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92NY’s Goldman Center for Children and Family provides an exceptional array of programs designed to support children at every stage of their development.
The feminist revolution of the 1970s also sparked an artistic one as pioneering women artists laid the groundwork for new conceptions of art in the areas of performance, craft, abstraction, and eco-feminism. This exhibition explores these four themes through photographs, video and text, tracing their emergence at the hands of iconic “mother” figures and following them as they weave through contemporary art and are today embraced by artists of all genders. Mothers of Invention: The Feminist Roots of Contemporary Art reveals how many of the most important tendencies in current art are rooted in feminist ideals that were first articulated in the mid-20th century and have given birth to possibilities that shape today’s vibrant and pluralistic art world.
In keeping with feminist principles of cooperation and collaboration, we, the curators of this show, are a four-woman writers’ collective whose work is devoted to examining feminism’s role in shaping our contemporary cultural consciousness. This exhibition is based on our co-authored book of the same name. Taking each theme in turn, we explore the ways that feminism’s emphasis on connectivity rather than competition points to a larger social transformation that promises a world that works for all.
Eleanor Heartney
Helaine Posner
Nancy Princenthal
Sue Scott
Join us for to the 32nd Annual Student Exhibition, a juried showcase of works by students in 92NY’s fine art, ceramics, and jewelry programs.
This immersive exploration of artistic expression and achievement celebrates the talent of individual students, the devotion of the Art Center faculty to the process of teaching, and the 92NY community of artists.
For more than 90 years, the Art Center at 92NY has provided students of all ages and levels of accomplishment with an excellent educational experience, providing training that helps build technical skills as well as an informed appreciation of the arts. Paramount is the process of making art: the self-fulfillment, intellectual engagement, challenge, and joy that the practice of studio art can provide.
As we celebrate the opening of our new studios this year (renovations made possible through 92NY’s Campaign for the Next 150 Capital Project), it is especially appropriate to recognize the spirit of creativity and connection that grows up amongst the students and the faculty in these spaces.
We would like to thank Catherine Hannah Behrend, an esteemed member of the 92NY community, whose support has made this exhibition possible, and who exemplifies the dedication needed to uphold the tradition of showcasing the remarkable talents within our artistic community.
We would like to thank Eileen Jeng Lynch, Director of Curatorial Programs at The Bronx Museum, for serving as this year’s guest juror. As part of her duties, she has selected her favorite work from each of the following categories: drawing; collage; jewelry; oil and acrylic painting; watercolor; sculpture; and utilitarian ceramics.
This exhibition of work by the faculty of The 92nd Street Y’s Art Center is an integral component of the 92NY annual exhibition program. The Art Center is committed to the practice of hiring teaching artists: individuals trained in fine art, ceramics and jewelry who maintain their own professional careers while giving back as teachers. Featuring their work as artists in this exhibition is our way of acknowledging and celebrating their creative identities outside of 92NY. It is also a way to say thank you for the time and energy they commit to our students in the studios. As we celebrate the opening of our new fine arts, ceramics and jewelry studios this year (renovations made possible through our Campaign for the Next 150 Capital Project), it is especially appropriate to recognize the contributions of our prestigious faculty to the Art Center and to the wider field of visual arts.
This exhibition, along with the Art Center student and visiting artist exhibitions, is generously supported by one of 92NY’s most passionate supporters, Catherine Hannah Behrend. Serving on the 92NY Board of Directors since 1976 and a leader in the arts, Cathie is also a student of the Art Center, and participates in drawing and art appreciation classes. Cathie has experienced how meaningful the Art Center exhibitions are for the community, and we are so grateful that her support has allowed us to continue the tradition.
Join us at the 31st Annual Student Exhibition for an immersive exploration of artistic expression and achievement. As we proudly present the diverse talents of our students, we also honor the profound legacy of the 92Y Art Center during its momentous 150th anniversary.
For over 90 years, the Art Center has been a nurturing ground for artistic exploration, offering accessible educational experiences in various disciplines such as art appreciation, fine art, ceramics, jewelry, and metalsmithing for all learners. At the heart of our mission is the art-making process—an odyssey of self-fulfillment, intellectual engagement, challenge, and joy. This annual exhibition serves as a testament to our students’ dedication, providing a platform for contemplation, comparison, and critique.
In honor of 92NY’s 150th Anniversary, we asked our students to share how the Art Center has impacted their lives:
In 1930, 56 years after the establishment of The 92nd Street Y, the Art Center found its home on 92nd Street and Lexington Avenue. Today, we draw inspiration from this storied legacy, recognizing the profound connection between our students’ artistry and the historical roots that define our institution.
Our gratitude extends to Catherine Hannah Behrend, an esteemed member of the 92NY community, whose unwavering support has made this exhibition possible. Individuals like Catherine exemplify the dedication needed to uphold the tradition of showcasing the incredible talent within our artistic community.
We would also like to thank Masha Turchinsky, Director and CEO of Hudson River Museum, for serving as this year’s guest juror.
Join us in celebrating 150 years of artistic excellence, bridging the past with the future and ensuring the perpetual journey of artistic discovery.
Step into a world of inspiration and transformation at the Annual Faculty Art Exhibition. This year, we are not only showcasing our talented faculty; we are also celebrating 150 years of creativity.
