Press

ALBANY – The annual Best of SUNY Student Art Exhibition, formerly held at the State University Plaza, will open at the New York State Museum Saturday, May 13.

The student artwork included in this fourth annual exhibition was created using the traditional media of ceramics, painting, printmaking, photography and sculpture as well as mixed media and digital imagery. This year’s exhibition, open through Sunday, August 6th, contains 61 works of art from 27 SUNY campuses.

“We welcome the opportunity to partner with SUNY, one of our fellow University of the State of New York institutions, in showcasing this outstanding art work,” said State Museum Director Dr. Clifford Siegfried. “As the recent state Summit on Education demonstrated, it is collaborations of this kind that strengthen education in New York State and serve to encourage and inspire talented students. This exhibition recognizes their achievements.”

SUNY Chancellor John R. Ryan said, “I am pleased that SUNY student artwork will be on display at the museum for the duration of the summer. The fact that the New York State Museum has agreed to host the exhibition this year speaks volumes about the quality of the artwork of our students and the gifted faculty who teach in the arts. The exhibit’s placement in the Museum also ensures that our student artwork will be viewed by an audience almost the size of the State itself.”

SUNY’s System Administration coordinates three SUNY-wide art shows each year. The Best of SUNY Student Art Exhibition represents the best artwork from the fall and spring student exhibits held over the past academic year at State University Plaza in Albany, as judged by a panel of artists and art educators.

Three student artists in the Best of SUNY Student Art Exhibition will receive “Best in Show” awards of $1,000. Three students will receive “Honorable Mention” awards of $500. Judging for these awards is arranged by Richard Schwartz, chairman of the New York State Council of the Arts.

The State University of New York is the largest comprehensive university system in the nation,

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educating more than 414,000 students in 7,669 degree and certificate programs on 64 campuses.To learn

more about how SUNY creates opportunity, visit www.suny.edu.

The New York State Museum is a program of the New York State Department of Education, the University of the State of New York and the Office of Cultural Education. Started in 1836, the Museum has the longest continuously operating state natural history research and collection survey in the United States. The State Museum is located on Madison Avenue in Albany. It is open daily from 9:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. except on Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year's Day. Admission is free. Further information about programs and events can be obtained by calling (518) 474-5877 or visiting the museum website at www.nysm.nysed.gov.

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