The Samuel Dorsky Museum of Art at SUNY New Paltz is pleased share details about the exciting new exhibitions that will open in early 2020:
- Jan Sawka: The Place of Memory (The Memory of Place): Showcasing expansive paintings and intricate engravings that explore memory, place and consciousness, emerging from the artist’s struggle against – and triumph over – political oppression and exile. On view Feb. 8 – July 12, 2020.
- Totally Dedicated: Leonard Contino, 1940–2016: A comprehensive retrospective and the largest exhibition to date of this extraordinary self-taught abstract artist who battled the odds and began making art after a severe spinal cord injury at age 19 left him living with quadriplegia for the rest of his life. On view Jan. 22 – April 5, 2020.
- Collecting Local: Twelve Years of the Hudson Valley Artists Annual Purchase Award: Featuring regional contemporary art that the Dorsky Museum has acquired through its annual Hudson Valley Artists juried exhibition. On view Feb. 8 – July 12, 2020.
- War!: A brief look at how conflict, resolution, sacrifice and patriotism are represented in The Dorsky Museum’s permanent collection. On view Feb. 8 – July 12, 2020.
Together, these exhibitions promise visitors unparalleled exposure to historical undercurrents and contemporary trends in regional, national and international art.
Jan Sawka: The Place of Memory (The Memory of Place)
Guest curated by Hanna Maria Sawka and Dr. Frank Boyer
Feb. 8 – July 12, 2020
Morgan Anderson Gallery & Howard Greenberg Family Gallery
Description: Jan Sawka (1946-2012) was a contemporary artist of Polish origin and global reach. He lived in the Mid-Hudson Valley from 1985 until his death, and produced many of his most notable works in his High Falls, New York, studio. Sawka’s vibrant, expansive paintings and intricately executed drypoint engravings exploring memory, place and consciousness emerge from his struggles against – and triumph over – political oppression and exile.
Totally Dedicated: Leonard Contino, 1940–2016
Organized by the Samuel Dorsky Museum of Art and the estate of Leonard Contino
Curated by Anna Conlan
Jan. 22 – April 5, 2020
Alice and Horace Chandler Gallery and North Gallery
Description: “Totally Dedicated” describes the extraordinary art practice of Leonard Contino, a self-taught abstract artist from Brooklyn who began making art at age 19 after suffering a spinal cord injury that led to him using a wheelchair for the rest of his life. Contino went on to have a 50-year career creating paintings and sculptures that are as technically accomplished as they are compelling. Encompassing more than 80 artworks, “Totally Dedicated” is the largest exhibition of Contino’s work to date, featuring colorful, hard-edged geometric paintings, playful collages, delicate reliefs, and sculptures from the 1960s through the 2000s.
Collecting Local: Twelve Years of the Hudson Valley Artists Annual Purchase Award
Curated by Anna Conlan
Feb. 8 – July 12, 2020
Sara Bedrick Gallery
Description: The annual Hudson Valley Artists exhibition at The Dorsky Museum has grown to become one of the premier annual showcases of our vibrant regional arts community. Each year, curators select from among hundreds of submissions to create a cohesive exhibition demonstrating the strength and diversity of contemporary art from our 11 counties, and thanks to the Alice and Horace Chandler Art Acquisitions Fund, each year The Dorsky acquires one or more of these works for its permanent collection. “Collecting Local” gathers these outstanding artworks together for the very first time.
War!
Curated by Wayne Lempka
Feb. 8 – July 12, 2020
Seminar Room Gallery
Description: “War!” is a brief look at how conflict, resolution, sacrifice and patriotism are represented in The Dorsky Museum’s permanent collection. These works are united not in their judgement or glorification of human conflict, but rather by their shared ability to provide insight into how artists have been influenced by war throughout the ages.
Please join the Dorsky Museum in celebrating these exciting exhibitions at the public opening reception on Saturday, Feb. 8, 2020, from 5 – 7 p.m.
The Dorsky will offer a number of exhibition-related programs, events and education to the public throughout the fall. More information about public programs at the Dorsky Museum can be accessed online.
Funding for The Dorsky’s exhibitions and programs is provided by the Friends of the Samuel Dorsky Museum of Art and SUNY New Paltz.
About The Dorsky Museum
Through its collections, exhibitions and public programs, the Samuel Dorsky Museum of Art supports and enriches the academic programs at the College and serves as a center for Hudson Valley arts and culture. With more than 9,000 square feet of exhibition space distributed over six galleries, The Dorsky Museum is one of the largest museums in the SUNY system. Since its official dedication in 2001, The Dorsky has presented more than 100 exhibitions, including commissions, collection-based projects, and in-depth studies of contemporary artists including Robert Morris, Alice Neel, Judy Pfaff, Carolee Schneemann and Ushio Shinohara.
Museum Hours: Wednesday–Sunday, 11 a.m. – 5 p.m. Closed Mondays, Tuesdays, holidays and intersessions. For more information about The Dorsky Museum and its programs, visit http://www.newpaltz.edu/museum or call (845) 257-3844.