The remarkable art on display in the Weill Art Gallery is a testament to the dedication and talent of our teaching artists. These individuals, who skillfully balance their professional careers with their roles as educators, have poured their creativity into the works on display.
In 1930, 56 years after The 92nd Street Y, New York was established, the Art Center was founded. With designated classrooms providing a creative home at the new building on 92nd Street and Lexington Avenue, the foundation was set. Drawing & Painting and Arts & Crafts classes opened to all genders and ages, igniting the spark of artistic exploration. This marked the inception of an ambitious exhibition program that would later cement the Art Center as a haven for artists and art enthusiasts.
In this exhibition, you will witness the powerful connection between the artistry of today and the legacy of the past that has shaped our institution. The past fuels our commitment to excellence and innovation, ensuring our programs remain as dynamic as ever.
We are immensely grateful to Catherine Hannah Behrend who has made this exhibition possible. As a member of 92NY’s Board of Directors since 1976, she embodies the spirit of our community and is a devoted student of the Art Center. Her dedication has allowed us to preserve the tradition of exhibitions that unite our community.
Join us on this journey as we celebrate 150 years of artistic excellence, uniting the past with the future.
Planned before the recent war in the Middle East broke out, Between Edges: Israeli Contemporary Jewelry focuses on the extremes of life in Israel, a place of constant conflict, where living and creating is continually experienced on the edge. It explores the processes of design, how and when we define the edges, and what happens in between. The rare use of materials and disciplines in jewelry pushes the boundaries between high and low concept, combining trash and diamonds, plastic with gold, iron with salt, silver with stone. The result is a unique combination of handmade craftmanship and cutting-edge technology.
“As a designer exploring Israeli design, I see how the extreme life in Israel influences our unconscious—exploring, checking edges and boundaries and leading us to sharp, contemporary jewelry design.”
Gillian Golan
Omer Adar
Noy Alon
Shirly Bar-Amotz
Samah Bathish
Dana Hakim Bercovich
Keren Gispan
Sofi Goldberg
Anat Grozovski-Aboucaya
Noga Harel
Natali Itzhak
Gregory Larin
Alam Lion
Peleg Mercedes Matityahu
Yafit Ben Meshulam
Orina Parente
Yael Pilo
Katia Rabey
Daniella Saraya
Deganit Schocken
Sara Shahak
Rachel Dahan Taanach
Between Edges is curated by Gillian Golan and Jonathan Wahl.
This exhibition has been made possible with the support of Shenkar College of Engineering, Design, and Art.
Join us for the opening reception of the 30th Annual Student Exhibition. This exhibition of work by adult students enrolled in Art Center classes celebrates the talents of individual students. the devotion of the faculty to the process of teaching, and the community of artists at 92NY.
The Art Center Student Exhibition will be on view in the Weill Art Gallery at 92NY from May 26-July 10.
This exhibition, along with the Art Center faculty and visiting artist exhibitions, is generously supported by one of 92NY’s most passionate supporters, Catherine Hannah Behrend. Serving on the 92NY Board of Directors since 1976 and a leader in the arts, Cathie is also a student of the Art Center participating in drawing and art appreciation classes. Cathie has experienced how meaningful the Art Center exhibitions are for the community and we are so grateful that her support has allowed us to continue the tradition.
As part of Radical Adornment: The Music of JULIUS EASTMAN, The 92nd Street Y, New York is proud to present a unique exhibition showcasing photographs of Eastman captured by photographer Christine Rusiniak, including the iconic Water Series. Rusiniak’s lens offers a rare glimpse into the world of Eastman, and the essence of his creative spirit.
“It’s through art that I can search for the self and keep in touch with my resources and the real me.”
Julius Eastman, July 1976
“While coordinating the S.E.M. Ensemble, of which Julius Eastman was a founding member, I had many opportunities to photograph the group in rehearsals and at performances. I witnessed Eastman’s enormous talent - his sensitivity, humor, versatility, musicality, and leadership. He was an experimenter and risk taker. Julius could perform as an innocent, as the Mad King, as a dancer, painter, composer, singer, pianist. He reached deeply into himself, drew upon archetypes, could be a tragic or comedic figure. The images in this exhibit add a visual aspect and dimension to the musical performances celebrating the legacy of Julius Eastman. Sometimes the word ethereal comes to mind when I think of Julius Eastman because he embodied elegance, grace and beauty.”
— Christine Rusiniak
Chris Rusiniak is an American photographer and event organizer who worked in Buffalo, New York, in the 1970s. In 1974, Rusiniak co-organized the month-long events in Experiments in Art and Technology Exhibit 11011011 Broadcast 887574 at the University of Buffalo. As coordinator of the S.E.M. Ensemble, of which Julius Eastman was a founding member, she developed an interest in documenting musical performances …
Chris Rusiniak is an American photographer and event organizer who worked in Buffalo, New York, in the 1970s. In 1974, Rusiniak co-organized the month-long events in Experiments in Art and Technology Exhibit 11011011 Broadcast 887574 at the University of Buffalo. As coordinator of the S.E.M. Ensemble, of which Julius Eastman was a founding member, she developed an interest in documenting musical performances. In the mid 1970s, Rusiniak took up residence at 30 Essex Street in a warehouse that had been converted into studios for artists. While there, she participated in the beginnings of Hallwalls, a new venue for avant-garde artists, which is flourishing today. In recent years, since the rediscovery of Julius Eastman and worldwide events honoring his genius, writers, musicians, researchers, and curators have sought Chris Rusiniak’s images of Eastman. Her images have appeared in books and articles and have been exhibited in Buffalo, Philadelphia, New York City, San Francisco, London, and Berlin. Chris Rusiniak currently lives in Tucson, Arizona. Her most recent project is a collaboration with Wild Up, the Grammy-nominated avant-garde musical group that is using Rusiniak’s Water Series images of Julius Eastman for CDs and albums in their Julius Eastman Anthology.
