In case you didn’t know, Rochester
is a city practically bursting with art and creativity. Whether you’re an
artist yourself, an art enthusiast, or just in need a break from your studies,
the Rochester art scene is home to many popular venues — as well as exciting hidden
treasures — that will open your mind to new ideas, and possibly give you a new
perspective on how to view the world. However, there is a catch: you have to
leave your dorm room — and probably your campus — to experience what the city
has to offer.
If you’re
wondering why you should venture out, remember that art is more than pretty pictures and naked statues. “Art is inspirational,
always personal,” says Meg Colombo, who manages public relations and social
media for the MemorialArtGallery, Rochester’s
primary fine art museum. “It’s a good time to recharge your batteries, to
refocus.”
With the
increasing isolation — or self-sufficiency — of college campuses, it can be
difficult for students to connect with the cities in which they find
themselves. But if you miss out on the art and the culture of a place, then
you’re missing out on city as a whole. Keep in mind, the following venues are
but a few stops in Rochester’s art
world. A more comprehensive list can be found in the sidebar.
Imagine driving up to a massive warehouse where a
yellow elephant directs you where to park. As you make the 20-yard walk toward
the entrance, the adjacent wall gives you a glimpse of what’s to come: block
after block of murals, each the work of a different artist. But nothing can
prepare you to cross the threshold. Art. Everywhere.Surrounding you.Created in front of you.A giant wooden recreation of a doorknob next to a 12’x12′
abstract painting, behind a hanging, free-falling man-fish. And that’s
just a small corner of the reception atrium. This is ARTISANworks.
“We have
created an experience…a Disneyland for art,” says Louis Perticone, founder of ARTISANworks.
“As a student from another city, this is a place that can be globally
understood.”
As you
wander through room after room featuring different themes, such as the Marilyn
Monroe room, a Japanese tea room, or the Frank Lloyd Wright room (complete with
a wine cellar, original furniture, and a spiral staircase that leads to a perfect
study space) the experience can only be described as overwhelming. The space is
practically overflowing with every variety of art, from preserved giraffes to
an entire car made from wood. To top it off, anything you can
see, you can touch. This is not a museum. Interspersed are studios for
actual working artists, who may be available to speak with visitors (if their
doors are open).
ARTISANworks is located on 565 Blossom Road, and is open Friday
and Saturday 11 a.m.-6 p.m., and Sunday noon-5 p.m., with introductory tours
Saturdays and Sundays at 2 p.m. Admission costs $12 for adults and $8 for
students, but if you sign up for a student membership ($30) you get unlimited
free admission for the year. For more information call 585-288-7170 or visit artisanworks.net.
The Rochester Contemporary Art Center — often referred
to simply as RoCo — offers a change of pace. This small gallery in the East End
supports a number of artists from the local community, while bringing in
national and even international artists for exhibits. As with all galleries,
the exhibits change regularly. However, look for unique collaborations with
visual artists and musicians such as Influx, or performance artists The Bloody Noes. These kinds of partnerships make RoCo “smart and
thoughtful,” according to its director, Bleu Cease. The works displayed at this
venue will challenge how you think about contemporary art.
RoCo also
organizes First Friday, a collaborative effort between more than 30 art venues
across the city that stay open late to the public on the first Friday of most
months, usually running 6-9 p.m. It’s an opportunity to get out to see some new shows, visit some new galleries, and spur interesting
discussions about art. Check out the campus galleries sidebar to see if your
campus gallery participates in First Friday, or go to firstfridayrochester.org
for more information and a line-up of each month’s participants.
Rochester
Contemporary is located at 137 East Ave. It is open Wednesday-Sunday 1-5 p.m.,
and Friday until 10 p.m. Admission is $1. Student memberships cost $20 and
include free admission for a year, invitations to opening receptions, discounts
for special events, and exhibition opportunities. For more information call
461-2222 or visit rochestercontemporary.org.
The Memorial Art Gallery is renowned for its more-than-12,000-piece
collection. Here you’ll find art from multiple centuries in seven standing
exhibits, with two rotating galleries that often showcase international artists
with new work.
The MAG is
more than just an art gallery; it’s a creative communal space that students can
take specific advantage of, as it is a part of the University of Rochester and
geared toward the learning experience. With the installation of a new sculpture
garden, poetry and art walk, and amphitheater (scheduled to be open to the
public in the beginning of October), the outdoor possibilities are also set to
expand.
If you are
looking for an excuse to get off campus, on Thursdays 6:30-9 p.m. the MAG stays
open late, charges half-price admission, and offers live jazz and tapas meals
available for purchase. The museum also hosts “family days” several times a
year, which include free performances, an open house at the MAG’s Creative
Workshop (which offers classes on everything from ceramic sculpture to
watercolor to sewing), and other activities. If you are looking for a quiet
escape, the atrium has free wi-fi and enough art to
get you through your research paper.
