Sarasota Advertising Pedro Pérez exhibit broadens the definition of art, by Niki Kottmann Black Tie Reporter Published by Your Observer

24 August 2016,   By ,   0 Comments

Sarasota Advertising Pedro Pérez exhibit broadens the definition of “art”

It’s not every day you see an anti-nausea medication on display in an art gallery.

However, its creator wouldn’t be bothered by passersby questioning the piece’s artistic validity. Pedro Pérez is the designer of the packaging for the bottle of Children’s Emetrol currently on display in the Patricia Thompson Gallery until Oct. 21. He believes if he has started a conversation about the definition of art, he has succeeded.

Nuevo Advertising Group worked with Wellspring Pharmaceutical to refresh the packaging of Children’s Emetrol, an anti-nausea medication, in order to create a more vibrant, kid-friendly look. Nuevo Advertising Group worked with Wellspring Pharmaceutical to refresh the packaging of Children’s Emetrol, an anti-nausea medication, in order to create a more vibrant, kid-friendly look. “Art, to people, is different,” he says. “I would argue with you that a landscaper is an artist. I would argue that an architect is an artist. I would even argue with you that a mechanic, to a certain extent, is an artist. It’s what we do and how we define what we do.”

The bottle is part of the Pedro Pérez exhibit showcasing work he has produced from his early college years until now. The collection includes everything from industrial and graphic design to web development and photography.

Pérez graduated from Ringling College of Art and Design in 1993 with a degree in graphic art, and he taught global brand strategies at the school this spring.

After graduation, he became interested in the role of design in modern advertising and marketing. In July 2004, he started his own agency, Nuevo Advertising Group, with his wife, Roseanne Avella-Pérez.

The public’s exposure to advertisements is typically limited to billboards, print publications and the various digital screens that define the 21st century. Tim Jaeger, the college’s community engagement manager, says this exhibition defies that.

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