The 92nd Street Y, New York proudly announces that prints of award-winning graphic artist and writer Adrian Tomine will be the focus of the newest exhibition in 92NY’s Weill Art Gallery. For over two decades, Tomine’s acclaimed art has been on the cover and in the pages of The New Yorker, with one of his most famous works pictured above, “Love Life,” from the cover of the December 7, 2020 issue, with its salient commentary about online dating during the first year of the pandemic. An accomplished writer as well as an artist, Tomine’s 2007 graphic novel, Shortcomings, has been made into a feature film selected for 2023’s Sundance Film Festival, with a screenplay written by Tomine and directed by Randall Park. Tomine has written eight books, many of them national bestsellers, and his most recent one, The Loneliness of the Long-Distance Cartoonist, was selected as one of the best books of 2021 by both the New York Times and Publishers Weekly.
I’ve had the privilege of working in a range of creative modes over the years — as an illustrator, writer, designer, editor — but I primarily think of myself as a cartoonist. Comics was the medium that first sparked my interest in art, and it’s the field I’ve spent the most time in. While the images in this exhibition would clearly fall into the category of “illustration,” I’d like to think that they have certain qualities that could only result from my years making comics. I suppose the main difference is that, with comics, I break up a story into a lot of small panels, and with these illustrations, I’m trying to tell a story in one big panel. Most of these images originally appeared on the cover of The New Yorker, and I’m deeply indebted to Françoise Mouly (the arts editor at the magazine) for her early belief in me and her steadfast guidance and support. The prints were produced by Nocerino Editions of Denver, CO, and the images were created in various apartments in Brooklyn, NY.
— Adrian Tomine
Adrian Tomine was born in 1974 in Sacramento, California. His graphic novels include Killing and Dying, The Loneliness of the Long-Distance Cartoonist, Summer Blonde, and Shortcomings, which was a New York Times Notable Book. Since 1999, his comics and illustrations have appeared in the pages and on the cover of The New Yorker …
Adrian Tomine was born in 1974 in Sacramento, California. His graphic novels include Killing and Dying, The Loneliness of the Long-Distance Cartoonist, Summer Blonde, and Shortcomings, which was a New York Times Notable Book. Since 1999, his comics and illustrations have appeared in the pages and on the cover of The New Yorker. A film adaptation of his stories entitled Paris, 13th District was released in 2021, and a feature adaptation of Shortcomings will be released in 2023. Tomine lives in Brooklyn with his wife and daughters.
This exhibition of work by the faculty of 92NY’s Art Center is an integral component of the 92NY annual exhibition program. The Art Center at 92NY is committed to the practice of hiring teaching artists: individuals trained in fine art, ceramics and jewelry who maintain their own professional careers while giving back as teachers. Featuring their work as artists in this exhibition is our way of acknowledging and celebrating their creative identities outside of 92NY. It is also a way to say thank you for the time and energy they commit to our students in the studios. While celebrating the talents of the current faculty, this exhibition also serves as a reminder of the long and rich history of the Art Center and the contributions of its prestigious faculty to the wider field of visual arts.
This exhibition, along with the Art Center student and visiting artist exhibitions, are generously supported by one of 92NY’s most passionate supporters, Catherine Hannah Behrend. Serving on the 92NY Board of Directors since 1976 and a leader in the arts, Cathie is also a student of the Art Center participating in drawing and art appreciation classes. Cathie has experienced how meaningful the Art Center exhibitions are for the community and we are so grateful that her support has allowed us to continue the tradition.
“I have captured these images during my travels where I have focused on women going about their lives. With my camera I have tried to convey a sense of time and place, highlighting the indigenous landscapes, dress and color. Each photograph is an individual arrested image, but collectively illustrate a commonality that women from all cultures share—striving to thrive in a male-dominated world. The women pictured often use color and style to proclaim their pride of survival, sometimes a calm acceptance, and in some instances quiet resignation. Sometimes I encounter a wry, humorous understanding of the obstacles which they and their sisters everywhere must overcome. Encountering Women is not only a glimpse of women around the world in their quotidian lives, but a celebration of the extraordinary courage they display in navigating our complex world.”
–Evelene Wechsler
To view all photos included in the exhibition, please follow this link: Encountering Women at 92NY, full photo album
Evelene Wechsler studied sculpture and photography at The New School for Social Research, New York, as well as painting and composition with Victor D’Amico at The Napeague Institute of Art, Napeague, New York, an affiliate of the Museum of Modern Art, New York. She is a graduate of the New York School of Interior Design …
Evelene Wechsler studied sculpture and photography at The New School for Social Research, New York, as well as painting and composition with Victor D’Amico at The Napeague Institute of Art, Napeague, New York, an affiliate of the Museum of Modern Art, New York. She is a graduate of the New York School of Interior Design.
