Media Contact:
Natasha Ritsma
Director
Schingoethe Center of Aurora University
nritsma@aurora.edu
630-844-6157
AURORA, Ill. (August 19, 2025) – The Schingoethe Center of Aurora University presents “Eye to Eye,” an original exhibition curated by Dr. Natasha Ritsma, director of the Schingoethe Center, from Tuesday, Sept. 2, through Thursday, Dec. 11, 2025. This interdisciplinary exhibition will showcase photographs, paintings, prints and sculptures by more than 40 artists from around the world, including Gertrude Abercrombie, Sonya Clark, Jess T. Dugan, Harry Fonseca, Omar Imam and Wendy Red Star.
Through visual storytelling, “Eye to Eye” explores how social, cultural and institutional forces shape individual and collective identities and contribute to the vibrant yet complex tapestry of American life. This exhibition situates portraiture as a vehicle to communicate personal, historical and mythological stories about identity, collective memory and contemporary life. This exhibition encourages viewers to connect with others’ stories and aims to forge transformative experiences that spark conversation, reflection and a deeper understanding of our shared past and present.
The artists featured in “Eye to Eye” were selected because of their extraordinary ability to share stories, information and compelling ideas through their innovative work. The exhibition will showcase a combination of new acquisitions the museum has obtained in recent years, works from the Schingoethe Center’s permanent collection and loans from partner museums, galleries, artists and independent collectors.
The Schingoethe Center will host an opening reception for “Eye to Eye” on Tuesday, Sept. 2, from 5-7 p.m., featuring micro talks by exhibiting artists, scholars and curators as well as refreshments.
Additional events for “Eye to Eye” include Family Day on Saturday, Oct. 11, from 10 a.m.-1 p.m. featuring crafts, prizes, games and scheduled tours of the exhibition. The museum will also host multiple gallery talks in September, October and November. Please visit aurora.edu/museum for updates and event details.
The Schingoethe Center of Aurora University is located inside of the Hill Welcome Center at 1315 Prairie St., in Aurora, Ill. The exhibition can be viewed Monday, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday from 10 a.m.-5 p.m. and Tuesday from 10 a.m.-7 p.m. The museum will also be open on Saturday, Oct. 5, from 10 a.m.-1 p.m. Admission is free and open to the public. For more information, visit aurora.edu/museum.
Artists included in “Eye to Eye”: Gertrude Abercrombie, Neil Armstrong, Anne Beadenkopf, Lynne Breitfeller, Sonya Clark, Brandon Deener, Brianna Dowd, Hector Duarte, Jess T. Dugan, Shepard Fairey, Harry Fonseca, Kathleen Tunnell Handel, Alice Hargrave, Yuichi Idaka, Omar Imam, Jamie John, Tonika Lewis Johnson, Vikesh Kapoor, Riva Lehrer, Wen-Hang Lin, Tim Lowly, Joanna Malinowska, Shanna Merola, Mark Takamichi Miller, Karen Navarro, Alvin Ng, Esteban Ocampo-Giraldo, Jocelyn Olivera, Marion Pahl, Tom Palazzolo, Ed Paschke, Sheldon Peck, Alayna N. Pernell, Wendy Red Star, Eli Reed, Matthew Ritchie, Barbara Rossi, Jennifer Scavone, Cameron Spratley, Alfred Jackson Tyler, Morgan Ford Willingham, Jeffrey A. Wolin, Debra Yepa-Pappan
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