"Art is not always about pretty things" GCC #ArtToo Photography Show May 28 - August 4, 2018

Recognition Matters @ GCC

Batavia, NY (07/10/2018) — The "#ArtToo: A Photo Show" at the Genesee County Park Interpretive Nature Center in East Bethany continues for three more weeks until August 4, 2018, and features photographic work by Genesee Community College students. Historically, the term 'art' has been used to describe paintings and sculptures, the #ArtToo show title reminds viewers that digital art and photography are critical and highly expressive forms of fine art as well. The artist statement, by GCC student Kasey Edgerton describes the exhibit and includes a quote by a noted nationally acclaimed gallery director.

"Art conveys the zeitgeist of a generation. It expresses our greatest hopes and aspirations, and reflects our deepest fears and uncertainties. It is impossible to disentangle art from its socio-political moment, or the psychological maelstrom surrounding it."

A statement by former Director of the Smithsonian American Art Museum and the Renwick Gallery in Washington, D.C., Elizabeth Broun helped inspire the theme of this show:

"Art is not always about pretty things. It's about who we are, what happened to us, and how our lives are affected.

"Art is a product of what shapes us; our highest highs and lowest lows, individually, and as a people. Perhaps most strongly in times of adversity, art lifts us up, gives voice to the disenfranchised, and galvanizes the oppressed. Now in this age of rampant mistrust and polarization the autonomy and power of art is of the utmost importance, particularly in holding to account those who would seek to quell it. Art too, can be fearless. Art too, can be a commanding force for political change and social justice. In a time when a band of courageous voices can sweep the nation with two simple, but potent words: #MeToo, and a group of young survivor's poignant plea that #Enough is enough, art can do its part to take the world to task.

The work collected here spans mediums and genres but is united by bonds of scholarship, intention, and the insatiable need to process and contextualize the experiences we are subjected to. It is a way to work through and ultimately derive meaning from the seemingly random string of occurrences which weave together into individual lives. We have come together to support, strengthen, and experience each other, as each of us is art too."

This exhibit is the culmination of the students' hard work and creative talent, something Genesee Community College encourages and features in the College's Recognition Matters series which shines the spotlight, sometimes literally, onto the high-quality inspirational contributions created by GCC's students, faculty and staff.

Genesee County Park Interpretive Nature Center is located ¼ mile from the Bethany Center Road entrance of the Genesee County Park at 11095 Bethany Center Road, East Bethany, NY 14054. The Center's summer hours are Thursday through Saturdays, 10 a.m. - 4 p.m., and Sundays from 12 - 4 p.m. For more information go to: http://co.genesee.ny.us/departments/parks/inc.php

For more information, contact Marketing Communications Associate Director Donna Rae Sutherland at (585) 343-0055 ext. 6616, or via email: dsutherland@genesee.edu.

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Editor's Note:

Curtis Kreutter's photograph, Until Next Time, is available at:

http://marketing.genesee.edu/images/ArtToo_Kreutter-CurtisPHO118.jpg

Caption: "We have our modes of transportation and our places where we need to be. Things we need to get done. We never really think about what we pass on our way to work or school. These small things have a lot more meaning than we think. As we go through life we think of the things we used to do and the things we have encountered in the past that remind us of where we came from and at the same time it reminds us of where we are going."

David Fenn's photograph, Timila, is available at:

http://marketing.genesee.edu/images/ArtToo_Fenn-DavidPHO103.jpg

Caption: "During my time as a photographer for the Seneca Park Zoo, I get to see many of the animals that come through the door. The day to day activities of these creatures varies with each visit and every time I learn something new. On this day I captured one of the newest residents of the zoo, Timila, the snow leopard. Seeing how she adapts to the new scenery and making her feelings known to those that come to see her. It was an honor to be one of the first ones to capture her."

Miranda Schiller's photograph, Trestle, is available at:

http://marketing.genesee.edu/images/ArtToo_Schiller-MirandaPHO118.jpg

Caption: "I love photographing industrial structures, and the bridge on Oak Street in Batavia has always intrigued me. Especially in the winter, with the snow contrasting against the black wrought iron and the dark water, the bridge is a stark component of the landscape. While man made, it's been there so long that it looks almost natural spanning the creek, its vertical struts reflected in the water beneath it and echoing the trees behind it. With my interest in black and white film photography, I'm drawn to extreme contrasts even when working with color images."

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