Her photographs have been exhibited at Guild Hall in East Hampton, New York, the Arlene Bujese Gallery in East Hampton, New York, the Nightingale Gallery in Water Mill, New York, and the Vered Gallery in East Hampton, New York. Her exhibitions have been reviewed in The New York Times and Southampton Press.
She is the author of two books: Hampton Gardens, a 350 year legacy, published by Rizzoli in 2004, and Private Hampton Gardens, published in 2001. Her work has also appeared in Quest Magazine.
Her photographs are in numerous private and corporate collections, as well as the collections of The Asia Society, New York, The Museum of Modern Art, New York, and The Hebrew University, Jerusalem, Israel.
Welcome to the 29th Annual Student Exhibition! For over 90 years the 92Y Art Center has provided students of all ages and all levels of accomplishment with a superior educational experience whether in art appreciation, fine art, ceramics or jewelry and metalsmithing. As part of this mission, the Art Center provides training that helps to build technical skills as well as an informed appreciation of the arts. What is paramount is the art-making process: the self-fulfillment, intellectual engagement, challenge and fun that the practice of studio art can provide. However, the exhibition of one’s work can be an important part of this process. It provides a forum for contemplation, comparison, and critique, along with the simple joy of sharing one’s accomplishments. This annual exhibition of work by adult students enrolled in 92NY’s studio art classes celebrates the talents of individual students, the devotion of the faculty to the process of teaching, and the 92NY community of artists.
We would like to sincerely thank Catherine Futter, Director of Curatorial Affairs and Senior Curator of Decorative Arts at the Brooklyn Museum, for serving as the guest juror of this year’s exhibition. As part of her duties, she has selected her favorite work from each of the following categories – oil painting, drawing, collage, watercolor, ceramics, and jewelry.
In addition, the Art Center would like to thank Catherine Hannah Behrend for her generous support of this Annual Student Exhibition and all of the art exhibitions at 92NY.
Curated by Stephanie Baptist, On Being features the work of two visual artists: Dana Robinson and Maya Varadaraj. Drawing from a newer body of works (2020-2022), the exhibition consists of paintings and several installations that ask us to reconsider dominant narratives that feed into our personal and social identities. Central to these artists' practice is a penchant for using old memorabilia — magazines, advertisements, and calendars to investigate race and cultural identity.
Dana Robinson’s work addresses black female identity by using 70s Ebony magazines as source materials. In the Ebony Reprinted series (2018-present) we see smeared and textured paintings of unrecognizable faces pulled from magazine covers. Robinson deliberately uses a bright and playful color palette to invite accessibility while setting the stage for a deeper analysis of these vibrant works. Removing the original meaning and intent behind these covers, Robinson hopes to “eliminate all traces of exploitative, white-dominated, capitalist and commercial language” as a way to gain greater agency.
Similarly, Varadaraj’s work often explores the South Asian women's docile persona, as reflected in calendars, advertisements and illustrations, stemming from the 1940s and permeates to the present day. Her dislocation and masking of women from these prescribed domestic settings and responsibilities, liberate them from servitude and inscribe new meaning around convention and one’s place in the world. For this exhibition, Varadaraj presents a new series of charcoal drawings and paintings. Stepping away from the use of pop culture images to access a more personal narrative. Here the artist uses her own family photographs to interpret the manifestation of society through the individual and the family. Graphite drawings juxtapose highly detailed drawings with large areas of blurred graphite that swallow the figures’ face. Within these blurred areas, the artist intends for society to enter the personal — their own identities as well as interpretations. These individualized perspectives give added meaning to the gestures, clothes and other details found within the drawings.
This exhibition is an exploration of life, its complexities and one’s place in the world. While Robinson and Varadaraj works are singular in practice, shared commonalities include dissection (archival source material) and abstraction as a tool to re-address history, the stories we’ve been told and how identities are perceived.
Stephanie Baptist was a 2019 Catherine Hannah Behrend Fellow, a program of 92nd Street Y to support rising stars in visual arts administration.
The Art Center faculty, adult and special exhibitions are supported by Catherine Hannah Behrend.
Dana Robinson is a Brooklyn based multimedia artist. She uses a variety of materials such as fabric, paint, vintage materials …
Dana Robinson is a Brooklyn based multimedia artist. She uses a variety of materials such as fabric, paint, vintage materials, and other found objects to investigate questions of Blackness, womanhood, and ownership. Conversations of Dana Robinson’s eclectic collection have been covered by publications such as Vice, Ain’t-Bad, NY Mag’s Vulture, and It’s Nice That. Since 2008, she has been in more than 70 shows across the United States and abroad. Most recently, What Comes After, a show at the Wassaic Project upstate NY and The Meeting Point, a curatorial collaboration between Regular Normal and ArtNoir in New York’s Meatpacking District. She was an artist in residence at Stoneleaf Retreat, and a fellow at AIR Gallery in 2021. She has three upcoming solo shows at AIR Gallery, Haul Gallery in Brooklyn, and Fuller Rosen Gallery in Portland. She is also looking forward to her residency at Wassaic Project in 2022.
Maya Varadaraj is an interdisciplinary artist. She received her Bachelor of Fine Arts in Apparel Design from the Rhode Island School of Design …
Maya Varadaraj is an interdisciplinary artist. She received her Bachelor of Fine Arts in Apparel Design from the Rhode Island School of Design before completing a Master’s Degree at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago. Varadaraj’s work has been exhibited internationally at Vitra Design Museum, Museo Del Disseny Barcelona, Nature Morte, Aicon Gallery, Sakshi Gallery, Salone De Mobile, Mana Contemporary, and Medium Tings among others. She has been featured in publications such as Juxtapoz, Platform Magazine, and We Make Money Not Art.
