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Boxboy Jr. will fly off to his next adventure when Imaginations: The Adventures of ‘boxboy Jr.’ and the Art of Alex Lanier at The Ashley Gibson Barnett Museum of Art closes on Sunday, April 19.
The exhibit features the work of Harrison School for the Arts graduate Alex Lanier, whose son inspired the work.
“He wanted to create some art that his son could see himself in as an African-American and of Cuban descent,” said Daryl Ward, executive director at The AGB. “And he came up with this idea: A lot of young people when they’re children, they play with boxes and create things.”
Each piece in the exhibit is a snippet of a larger narrative: boxboy Jr. jumps into his cardboard box, and it becomes a plane, a boat, a hot air balloon, and he’s off on an adventure.
Lanier’s work takes the viewer on their own adventure exploring the details. He’s hidden reminders for his young protagonist throughout the works: dream, travel the world, be relentless, be fearless. One piece says, “If you see this you will have good luck.”
Within exhibit’s four orange walls and against the backdrop of boxboy Jr.’s adventures, these messages reflect the spirit and principles of one who is unencumbered, yet to be discouraged by life’s challenges — one who joyfully says ‘yes.’
“The one thing about this particular show … is it kind of universally brings joy to people. Even if it’s not really your thing,” Ward said. “I think that’s a credit to the curation of the show. I think it’s a credit to the way the gallery is utilized. And certainly, it’s a credit to Alex and the content of his work.”
Ward says the exhibit has attracted a younger audience to the museum. He loves that boxboy Jr. is just down the hall from some Italian works that are over 400 years old and brand new art by Polk County students, Scholastic Art Award Winners, who might be launching careers in the arts.
Ward, who was also previously the principal at Harrison, said that during Lanier’s time as a student, he actually would have taken his high school art classes in the museum’s education space.
“They walked through these halls and saw these art exhibits and had the teachers here,” Ward said. Returning to the museum for his first museum show was a full circle moment for Lanier.
Catch a glimpse of boxboy, Jr. through Sunday, April 19. When you do, stop by the Creative Library next door, where the walls are papered with sticky notes all responding to a question: What’s your next adventure?
What: “Imaginations: The Adventures of ‘boxboy Jr.’ and the Art of Alex Lanier”
Where: The Ashley Gibson Barnett Museum of Art at Florida Southern College, 800 E. Palmetto St.
When: Now through Sunday, April 19, at 11 a.m.
Admission: Free
If you miss boxboy Jr. at the museum, Lanier will return to Lakeland May 9-10 for Mayfaire by-the-Lake 2026.
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