Current Exhibitions

ARCHETYPAL SYMBIOSIS | JAMES R. MCILROY

Open Space Gallery
On view: April 5 – December, 14, 2025
Reception: Thursday, April 24, 5-7 p.m.
Generously supported through a paint donation by Golden Artist Colors, Inc., and by the SUNY Oneonta Alumni Association.

Archetypal Symbiosis is a site-specific mural created by James R. McIlroy (SUNY Oneonta, ‘08) that spans the thirty-two-foot-long Open Space Gallery. It features a series of three stylized animals: a large, predatory cat, a heron, and a frog. These three animals reference the symbiosis of natural ecosystems where predators and prey fulfill important balancing roles, enabling the environment that allows for each other's survival. The bold lines, bright colors, and fluid filigree create a visually beguiling display that will be on public view on campus for nearly a year. McIlroy is a local artist who has created murals in Oneonta, Binghamton, Cortland, and Saratoga Springs, and who owns and is the lead artist at Wolfhound Studio, a tattoo studio on Oneonta’s Main Street.

Poster design by Michael Conte.

SHAPESHIFTERS: BODIES LIKE WATER

CRJIE (Lee Hall) / Project Space Gallery
On view: April 14 – 18, 2025 / May 17 – June 8, 2025 (while classes are in session or by appointment)
Reception: Wednesday, April 16, 2-6 p.m. / Friday, June 6, 3-5 p.m.
Please join us in artmaking during the April 16 reception
Generously supported by the SUNY Oneonta Alumni Association

Shapeshifters: Bodies Like Water is an exhibition of photographs featured in a book of the same name. This collection honors the deep connections between the body, land, and queer wisdom. The strength of these connections manifests as the courage to separate from predetermined ideals of gender, to surrender and embark on a sacred journey of self-realization. Shapeshifters is a celebration of this journey. Why do we focus on gender as the playground for liberation? To play with gender is to play with power, to actively shift the violent dynamics of colonization, white supremacy, and other systems of oppression that rely on seemingly unchangeable gender norms. Executive Produced by SUNY Oneonta alumni, Ira Baumgarten (SUNY Oneonta '73), with Associate Producers Nadine Baumgarten (SUNY Oneonta '74) and Tom Toni Parker, it features artists Jenny Zander (photographer and body artist), Gayatri Narayanan, Tom Toni Parker, Ro Lorenzen, Sharon Day, Natalia Patiño, BakiBakiBaki Porter, and Rox Anderson. Lead Writer and Grounding Practitioner for the book is Gayatri Narayanan, Artistic Director is Jenny Zander, and History and Resource Writer is BakiBakiBaki Porter.

Poster design by Michael Conte.

MEGHAN'S VOICE: BEAR WITNESS | ALAINA RULLO

Project Space Gallery
On view: April 8 – May 3, 2025
Reception: Thursday, May 1, 2025, 5-7 p.m.

Meghan’s Voice: Bear Witness is a powerful multimedia art installation that illuminates the often-hidden realities of abusive romantic relationships. Through the story of Meghan Kiefer—a young woman whose life was tragically ended by domestic violence—the exhibition portrays the escalating cycle of abuse that led to her untimely death. This immersive environment allows visitors to connect deeply with Meghan’s humanity and is brought to life through diverse media including photography, acrylic paintings, silhouette cutouts, and graphic design. In addition to Meghan’s personal narrative, the installation exposes the broader societal impact of domestic violence, revealing its alarming prevalence across the U.S. At its core, Meghan’s Voice serves as a call to action. It bridges the personal and the collective and challenges viewers to move beyond passive observation while creating space for advocacy and empathy. Visitors are invited to confront the emotional toll of abuse, understand its pervasive societal presence, and reflect on the urgent need for compassion and intervention.

Trigger Warning: please be advised that this exhibition is about domestic violence and contains graphic depictions of intimate partner physical abuse and death.

Interested in learning more about this topic? Visit this LibGuide with some suggested further reading selected by Dr. Chloe Diamond-Lenow (SUNY Oneonta, Women’s and Gender Studies).

National Domestic Violence Hotline: 1-800-799-7233. Text: BEGIN to 88788.

A special thanks to:

• Actors/Models: Ashley Smith and Michael Conte
• Makeup Artists: Allison Behnken and Lazaro Mahar
• Consultant: Kristin Beylo, Coordinator at Family Violence Prevention Council

Poster design by Michael Conte.

2025 JURIED STUDENT SHOW

Martin-Mullen Gallery
On view: March 25 - May 3, 2025
Reception: Thursday, April 10, 5-7 p.m. (inclement weather date: Thursday, April 17, 5-7 p.m.)

The 2025 Juried Student Show is an annual exhibition which includes work submitted by students and juried by full-time Art faculty, and artworks preselected by the full-time and part-time Art faculty. It highlights the different mediums and themes explored by our students over the academic year, and this edition includes close to 90 pieces by nearly 70 students. Thanks to the generous support of our donors, we’re also able to present 20 awards celebrating creativity and excellence, which will be announced at the reception. This years awards were juried by our Spring 2025 School of Liberal Arts Artists-in-Residence, Georgia b Smith and Zelda Smith.

Poster design by Jack Brady.