Stephanie Baptist is the Founder and Director of Medium Tings, a roving gallery and project space for art and dialogue …
Stephanie Baptist is the Founder and Director of Medium Tings, a roving gallery and project space for art and dialogue, centering around emerging black artists. The gallery focuses on exhibitions, public art and collaborations to encourage experimentation and sustainability. Medium Tings has collaborated with Anna Zorina Gallery, Art in Ad Places, Times Square Arts (the public art program of the Times Square Alliance), and 92Y, a non-profit cultural and community center. As an independent curator and cultural producer for more than 10 years, Stephanie has collaborated with noted contemporary artists and organizations in the US, Europe and Africa. Stephanie has worked as a curator for Meta’s Open Arts in New York and has served as Head of Exhibitions for Tiwani Contemporary in London. She is the editor of Àsìkò: On the Future of Artistic and Curatorial Pedagogies in Africa, and a 2019 Women in Power Fellow for 92Y in New York. Stephanie is a current mentor for New Inc., and has served as a reviewer for Art Omi, The International Center of Photography, and Parsons School of Design, and The Shed. Stephanie holds an MA in Arts Administration and Cultural Policy from Goldsmiths, University of London and is based in Brooklyn and has been profiled in New York Times, New York Magazine, and New York Review of Books.
Welcome to 92NY Art Center’s Virtual Student Exhibition! For over 90 years, 92NY’s Art Center has filled a critical space in New York’s cultural fabric by providing students of all ages and levels of accomplishment with a superior educational experience whether in art appreciation, fine art, ceramics or jewelry and metalsmithing. As part of this mission, the Art Center provides training that helps to build technical skills as well as an informed appreciation of the arts. What is paramount is the art-making process: the self-fulfillment, intellectual engagement, challenge and fun that the practice of studio art can provide. However, the exhibition of one’s work can be an important part of this process. It provides a forum for contemplation, comparison, and critique, along with the simple joy of sharing one’s accomplishments. After this challenging year, we are especially proud to share this annual exhibition of work by adult students enrolled in 92NY’s in-studio and online art classes that celebrates the talents of individual students, the devotion of the faculty to the process of teaching, and the 92NY community of artists.
We would like to sincerely thank our faculty for the expertise and guidance they provided students while selecting work for this virtual exhibition. A special thanks to the 92NY web team for their help in creating this virtual exhibition and to our community of artists for sharing their talents with us.
In addition, the Art Center would like to thank Gilda Block for her continued generous support of this Annual Student Exhibition.
The 92NY Art Center Team
This exhibition of work by the faculty of 92NY’s Art Center is an integral component of the 92NY annual exhibition program. The Art Center at 92NY is committed to the practice of hiring teaching artists: individuals trained in fine art, ceramics and jewelry who maintain their own professional careers while giving back as teachers. Featuring their work as artists in this exhibition is our way of acknowledging and celebrating their creative identities outside of 92NY. It is also a way to say thank you for the time and energy they commit to our students in the studios. While celebrating the talents of the current faculty, this exhibition also serves as a reminder of the long and rich history of the Art Center and the contributions of its prestigious faculty to the wider field of visual arts.
This exhibition, along with the Adult Student exhibition and special exhibitions this spring, is generously supported by Art Center student and 92NY board member, Catherine Hannah Behrend.
The 92nd Street Y, New York is pleased to exhibit Tina Rath’s installation, Requiem, which she describes as a ritualized grief project, communal ceremony, and a memorial to honor and celebrate the lives of those who have died from COVID-19. This international project with worldwide scope provides a necessary opportunity to grieve together while offering support to these souls as they pass from one state of being into the next. Combining jewelry and visual art, Requiem consists of 108 necklaces of carved and ebonized wood that mass together creating a prayer mala on the perimeter of the gallery, and a collection of circle drawings in gold ink lining the walls — one circle representing each person who has passed — which are displayed in the space. The names of those who died from COVID will be written on the golden circles, which act as placeholders until names are learned. Rath hopes to eventually memorialize every person who has died from the pandemic in this way.
With worldwide deaths from COVID-19 nearly at 5 million people, over 34,500 in New York City alone, artist Tina Rath commented, “The numbers tell us how many, but they don’t tell us who. It’s abstract, the numbers are too big to truly comprehend. And now it’s personal for me, having recently lost a family member to the virus. My intent of this exhibition is to offer a visual understanding of just how many people have died as well as to give us all an opportunity to recognize and honor each individual whose life was lost to COVID.”
Tina Rath is a Bay Area visual artist whose work consists of jewelry and drawing. She holds degrees from The University of the Arts in Philadelphia (BFA) and The Sandberg Insituut in Amsterdam (MFA). Her work is included in the permanent collections of the Museum of Art and Design in New York City, The Museum of Fine Arts Boston and the Mint Museum in Charlotte, NC.
Requiem is part of New York City Jewelry Week 2021.
