The Samuel Dorsky Museum of Art at SUNY New Paltz is pleased share details about four exciting new exhibitions that will open on Feb. 6, 2021:
Collective Consciousness: New Work by SUNY New Paltz Art Faculty
Department of Art faculty members show their collective strength through a range of approaches to contemporary art.
On view Feb. 6– April 11, 2021.
Kathy Goodell: Infra-Loop, Selections 1994—2020
A survey exhibition of the artist Kathy Goodell, “Infra-Loop” explores throughlines in the artist’s work across painting, drawing and sculpture, examining a mystic language that loops between disciplines, coasts and generations.
On view Feb. 6– July 11, 2021.
Lewis Hine, Child Labor Investigator
Using photography as a tool for social change, Lewis Hine’s (1874-1940) powerful photographs for the National Child Labor Commission proved the exploitation of young children working in unsafe conditions and ultimately led to American child labor law reform.
On view Feb. 6– July 11, 2021.
DIRT: Inside Landscapes
As part of The Dorsky Artist in Residence program, “DIRT: Inside Landscapes” will be the base for artist Emilie Houssart’s explorations into how we relate to surrounding ecologies.
On view Feb. 6– July 11, 2021.
Together, these exhibitions promise visitors unparalleled access to historical undercurrents and contemporary trends in regional and national art.
Collective Consciousness: New Work by SUNY New Paltz Art Faculty
Guest curated by Karlyn Benson
Feb. 6 – April 11, 2021
Alice and Horace Chandler and North Galleries
Description: “Collective Consciousness” refers to the sense of community at the College and the Department of Art faculty’s ability to come together for each other and their students during the COVID-19 pandemic. The exhibition includes a wide range of mediums and subject matter, yet underscores the artists’ shared common interests in nature, the environment, social issues and experimentation with materials. The exhibition itself is a communal experience, a way for faculty to share what they have been working on during a time marked by isolation and distance.
Kathy Goodell: Infra-Loop, Selections 1994—2020
Guest curated by Andrew Woolbright
Feb. 6 – July 11, 2021
Morgan Anderson Gallery and Greenberg Family Gallery
Description: “Infra-Loop” explores the artistic practice of Kathy Goodell, whose work remains a mysterious synthesis. Associated with many movements and contemporaries, Goodell’s career charts a path and fills in the gaps of what we think about art in the ‘90s, ‘00s and the present day. Her practice has determined itself through a kind of non-specificity, one that resists easy classification and interpretation. The meaning of her work, and context through which we are to understand it, is simultaneous and withheld—west coast spiritualism meets east coast abstraction; procedural non-objectivity blends with painterly biomorphism; protean theosophy informs post-modernist contemporary. This survey of work explores the through-lines in Goodell’s practice as a moving target, examining an artist that is constantly challenging and reinventing her practice.
Lewis Hine, Child Labor Investigator
Curated by Anna Conlan with Amy Fredrickson
Feb. 6 – July 11, 2021
Sara Bedrick Gallery
Description: This exhibition showcases a collection of photographs, recently donated to The Dorsky, that were taken by the renowned American photographer and social reformer Lewis Hine (1874-1940), inviting viewers to consider the important role photography played in changing American child labor laws in the early 20th century. These powerful photographs were made between 1908 and 1922, while Hine was employed by the National Child Labor Committee to investigate and document widespread instances of young children working in unsafe conditions.
DIRT: Inside Landscapes
Organized by Emilie Houssart
Feb. 6 – July 11, 2021
Seminar Room Gallery
Description: Organized by The Dorsky Museum’s spring 2021 MFA Artist in Residence, Emilie Houssart ’20g (Studio Art), this exhibition transforms the gallery into a base for a project centered around community and dirt, two most precious but socially undervalued elements. A display of artwork from The Dorsky permanent collection—from Hudson River School paintings to contemporary representations of the “countryside”—will provide multiple perspectives and invitations for visitors to consider how we relate to surrounding ecologies.
Exhibition 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 Museum, safety comes first. Visitors are required to wear masks and maintain a distance of six feet between households or groups at all times. 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 stay home if you are feeling unwell. Please also 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.
