Nazareth College Arts Center to Showcase Contemporary African American Artwork

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ROCHESTER, NY (10/09/2012)(readMedia)-- Show runs November 9-December 21, 2012; Opening Reception November 9, 5-10 p.m.

The Arts Center Gallery has special hours for this exhibit – Sunday, noon-5 p.m.; Wednesday-Thursday, noon-5 p.m.; Friday-Saturday, noon-8 p.m.; the Gallery will be closed November 22-23.

Automated info line: 585-389-5073.

Deborah Ronnen Fine Art is pleased to present "Contemporary African American Printmakers," at the Nazareth College Arts Center Gallery. The exhibition will focus on 13 living and renowned African American artists who make printmaking a regular part of their practice.

"Contemporary African American Printmakers" includes such celebrated names as Kara Walker and Martin Puryear, as well as younger artists who have distinguished themselves as promising forces in the contemporary art world, such as Mickalene Thomas, whose solo exhibition opened at the Brooklyn Museum to great acclaim last month. Two of the participating artists are recipients of the acclaimed MacArthur Foundation ("genius") award, a program providing unrestricted fellowships to individuals showing extraordinary creativity and dedication in their creative pursuits. Several artists are also highlighted by Art21, a non-profit organization dedicated to educating audiences on leading contemporary visual artists through books, Internet resources, public programs and its Peabody Award-winning PBS series, Art21 – Art in the Twenty-First Century.

The exhibition will include more than 30 works in a wide variety of print techniques including etching, lithography, wood block, screen print, gravure, and chine collé. The selection of work will stand as a visually stimulating panorama, and will provide an important and engaging educational tool. Along with the artwork, monitors will loop video and audio content containing excerpts from Art21 that feature participating artists discussing their work, as well as educational descriptions of printmaking processes.

"Contemporary African American Printmakers" coincides with the Rochester premiere of Garth Fagan's new work, Lighthouse/Lightning Rod, commissioned by the Brooklyn Academy of Music. Alison Saar, the set designer for the new Fagan work, will be represented by four prints.

"Visitors to 'Contemporary African American Printmakers' will take away a greater understanding of this art form, and the way artists mine their heritage and race for self-expression" Ronnen offers. "The works on view range from provocative to serene, and the concurrent showing of the theater and gallery shows promises to create a didactic conversation about the many mediums in which an artist might work. I am thrilled to share work by many artists who have never been exhibited in Rochester before.

A color publication including images and a full description of each print in the exhibition will be available.

About Deborah Ronnen Fine Art

A private dealer for more than 25 years, Deborah Ronnen has been dedicated to exhibiting and promoting contemporary and modern art. With special expertise in contemporary photography and works on paper, she has been instrumental in working with clients to build important collections of art. Solo exhibitions have included Pablo Picasso, Jasper Johns, Robert Motherwell, Sol Lewitt, Adam Fuss, Vik Muniz, and Alison Saar. In 2011 she organized and curated the exhibit "Cutting Edge" at The Culver Road Armory featuring sculpture and drawing by artist Mark Fox.

Deborah Ronnen is a Member of the New York State Council on the Arts, where she has served as Chair of the Visual Arts Committee. She is also a member of the Board of Directors of the Albright-Knox Art Gallery, where she is a member of the Art Committee.

Deborah Ronnen Fine Art is located in Rochester, NY, 14610, and is open by appointment.

About the Nazareth College Arts Center

For more than 40 years, the Nazareth College Arts Center has served as a venue and educational resource for students, educators, visual and performing artists, and audiences to create, study, and experience all areas of the arts. These cultural programs support the College's curriculum in music, art, and theatre arts, and provide area residents with opportunities to experience exceptional dance, children's theatre, and international entertainment.

The Nazareth College Arts Center is a nonprofit institution; attracts more than 80,000 adults and children annually; is the premier presenter of world-class dance, children's theatre, and international entertainment in Rochester; is the performance home of Rochester City Ballet and world-renowned Garth Fagan Dance, as well as the home of Rochester Children's Theatre and Bach Children's Chorus; houses the Nazareth College departments of art, music, and theatre arts, which present exceptional theatre productions, musicals, operas, recitals, and art exhibitions each year (events are open to the public); serves as a venue for auditions, art classes, music lessons, recitals, fundraisers, lectures, community theater productions, camps, workshops, and graduations; provides access to master classes, school performances, and subscription series shows for underserved youth; and presents an annual Dance Festival each July. For additional information, visit artscenter.naz.edu.

About the Nazareth College Department of Art

The Nazareth College Department of Art offers under-graduate programs in studio art, art education, and art history as well as graphics and illustration. The College offers graduate programs in art education and art therapy.

Nazareth has built two new state-of- the-art galleries to serve the College and the community that are a vibrant part of the Arts Center at large. For additional information, visit naz.edu/art.

About the Arts Center Gallery

The vision of the Arts Center Gallery is to be regionally and nationally recognized as an artistic institution that contributes to the cultural and educational life of students, faculty, and the larger community by providing a venue for high-quality, diverse artwork that advances intellectual exploration, aesthetic evaluation, and critical inquiry. Exhibitions are curated under the direction of the fine art faculty at Nazareth College by invitation. For gallery hours, call the automated information line (585) 389-5073 or visit naz.edu/art/arts-center-gallery.

About the Colacino Gallery

Established through the generous support of Margaret Colacino, artist and art educator, the Colacino Gallery serves as a cultural and educational resource for Nazareth students as well as the greater Rochester community. Its goal is to complement the liberal arts by fostering critical thinking, intellectual diversity, visual literacy, and aesthetic values. In addition to exhibitions generated in-house, artists are invited to submit proposals for solo or small group shows. The Colacino Gallery is located in the Art Department wing of the Arts Center complex on the second floor. For gallery hours, call the automated information line (585) 389-5073 or visit naz.edu/art/colacino-art-gallery.

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