The Samuel Dorsky Museum of Art at SUNY New Paltz is pleased share details about three exciting new exhibitions that will open in early fall 2021:
Life After the Revolution: Kate Millett’s Art Colony for Women shares the unique story of a Christmas tree farm in Poughkeepsie, New York, where for more than four decades women artists boldly built a space where they could create community and art together. On view Sept. 11– Dec. 12, 2021.
The Dorsky at 20: Reflections at a Milestone will recount the history of the Dorsky Museum and celebrate its new strengths by featuring recent donations and promised gifts to the Museum’s permanent collection. On view Sept. 11– Dec. 12, 2021.
Follies and Picturesque Tourism examines historicized garden and park buildings, known as “follies,” in the visual culture of 19th century tourism, with an emphasis on New York State. On view Sept. 11– Dec. 12, 2021.
Together, these exhibitions promise visitors unparalleled exposure to historical undercurrents and contemporary trends in regional and national art.
Life After the Revolution: Kate Millett’s Art Colony for Women
Curated by Anna Conlan
Sept. 11 – Dec. 12, 2021
Morgan Anderson Gallery and Howard Greenberg Family Gallery
Description: In 1970, with the advance from her book Sexual Politics, writer and visual artist Kate Millett (1934–2017) bought a run-down farmhouse on the outskirts of Poughkeepsie, New York. Though it was originally intended as a private retreat, by 1978 Millet had collaborated with her partner, Sophie Keir, to transform the space into a women’s art colony.
Summer residencies began in the mid-1980s, with artists working on the Farm for at least five hours a day and spending the remaining time on their art practice. The demanding work included clearing fields, pruning spruce trees, and fixing buildings and machinery. But for these artists it was worth the effort, and most days ended with communal dinners outdoors, where conversations would linger late into the night.
Millett described the art colony as “life after the revolution”: A place where women could experience freedoms that the Women’s and LGBTQ civil rights movements were fighting for, that were not yet available in mainstream society. For more than four decades, artists built and maintained Millett Farm as a dynamic haven where they could create community and art together. This exhibition tells the story of this inspiring venture in contemporary art and queer, feminist activism that took place only half an hour from the doorstep of the Dorsky Museum.
The Dorsky at 20: Reflections at a Milestone
Curated by Amy Fredrickson and Wayne Lempka
Sept. 11 – Dec. 12, 2021
Sara Bedrick Gallery
Description: On Oct. 20, 2001, a dream held by Samuel Dorsky, Neil Trager, and many others came to fruition when SUNY New Paltz and the larger Hudson Valley community celebrated the opening of the Samuel Dorsky Museum of Art on our campus.
To mark our 20th anniversary, and with an eye towards presenting multiple narratives, this exhibition of recent and promised gifts to the Museum’s permanent collection will reflect on our 20 years as a vital cultural force in the region. It will also honor and celebrate the many important individuals who have so generously given exceptional art gifts, helping to ensure that The Dorsky Museum will continue as an abundant resource for the New Paltz campus community and for visitors from across the region and beyond.
This exhibition will be the first in a two-part series where we reflect on our history, plan for our future, and honor all those who have helped to shape The Dorsky Museum into what it is today.
Follies and Picturesque Tourism
Curated by Kerry Dean Carso
Sept. 11 – Dec. 12, 2021
Seminar Room Gallery
Description: In the 19th century, middle-class Americans engaged in “picturesque tourism” by travelling to sites of natural beauty as an escape from rapid industrialization and urbanization. Buildings such as temples, summerhouses, prospect towers and ruins – known as “follies” – ornamented and framed the landscape for the viewers. This exhibition examines follies and picturesque tourism in New York State through prints, paintings, postcards, photographs, book publications and ephemera, to understand the tourist experience of the time.
Programs
The Dorsky will offer a number of online exhibition-related programs and events to the public throughout the spring. For the latest information about public programs please visit http://www.newpaltz.edu/museum or call (845) 257-3844.
Safety during COVID-19
At the Dorsky, safety comes first. Visitors, like all other members of our campus community, are currently required to wear masks in indoor spaces on campus. Galleries have a maximum visitor capacity to allow for safe social distancing. Hand-sanitizing stations are available for visitors upon entering the Museum, and we are conducting frequent cleaning. Please sanitize your hands upon entry and, if you are feeling unwell, please stay home. Please limit the number of personal belongings and bags you bring to the Museum as we will not be offering coat or bag storage. Thank you for helping us keep our community safe!
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.
Funding for The Dorsky’s exhibitions and programs is provided by the Friends of the Samuel Dorsky Museum of Art and SUNY New Paltz.
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.
