A Florida legend is coming home to Orlando. This winter, the Orlando Museum of Art will present “Tropical Light: The Art of A.E. Backus,” a sweeping exhibition celebrating the painter often called Florida’s painter laureate, opening January 23, 2027 in the Brooker Grand Gallery.
Backus (1906–1990) gave America’s last wild frontier its definitive look: luminous Everglades sunsets, serene river shacks and palm-fringed horizons that shaped how the world imagines tropical Florida. The exhibition brings together more than 60 paintings from the 1930s to the 1960s, alongside original works by the Highwaymen, the circle of African American artists he mentored.
During the Jim Crow era, Backus formed lasting friendships with Black artists, musicians and authors, including Zora Neale Hurston, and his encouragement helped launch the Highwaymen into art history. Curated by Backus expert Natasha Kuzmanovic, author of the book “Tropical Light: The Art of A.E. Backus,” the show traces how one man’s devotion to the land became a legacy for generations.
“Tropical Light” runs through May 2, 2027. The Museum welcomes visitors Tuesday through Friday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. and weekends from noon to 4 p.m., and is closed Mondays.
Photo: Orlando Museum of Art