Supporting Sponsors:
This exhibition of work by the faculty of 92NY’s Art Center is an integral component of the 92NY annual exhibition program. The Art Center at 92NY is committed to the practice of hiring teaching artists: individuals trained in fine art, ceramics and jewelry who maintain their own professional careers while giving back as teachers. Featuring their work as artists in this exhibition is our way of acknowledging and celebrating their creative identities outside of 92NY. It is also a way to say thank you for the time and energy they commit to our students in the studios. While celebrating the talents of the current faculty, this exhibition also serves as a reminder of the long and rich history of the Art Center and the contributions of its prestigious faculty to the wider field of visual arts.
This exhibition, along with the Adult Student exhibition held in the spring, is generously supported by one of 92NY’s most dedicated supporters, Gilda Block and her late husband Henry. A patron in the best sense of the word, Gilda is also a regular participant in many 92NY programs from lectures to concerts to painting classes. Gilda experiences firsthand all that 92NY has to offer its community and has found meaningful ways to contribute to this effort for which we are ever grateful.
Allison Valchuis Chapman
Director
92NY Art Center
The act of wrapping is essential to Natsuko Hattori’s sculptures. Fabric—in rich and often vibrant colors—is wrapped around cotton to form soft balls, which are bound together to make each unique artwork. The gesture of wrapping is an act of transformation that converts pain, sadness and despair into positive energy, conveying a sense of happiness and celebrating the human spirit.
This exhibition marks the culmination of the artist’s ten years in New York City. Exploring art beyond the boundaries of specific genres, Hattori collaborates with artists across media. For the exhibition’s reception, she brings a special intersection together in collaboration with 92NY’s Harkness Dance Center: the premiere of an improvised original dance featuring Hattori’s wearable art. The reception also features Masako Gibeault, an Ikebana (Japanese flower arrangement) artist. Exhibits include a new flower vase series made with Japanese kimono and obi, costumes, sculptures, and more.
Supporting Sponsors:
An exhibition of photographs and face jewelry by 92NY’s 2019 Artist In Residence. Claudia Lepik is an Estonian jeweler working in metal and mixed media with an edgy, avant-garde style. A recent graduate of the Estonian Academy of Arts, she explores connecting jewelry to the body in unusual ways, using the power of tension in her materials to hide and reveal parts of the body, and delves into the themes of strength and fragility. This show is part of NYC Jewelry Week.
“Lepik’s pieces block and distort the face, sometimes in ways that are conventionally attractive, and other times in ways that challenge conventional expectations of jewelry.”
Olivia Martin, Town & Country Magazine
Bonnie Lautenberg created the vibrant, monumental photographs that comprise Honey and Ice while she was on the go: flying in a plane over mountainous Israel and traveling in a boat around the shores of Antarctica. Both sites are far removed from the intense New York cityscapes of the artist’s American home. And yet presented here as single images, diptychs, or colorful friezes, the photographs in Honey and Ice establish themselves as part of an American artistic tradition in which depicting landscape’s beauty is incumbent upon reflecting nature’s power and precarity. Lautenberg belongs to this creative lineage—in which the artist seeks not to intrude upon the scene but to honor a contract of repair.
Bonnie Lautenberg started exhibiting her photographs in 2003 at a gallery in Sag Harbor, NY …
Bonnie Lautenberg started exhibiting her photographs in 2003 at a gallery in Sag Harbor, NY. Her projects include Earthworks, Change Has Come to America, Pop Rocks, Is She or Isn’t She, ARTISTICA! and How They Changed Our Lives: Senators as Working People. Lautenberg’s work is in five museum collections around the country and has been purchased by collectors far and wide. Her 2008 photograph of Barack Obama has been displayed in American embassies in Germany and Spain, and in the Obama White House.
Welcome to the 27th Annual Student Exhibition! For over 89 years the 92NY Art Center has provided students of all ages and all levels of accomplishment with a superior educational experience whether in art appreciation, fine art, ceramics or jewelry and metalsmithing. As part of this mission, the Art Center provides training that helps to build technical skills as well as an informed appreciation of the arts. What is paramount is the art-making process: the self-fulfillment, intellectual engagement, challenge and fun that the practice of studio art can provide. However, the exhibition of one’s work can be an important part of this process. It provides a forum for contemplation, comparison and critique, along with the simple joy of sharing one’s accomplishments. This annual exhibition of work by adult students enrolled in 92NY’s studio art classes celebrates the talents of individual students, the devotion of the faculty to the process of teaching and the 92NY community of artists.
The numerous entries received always require us to limit the number of objects exhibited in the gallery. We would like to sincerely thank Cindy Trope, Associate Curator at Cooper-Hewitt, National Design Museum, for serving as the guest juror of this year’s exhibition. As part of her duties, she has selected her favorite work from each of the following categories—oil painting, drawing, collage, watercolor, ceramics and jewelry.
In addition, the Art Center would like to thank Gilda Block for her continued generous support of this annual student exhibition.
Allison Valchuis Chapman
Director
Art Center
Great photographers see the same world in which we exist, but their artistry is in the perspective, the framing and the context which casts a moment in ways that elude most of us. Judy Glickman Lauder is a great photographer, but part of her unique extraordinary artistry is the “soulfulness” she brings to her work as demonstrated in this exhibition.
There is something more than the faces and objects and places that appear in this exhibition. They are all part of a larger story, a personal thirty-year voyage on which she invites us to join her as she has always photographed that to which she is drawn. Some of the images in this exhibition lace historic and often tragic events with a human filter that urges us to have it all enter our lives as something more than memory. The faces become part of a timeline which surges forward to the future.
