages of 2 and 8 will be encouraged. Masks will be provided for those who do not have one.
- Guests will be allowed to remove or lower their masks/face coverings when drinking.
- All visitors will pass through a free-standing temperature scanner and will be asked to sign in with the names of everyone in their party for contract-tracing purposes. They will then affirm basic wellness on the day of their visit.
- Visitors who do not feel well on the day of their visit, or register 100.4 degrees or higher during the temperature check, will be asked to reschedule their visit for a different day.
- Social distancing will be encouraged with signage throughout The Sheldon, including at check-in, and while golfing. Floor decals inside the exhibit will help manage distancing from hole to hole.
- Used golf clubs and balls will be collected in a covered receptacle and sanitized by staff after each use.
- Enhanced cleaning and sanitation procedures will be in place throughout each day in public areas.
- Hand sanitizing stations will be located throughout The Sheldon, including at arrival sign-in, ticket counter, throughout the golf exhibit, and in staff work areas.
- Staff will be trained in safety and sanitation procedures, based on recommendations by the CDC.
Golfers will begin on a Rube Goldberg-style hole created by acclaimed sculptor Jacob Stanley. Inspired by the installation work of artist Sarah Sze, “Sze’s Route”will incorporate every day and industrial objects such as milk crates, wooden chairs, clamp lights, ladders and conduit to create challenges for the player on the way to the hole!
The collaborative “Conservation Begins at Home” continues the course, featuring textile art including quilting, crocheting, and embroidery created by the curator of the Paly Foundation Charmin Dahl, along with students and community volunteers. Depicting a “nature-yard” or community greenspace, players will be surrounded by the sights and sounds of Missouri’s native flora and fauna including birds, pollinators, plants and insects, culminating in resources for the player to learn more about creating habitats for St. Louis’ urban wildlife and other steps they can take to support conservation.
“Mishap at the Circus” by artist Mark Sheppard continues the course. A day at the circus is usually a fun-filled event with clowns, trapeze artists, performing dogs, and cotton candy, but Sheppard’s version takes a slightly different turn, with undertones of the sinister lurking in the shadows. Players will be greeted by paintings that pay homage to Bosch, Bruegel, and Goya in this macabrely funny hole!
Returning artist Justin King brings his whimsical recycled-cardboard creations to life once again with “Fauna Chroma,” a majestic 3-D display of everyone’s favorite animals including elephants, rhinos, and gazelles, and a zebra-print rug playing surface.
Audience-favorite in 2018, designer Natalie Pinson creates a meticulously curated, immersive version of the classic board game Clue, with “Get a Clue!” From the exaggerated “golf-sized” billiard table and the black-and-white tiled Ballroom; to the mysterious library; lush, plant-filled conservatory; and prop-filled study where players can pose with the dangerous weapon of their choice, this interactive hole sets the stage for a fun-filled who-done-it!
Inspired by the zipper installation in the old garment district on Washington Avenue, and St. Louis’ resurgence as a fashion community, fashion designer Ameli Blaser creates “Zip It,” a life-sized zipper made with Astroturf, sheet metal and 3-D printing. Golfers will have the option to take their shots the easy way, around the zipper – or the hard way for a hole-in-one, straight through the zipper pull!
For its third creation as part of Golf the Galleries, the World Chess Hall of Fame presents “Opening Theory,” a hole inspired by chess’ over 1,500-year-long history and its origins in India. Warriors riding elephants, camels, and horses will take the place of bishops, knights, and rooks in this colorful course that blends the historic and the fantastic!
“Bauhaus” commemorates the 100th anniversary of this groundbreaking art movement with a highly-stylized and colorful hole created by award-winning artists Alejandro Franco and Kelly Jimenez. Both Colombian-born artists who often use discarded materials to create highly crafted artifacts, Franco and Jimenez will explore the Bauhaus movement with bold geometrical designs in different disciplines. Their most recent exhibition, “Throwaway World,” was recently on view at Granite City Art and Design.
Designed by artist and owner of I Need That Art, Martha Valenta, and built by scenic carpenter and theatre technical director Brian Macke, “Louis Vuittaco” reimagines the humble taco as a luxury item, pairing it with the universally-recognized logo of legendary design house Louis Vuitton. Due to a medical condition that requires her to avoid many of her favorite foods, Valenta channels her foodie dreams into these playful, heartfelt works of art, which in this case, invites players to putt through and around a giant taco and its tasty fillings.
Hole sponsorships are still available! Call The Sheldon’s Development Department at 314-533-9900 for more information.
For more information about “Golf the Galleries” call The Sheldon at 314-533-9900 or visit TheSheldon.org.