The Captivating Unknown Opens A World of Cosmos at Rollins Museum of Art

The Captivating Unknown: Charting Our Relationship with the Cosmos opened Friday, May 15, at the Rollins Museum of Art. The new exhibit features works from six artists who examine humanity’s enduring fascination with the universe and the mysteries that exist beyond human understanding. Through painting, photography, and mixed media, the exhibition explores how people interpret the unknown and connect personal experiences to the larger cosmos. 

Curated by Avryl Colón-Pérez ‘26, the Fred W. Hicks Curatorial Fellow at the Rollins Museum of Art. The fellowship is designed to offer Rollins College undergraduates in-depth museum training by working alongside the museum’s education and curatorial staff on exhibitions, programming, and daily operations. 

Colón-Pérez will also lead a public tour of the exhibition on Aug. 28 ahead of its closing on Aug. 30.

The exhibition presents a range of artistic perspectives that blur the boundaries between the physical and immaterial worlds. Each featured artist approaches the cosmos differently, using celestial imagery and imagined landscapes to reflect on identity, memory, consciousness, and possibility. 

Cuban artist Sandra Ramos uses the cosmos as a metaphor for utopia in her featured work. Drawing inspiration from her childhood and Alice in Wonderland, Ramos depicts a young girl gazing through a telescope toward the outline of Cuba in the night sky. The work reflects both emotional and physical distance from her homeland while encouraging viewers to consider their own ideas of hope and belonging. 

Then, South Korean artist Yeondoo Jung offers a more surreal interpretation through his altered moon imagery. In one piece, the moon appears as a glowing disco ball suspended above a calm sea using paints in shades of violet, blue, and soft pink. Jung combines traditional landscape photography with digital manipulation, challenging viewers’ perceptions of what is real and imagined. 

Artist Leidy Churchman bridges the earthly and cosmic by blending imagery from a family garden in Maine with photographs captured by the Hubble Telescope. Their piece, One Taste, uses vibrant color and familiar lunar imagery to examine the relationship between everyday life and the enormity of the universe. Influenced by Buddhist meditation and reflections on human consciousness, the work asks a question of “What lies beyond what we know?”

The Captivating Unknown: Charting Our Relationship with the Cosmos is now on view at the Rollins Museum of Art through Aug. 30.

Ava McDonnell

Ava McDonnell is the Digital Content Creator/Editorial Manager for Central Florida Lifestyle Magazine while also earning her bachelor's degree in English at the University of Central Florida. Her work has been featured in UCF's The Charge and Her Campus UCF. She also has experience in editing using AP Style and SEO guidelines. Located in Clermont, Ava has always had a passion for learning about people's lives and sharing accurate stories with the world. She is dedicated to getting the job done right while making content interesting for readers. Aside from writing, you can find her indulging in the great outdoors with the people she loves. Whether it is hiking, taking photographs, or trying new activities, she is up for almost anything.

See Full Bio