Other images catapult us into the exquisite loveliness of our world, encouraging us to find interest, if not joyfully fall in love with the places and objects which we may not have previously beheld the same way as the sensitive eye of the photographer encourages us to focus differently. Together, this exhibition contains an incipient hope that we forge forward into the splendor and possibilities of tomorrow never losing our grasp of the preciousness and power of yesterday.
The journey of this exhibition awaits us.
—Rabbi Peter J. Rubinstein
Judy Glickman Lauder is an internationally recognized photographer, humanitarian and philanthropist. She is a Fellow of the Royal Photographic Society of Great Britain. Her work is held in private collections and public institutions around the world, including the J. Paul Getty Museum, Los Angeles; the Whitney Museum of American Art, New York; the Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York; and the United States Holocaust Museum, Washington, DC. She is represented by the Howard Greenberg Gallery in New York City.
A number of photographs were recently published by the Aperture Foundation in a book titled Beyond the Shadows: The Holocaust and the Danish Exception (2018). These photographs are also the subject of two traveling exhibitions, Holocaust: The Presence of the Past and Resistance and Rescue: Denmark’s Response to the Holocaust, which have been shown at more than two hundred institutions around the world. Other books include Upon Reflection: Photographs by Judith Ellis Glickman (2012); Both Sides of the Camera: Photographs from the Collection of Judy Ellis Glickman (2007); as well as a book on the work of her father, For the Love of It: the Photography of Irving Bennett Ellis (2008).
Presently, Ms. Glickman Lauder serves on the Board of Trustees of the Portland Museum of Art and is a member of both the Getty Museum Photographic Council and the Photographic Visiting Committee of the Metropolitan Museum of Art.
Since 1935, 92NY’s Harkness Dance Center has been an historic home of modern dance, supporting the talents of pioneers like Martha Graham, Alvin Ailey and José Limón. As part of this year’s Harkness Dance Festival (March 1-30), we present photographs by James Klosty and Stephanie Berger to create a conversation between two eras of one of the dance field’s most important artists: Merce Cunningham.
James Klosty’s black and white photographs (1968-1972), taken during the golden years of the Merce Cunningham Dance Company, tell the story of the radical experimentations and collaborations between a powerful nexus of personas, and of Cunningham not only as a choreographer but also as a dancer at his peak. We see, through Klosty’s unfettered access, icons of the avant-garde—John Cage, Marcel Duchamp, Jasper Johns—interacting and creating art with Cunningham as the company rehearsed and toured the world redefining dance and influencing younger artists for generations.
Klosty writes that his intention “has not been to document or ‘illustrate’ Cunningham’s dances … dancing is a process far less understandable … than the arresting, gracious, somehow comprehensible form the dancer’s body assumes upon a piece of paper …. While photography is literally a timeless art—what’s left when time is taken away—dancing’s very being is time … For this reason my focus is not dancing but an association of artists … (and) the current almost palpably surrounding the man, charging his work, informing every aspect of that world which, by his presence, he defines.”
In contrast, Stephanie Berger’s vibrant color photos feature the last company of dancers with whom Cunningham worked, and capture a later generation of collaborators, many of whom have gone on to their own choreographic careers, like Dylan Crossman, highlighting the impact of Cunningham’s legacy. Berger’s photos emphasize the heights of the jumps, the quickness of the steps, the geometry and precision of the dancers that are stunning for their virtuosity and unpredictable forms. As technology advanced with digital cameras, time speeds up and the crispness of pixels contrast with the grain of film.
Berger writes, “I photographed the Merce Cunningham Dance Company dancers many times, during dress rehearsals and live performances, including their two-year residency within the site-specific galleries at Dia:Beacon and the company’s “Final Events” performances at the Park Avenue Armory. I am still in awe of Merce’s collaborations with artists and the cutting-edge innovations he created even as he approached his nineties. Responding to the sounds and shifts of tempo, I looked for moments that articulated the dancers’ expressivity and form, to show tension and energy, stillness and movement that frame the genius of his choreography and bring the viewer back into the experience of these performances.”
Through the lenses of both Klosty and Berger, we see the timelessness of Cunningham’s work, and how his many collaborations inspired a legacy that will influence art and choreography of the future.
Ron Agam was born in France in 1958. Arriving in New York in the 1980s, he established himself as a photographer and opened the Artlife gallery in SoHo. In 1994, his debut monograph, At the Wall, garnered wide acclaim for its penetrating photographs of the ultra-orthodox inhabitants of the Mea Shearim neighborhood and the daily rituals of the Western Wall. In 2009 Agam was made Chevalier of the Legion of Honor of France, cited for his “key role in establishing a relationship of trust and cooperation between France and the Jewish community in America.” In 2010, Agam picked up a crayon and began to draw. He has since established a fruitful second act in his artistic career as a painter. Rendered in formally precise, texturally refined surfaces, his wide-ranging works yet cohere as a unified body that questions the mechanics and metaphysics of the act of seeing itself.
