Jun 25, 2021
Art galleries at St. Bonaventure University’s Regina A. Quick Center for the Arts will reopen in late August following a summer of work to restore gallery spaces that had been repurposed during the COVID-19 pandemic.
While the university has lifted its ban on visitors to campus that was in place during the pandemic, the Quick Center has much to do before it can reopen its doors to art lovers and other guests.
In order to comply with COVID-19 social distancing measures and other safety protocols, the university converted QCA galleries into temporary classrooms, installing needed technology devices and other equipment.
Plans are to have exhibitions back inside galleries by the time first-year students arrive on campus for the start of Welcome Days activities on Aug. 27.
“We are very excited to be installing new exhibitions in our galleries, and to be preparing to greet visitors once again,” said Evelyn Penman, assistant director of the Quick Center. “When we reopen in late summer visitors will see several
new works that have come into the University Art Collection during the last two years, as well as some old favorites.
Among the new offerings will be a special temporary exhibition titled “To Linda, Love, Joe,” featuring works by the late Western New York artist Joe Orffeo. A special opening is planned for late September.
Also scheduled is a traveling exhibition of works by the late Frida Kahlo, a Mexican painter known for her portraits, self-portraits, and works inspired by nature and artifacts of Mexico.
Planned gallery exhibitions are as follows:
- Dresser Foundation Gallery: Works in the University Art Collection, from the Renaissance through the 1950s, as well as paintings, drawings, sculptures, and new works that have come into the collection in the past two years.
- Paul W. Beltz Gallery: Works from the 1950s to current day as well as paintings, drawings, sculptures, and new works.
- Winifred Shortell Kenney Gallery: This space will host the Joe Orffeo exhibition cited above. Details on the planned September opening will be announced.
- Marianne Letro Laine Gallery of Asian Art: This redesigned exhibition will feature a large 30-foot-long scroll and some modern works by 20th century Asian artists.
To learn more about Quick Center exhibitions through 2021-2022, visit www.sbu.edu/quickexhibitions.
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About the University: The nation’s first Franciscan university, St. Bonaventure University is a community committed to transforming the lives of our students inside and outside the classroom, inspiring in them a lifelong commitment to
service and citizenship. In 2020, St. Bonaventure was named the #2 regional university value in New York and #3 in the North by U.S. News and World Report.