Community Calendar

Lacuna presents new works from Alison Altafi that explore the space between presence and absence, form and dissolution, memory and dream. Inspired by the cosmos, fairytale, myth and the endless cycles of time, Lacuna invites viewers to consider the space not as emptiness, but as a site of possibility, memory and soft transformation.

Reception Date: October 3, 5-7 p.m.

Schweinfurth Art Center is holding its fifth Member Show this fall, which features 127 works by talented artists who are members of the art center. The exhibition includes oil, acrylic and watercolor paintings, photography, ceramics, sculptures, fiber art, and more.

"i solemnly swear” is an exhibition about the consequences of conscription and deployment into combat. Syracuse artist Paul Pearce was drafted into the US Army in 1967 and deployed to Vietnam in 1968. “I should never have been a soldier, and yet I was a good soldier,” Pearce says. “For this reason, I am haunted by what I did and what I witnessed. When people say, ‘Thank you for your service,’ my reply is, ‘Don’t thank me for my service; you don’t know what I did. My country made me do it and I was just a kid.’”

Set in the layered world of Najee Dorsey’s Poor People’s Campaign is a powerful collection of work grounded in the environmental struggles of today’s impoverished communities. Blending Southern nostalgia with digitally collaged speculative futures, Dorsey’s work unveils a future shaped by environmental racism, industrial pollution, and the resilience of those who endure these atrocities. This exhibition challenges viewers to confront what’s hidden in plain sight—smokestacks on the horizon, decaying landscapes, and children at play in dystopian backdrops, unaware, just going about their lives.

Each candid portrayal of a child, each scar of environmental injustice plaguing the earth, is a symbol of ongoing corporate greed, and a masterful fusion of futures transforming the landscape into an intimate battleground. Through these works, Dorsey challenges us to consider the true cost of progress and unchecked power.

This inspiring Masterclass will feature celebrated photographer and SUNY Oswego alum Danny Weiss of Danny Weiss Studio, based in New York City. Drawing on two decades of experience, Danny has transformed his passions into a thriving career; starting as a professional actor, he shifted into photography at age 30 and brought the same narrative sensibility to his craft.

Danny has received numerous accolades—including awards from The Knot and WeddingWire—and has been featured in high‑profile publications such as Grace Ormonde, New York Magazine, and CBS Early Morning Show, as well as for long-form projects like his nationally acclaimed Holocaust survivors series and the In the Deep fine art book and print series

dannyweissphoto.com

This free, community event is perfect for aspiring photographers, creatives balancing multiple passions, and anyone curious about forging a fulfilling path in visual storytelling.

Danny Weiss, a SUNY Oswego alum, shares his portrait project of Holocaust Survivors and his passion to capture their stories. He hopes to shed light on the unique experiences of each survivor and inspire others to preserve the stories of those who have been through unimaginable hardships. One or more photographed survivors will join the opening via Zoom for conversation and Q&A.

Hosted in collaboration with ARTSwego, Career Services, Jewish Student Life, and the Safe Haven Holocaust Survivors Museum. This event is free and open to all. https://danielgweiss.com/Projects/SURVIVORS/

The Ballad of Human Movement is an exhibit that will fill your heart with pride for our little city. People have come from all over the world to make Utica their homes. Stories like The New York Times article "How Refugees Transformed a Dying Rust Belt Town" brought Utica into the spotlight, and the Gannett Gallery is thrilled to present a celebration of what makes our city so special. There will also be a free film screening of "Utica: The Last Refuge" on Saturday, October 25, at 2:00 p.m. in the Kunsela Hall Auditorium on the SUNY Poly campus.

Opening Reception: Friday, 10/10/2025 5:00-7:00
Event website: https//balladofhumanmovement.net

Lacuna presents new works from Alison Altafi that explore the space between presence and absence, form and dissolution, memory and dream. Inspired by the cosmos, fairytale, myth and the endless cycles of time, Lacuna invites viewers to consider the space not as emptiness, but as a site of possibility, memory and soft transformation.

Reception Date: October 3, 5-7 p.m.

Schweinfurth Art Center is holding its fifth Member Show this fall, which features 127 works by talented artists who are members of the art center. The exhibition includes oil, acrylic and watercolor paintings, photography, ceramics, sculptures, fiber art, and more.