Join us Friday, March 13th at 12 PM for a special Gallery Perspectives inspired by our current exhibition The Medici Dynasty: Renaissance in Florence. In this perspective, Dr. Melissa Garr will explore the fascinating intersections between Renaissance Italy and Spanish literature and history. Discover how southern Italy’s historical ties to Spain shaped culture and storytelling, from the travels of Don Juan to Italy to the rise of the influential Borja family from Valencia, who became most notable in Italy. This program highlights the literary and historical connections between Spain and Italy during the Renaissance, offering a fresh “perspective” on the Medici era and its lasting cultural impact.

BIO

Dr. Melissa Garr is Associate Professor of Spanish at Florida Southern College. She has a BS in Secondary Education and BA in Spanish from Duquesne University, an MA in Spanish from University of Northern Iowa, and a PhD in Spanish literature from Purdue University. Her recent publications include an examination of Basque national identity in the Kraken series in the book Collective Mind and National Character as Cultural Models in Literature, Art, and Philosophy and a study of female friendships in the Spanish novel Dime quien soy, published in the book Female Friendship: Literary and Artistic Explorations. She is co-director of the Florida Southern College Spain May Study Abroad program in Alicante, Spain. She is an avid reader and lover of travel and cooking.