Off the Continental Divide

1971

Arrives in Florida for Graphicstudio

In 1971, at the invitation of Donald Saff, dean of the College of Fine Arts at the University of South Florida, Rosenquist came to South Florida to take part in the university’s collaborative art initiative, Graphicstudio. In the following years he remained a key contributor to the studio, working with students and other artists and producing numerous works of his own.

1972–1973

First retrospectives: New York, Cologne, Amsterdam

In 1972 the Whitney Museum in New York and the Wallraf-Richartz Museum in Cologne organised his first early-career retrospectives, followed by many exhibitions in the United States and abroad; in 1973 an exhibition opened at the Stedelijk Museum in Amsterdam.

1975

Divorce from Mary Lou Adams

In 1975 Rosenquist’s marriage to Mary Lou Adams ended in divorce.

1976

Moves to Aripeka, Florida

A year after his divorce, in 1976, Rosenquist moved to Aripeka, Florida, and set up a studio there. He kept travelling to Florida throughout his career, making works for the community, including two murals for the state capitol building and a sculpture for Johns Hopkins All Children’s Hospital, and serving on the Board of Trustees of the Tampa Museum of Art.