The Memorial
Art Gallery is located on 500 University Ave. and is open Wednesday-Sunday 11 a.m.-5
p.m., Thursdays 11 a.m.-9 p.m. Admission is $8 for students, and free for UR
students ($12 for the general public); student membership is $35 for full-time
students with ID and includes unlimited admission, discounts at the Creative
Workshop and Gallery Store, and two free guest passes. For more information
call 585-276-8900 or visit mag.rochester.edu.
Additional Rochester art venues
Below are just a smattering of the dozens of galleries and
art spaces found in and around the city. For a comprehensive list, check the
online calendar of events on City’s website, rochestercitynewspaper.com.
Anderson Alley Studios for a
community of artists working in everything from fiber arts to printmaking to
painting. Hosts free open houses on most second Saturdays of the month,
and other special events. 250 N.
Goodman St. andersonalleyartists.com.
Arts & Cultural Council A local arts hub with a
small gallery on its premises that features rotating exhibits by regional
artists. 277 N. Goodman St.585-473-4051. artsrochester.org
BaobabCulturalCenterAfrican cultural center that features emerging and
established local, national, and international artists.728 University Ave. 585-563-2145. www.thebaobab.org.
Gallery r Student-managed art
gallery, supported by RIT, which houses exhibits of student and alumni work.100 College Ave. 585-475-5154.cias.rit.edu/~galleryr.
GeneseeCenter for the Arts Features the largest ceramics studio in the Rochester
area, a community darkroom, and a printing and book arts studio. Hosts a number of exhibits, events, and workshops throughout the
year.713 Monroe Ave.
585-244-1730.geneseearts.org.
George Eastman House International museum of
photography and film with many historic collections. It is also host to several
traveling and rotating exhibitions, lectures, workshops, and films in its
Dryden Theatre. 900 East Ave. 585-271-3361.eastmanhouse.org.
HighFallsFineArtGalleryTwo main galleries with year-round displays of local
artists exhibiting everything from weaving to photography, plus permanent
historical exhibitions.60 Browns Race.585-325-2030. centerathighfalls.org.
HungerfordBuildingAcommunity
of artists and crafters studios that frequently hold open houses, exhibits,
special events, and even has a performance space and a recording studio. 1115 E. Main St. thehungerford.com.
Image City Photography Gallery Dedicated to
photography and images captured by light, with a rotating selection of
exhibits. 722 University Ave. 585-271-2540.imagecityphotographygallery.com.
Little Theatre Café Rochester’s
independent and foreign movie house is also a place to listen to live music
while viewing local artist work in the cafe. 240 East Ave.
585-258-0400.thelittle.org.
Oxford Gallery Features art from the 18th, 19th, and
20th centuries, as well as contemporary art from American and European artists.
267 OxfordSt. 585-271-5885.oxfordgallery.com.
Visual Studies Workshop Artist-run educational and
support center for photography and other media arts, as well as home to
Afterimage: The Journal of Media Arts and Cultural Criticism. Also features
exhibits of contemporary and historic media-based art, including video, audio,
and books-as-art. 31 Prince St. 585-442-8676.vsw.org.
On-campus galleries
Maybe you’ve just settled in and you may not be quite ready
to explore the city. But don’t fret: most of the colleges in the Rochester
area have galleries on campus that feature your fellow students work as well as
exhibits from professional artists. Check your school’s website for details.
MonroeCommunity
College: Mercer Gallery, Building
12-114 North Atrium (FineArtsBuilding)
NazarethCollege:
ColacinoArtGallery
(ArtDepartment
wing of the ArtsCenter);
Arts Center Gallery (ArtsCenter)
RobertsWesleyanCollege: Davison
Gallery, CulturalLifeCenter, lower atrium
Rochester Institute of Technology: Cary
Collection, Wallace Library
St. John Fisher: Patricia O’Keefe RossGallery,
WelcomeCenter
SUNY Brockport: A Different Path Gallery, 27 Market
St.; Tower Fine Arts Center Gallery, Tower Fine Arts Center; Gallery at Joseph
S. Shalny Welcome Center
SUNY Geneseo: Lockhart Gallery, McClellan House at 26
Main St.; Lederer Gallery, Brodie
Fine Arts Building, Room 203; Gallery B2, Bertha V.B. Lederer
Gallery; Bridge Gallery, Brodie Hall
University of Rochester: ASIS Gallery, Sage Art
Center; The Gallery at the Art and Music
Library, Rush Rhees Library; Hartnett Gallery, Wilson
Commons; The pasSage Gallery, Rush Rhees Library; Senior Thesis Gallery, Virtual Gallery
This article appears in Aug 15-21, 2012.
