Art Gallery highlighting university collections

This untitled portrait by Pennsylvania painter Martha Herpst comes from the collection of Ms. Julia Militello and will appear in Connoisseurship  at SUNY Fredonia's Rockefeller Arts Center Art Gallery through Sunday, Nov. 12.  Admission to Connoisseurship is free and open to the public.

Turkish artist Burhan Dogancay's Walls   77 was donated to the SUNY Fredonia permanent collection in 2006 by Angela Dogancay and will appear in Connoisseurship.

“Connoisseurship,” an original exhibition featuring works from SUNY Fredonia permanent collection and the private collections of area art collectors, will open with a free public reception on Friday, Oct. 13 at 7 p.m. in the Rockefeller Arts Center Art Gallery lobby. Live music will be provided by a student wind quintet from the SUNY Fredonia School of Music. Refreshments will be available.

“Connoisseurship” will include such works by premier American printmaker Michael Mazur, 19th century portraits and landscapes from the Darwin Barker Museum in Fredonia, a Picasso maquette, Chinese dynastic art and hand-woven baskets from the Seneca Nation, paintings by respected 20th century artists Martha Herpst, Carl Nordell and more.

“There will be a diverse sampling of artwork,” said Art Gallery Administrator June Miller-Spann. “We hope that this variety will attract members of the community who may be visiting the Art Gallery for the first time. Our goal for this exhibition is to widen the audience for the Art Gallery and build a stronger connection with the university, community and faculty.”

The exhibit will remain on display at the Rockefeller Arts Center Art Gallery through Sunday, Nov. 12. Gallery hours are Tuesday to Thursday, 2 p.m. to 6 p.m.; Friday and Saturday, 2 p.m. to 8 p.m.; and Sunday, 2 p.m. to 6 p.m. Admission is free and open to the public.

“Connoisseurship” is supported by a grant from the Carnahan-Jackson Fund for the Humanities of the Fredonia College Foundation. Additional support is provided by the Dean of Arts and Humanities, Wal-Mart, the SUNY Fredonia Department of Visual Arts and New Media and The Friends of Rockefeller Arts Center.

Co-curated by Ms. Miller-Spann and Art Professor (Emeritus) Mary Lee Lunde, “Connoisseurship” will provide viewers with an opportunity to learn some of the considerations that go into the compilation of an art collection. Educated art enthusiasts look for elements such as style, design, condition and provenance when building personal collections.

“Quite often, people do not realize how art is incorporated into their lives. Art brings pleasure to our lives,” said Ms. Miller-Spann. “With this exhibit, we hope to demonstrate to the public how art collecting is more than a hobby for some people, how it can be a real passion.”

“Connoisseurship” will also call attention to the important role that collectors play in the conservation of a maintaining an art collection.

“Conservation and restoration important aspects to consider when viewing this exhibition,” Ms. Miller-Spann said. “By acting as good custodians, we preserve art for future generations.”

The next event at the Rockefeller Arts Center Art Gallery will be the annual fall semester Senior Show. This exhibition will feature the works of graduating SUNY Fredonia students in such media as graphic design, painting, printmaking and illustration, among others.