This exhibition of work by the faculty of 92NY’s Art Center is an integral component of the 92NY annual exhibition program. The Art Center at 92NY is committed to the practice of hiring teaching artists: individuals trained in fine art, ceramics and jewelry who maintain their own professional careers while giving back as teachers. Featuring their work as artists in this exhibition is our way of acknowledging and celebrating their creative identities outside of 92NY. It is also a way to say thank you for the time and energy they commit to our students in the studios. While celebrating the talents of the current faculty, this exhibition also serves as a reminder of the long and rich history of the Art Center and the contributions of its prestigious faculty to the wider field of visual arts.
This exhibition, along with the student exhibitions that are held in the spring, is generously supported by one of 92NY’s most dedicated supporters, Gilda Block and her late husband Henry. A patron in the best sense of the word, Gilda is also a regular participant in many 92NY programs from lectures to concerts to painting classes. Gilda experiences firsthand all that 92NY has to offer its community and has found meaningful ways to contribute to this effort for which we are ever grateful.
Allison Valchuis Chapman
Director
92NY Art Center
92NY welcomes celebrated artist Shantell Martin to a three-month multimedia residency at 92NY. Martin’s work is a meditation of lines; a language of characters, creatures and messages that invites viewers to share a role in the creative process. With her characteristic black-and-white, 3D, spontaneous freestyle compositions, Shantell Martin will break down the wall between creator and community. Audiences are invited to interact with Martin’s work through intimate moments that bridge fine art, performance art, technology, and conversation.
Why Now. is an exploration of identity. It explores how the process of self-discovery plays into one’s identity with community and society at large. While this is an important and serious journey every person must make for themselves, Martin demonstrates the positivity of a spontaneous, fun and humorous approach.
Below the surface of Shantell Martin’s characteristic black and white compositions is an artists’ inquiry into the role of artist and viewer. In Martin’s world, a work of art is inseparable from its creator and its audience …
Below the surface of Shantell Martin’s characteristic black and white compositions is an artists’ inquiry into the role of artist and viewer. In Martin’s world, a work of art is inseparable from its creator and its audience, and art is more than an object of admiration disconnected from the process of its inception. Rather, she sees her work as a vehicle to forge new connections between education, design, philosophy and technology — the glue in an increasingly interdisciplinary world. Her methodical practice of bringing the audience and surroundings into her drawings is a reflection on ever changing time and space.
Martin’s work with institutions such as the MIT Media Lab, Autodesk and New York University’s Tisch School of the Arts denote her ongoing inquiry into new models and technologies that are transforming the way art is made and consumed. Eschewing traditional art world norms, Martin’s work purposefully bridges fine art, performance art, technology and commercial work. Her artwork has appeared in the Brooklyn Museum, Museum of the Contemporary African Diaspora, Bata Shoe Museum and at the prestigious Albright Knox Gallery in Buffalo, New York.
Photo credit: Catalina Kulczar
This project is made possible by generous support from the Mary Lou and Robert J. Morgado Charitable Trust.
For over 88 years the 92NY Art Center has provided students of all ages and all levels of accomplishment with a superior educational experience, whether in art appreciation, fine art, ceramics or jewelry and metalsmithing. As part of this mission, the Art Center provides training that helps to build technical skills as well as an informed appreciation of the arts. What is paramount is the art-making process: the self-fulfillment, intellectual engagement, challenge and fun that the practice of studio art can provide. However, the exhibition of one’s work can be an important part of this process. It provides a forum for contemplation, comparison and critique, along with the simple joy of sharing one’s accomplishments. This annual exhibition of work by adult students enrolled in 92NY’s studio art classes celebrates the talents of individual students, the devotion of the faculty to the process of teaching, and the 92NY community of artists.
The numerous entries received always require us to limit the number of objects exhibited in the gallery. We would like to sincerely thank Sara Softness, assistant curator of special projects at the Brooklyn Museum, for serving as the guest juror of this year’s exhibition. As part of her duties, she has selected her favorite work from each of the following categories: oil painting, drawing, collage, watercolor, ceramics and jewelry design.
In addition, the Art Center would like to thank Gilda Block for her continued generous support of this annual student exhibition.
Allison Valchuis Chapman
Director
92NY Art Center
Balanchine: The Eternal Present
New York City Ballet
Photographs from over 40 years
By Paul Kolnik
Credit: George Balanchine rehearsing Stephanie Saland in Apollo; Choreography by George Balanchine © The George Balanchine Trust; BALANCHINE is a Trademark of The George Balanchine Trust.
Since 1935, 92NY’s Harkness Dance Center has been a historic home of modern dance, nurturing the talents of such pioneers as Martha Graham, Alvin Ailey and Merce Cunningham. In the tradition of these trailblazers, we pride ourselves on carrying forward the art of dance in our educational and performance programs.
Each year we present the Harkness Dance Festival – five weeks of performances with today’s innovators and history makers of dance. The 2018 festival, which ran February 23 to March 24, featured a varied spectrum of artists and works, from revivals of classics to world premieres, and reflects the reputation of 92NY’s Harkness Dance Center as the place not only where modern dance was born … but where it’s all heading.
We were so pleased to present Paul Kolnik’s stunning photographs as part of the 2018 festival. For more than 40 years, he has had an extraordinary window into the world of the New York City Ballet and the astonishing dancers who have worked with the company over the years. These images truly capture the exalting spirit of these artists and specifically the “Eternal Present” of Mr. Balanchine’s legacy.
Christine Chen
Director of Dance and Adult Programming
This event and the exhibition are supported by Producers Circle members Meryl Rosofsky and Stuart H. Coleman.
