TROY – The winter solstice is fast approaching and soon the fall classes that are held at Hudson Valley Community College (HVCC) will soon come to a close.
Closing out the fall activities on campus are two art exhibitions, the 12th Annual Pride of Our Nation… Pride in Our College and Featured Alumni: Ossie Jon-Nwakalo and Rezart Bushati. Pride of Our Nation… opened its exhibition at the Marvin Library on Veterans Day, Nov. 11, and Featured Alumni opened Nov.2 at The Teaching Gallery.
This year’s Pride of Our Nation…Pride in Our College includes more than 100 images and personal military artifacts which are loaned for the exhibit by current students, faculty, and staff. The exhibit showcases items from as far back as the Civil War, the French resistance, World War II, to present time including dog tags, medals, historic documents, and full uniforms.
A new feature in the exhibit is a story shared by a current college student about their great-grandparents who were involved in the French resistance and assisted U.S.A. airmen during World War II.
Alice Malavasic, an HVCC professor from the education and social sciences department, organized the first Pride of Our Nation exhibit in 2010. The exhibit was canceled in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Pride of Our Nation…Pride in Our College is on view through Dec. 15. Visitors can view the exhibit during its regular hours 7:45 a.m.-8:00 p.m., Monday through Thursday, 7:45 a.m.-5:00 p.m. Friday, and Saturday 10:00 a.m.-2:00 p.m. H.V.C.C. will be closed for the Thanksgiving holiday Nov. 22-Nov. 25. Free admission.
Featured Alumni: Ossie Jon-Nwakalo and Rezart Bushati
Upon the closing of the Fine Arts and Digital Media Faculty exhibition Oct. 21, Featured Alumni: Ossie Jon-Nwakalo and Rezart Bushati opened. The current exhibit features the works of a painter (Jon-Nwakalo) and graphic artist/illustrator (Bushati), both of whom graduated from the campus in 2016.
Jon-Nwakalo obtained his Bachelor of Arts degree in graphic design from SUNY Cobleskill and Bushati went on to obtain both his bachelor of arts degree from SUNY Albany and a Masters degree from the Tyler School of Art and Architecture at Temple University in Philadelphia.
Even though the two artists produce their work in different mediums and in opposite fields, both the alumnis’ creations demonstrate a strong sense of exploration and experimentation in their respective work, according to gallery director Tara Fracalossi.
The exhibit runs through Dec. 2. The Teaching Gallery is open 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday, Wednesdays; 12-7 p.m., and Saturday; 12-4 p.m. Exhibition is also free for viewing.
Visit www.hvcc.edu/teachinggallery or contact [email protected] for more information.
