Azarian McCullough Art Gallery Presents Chuck von Schmidt Exhibit

(Sparkill, NY—September 4, 2014)-- St. Thomas Aquinas College’s Azarian McCullough Art Gallery (AMAG) presents its newest exhibit, “BAMIYAN silk to lava” the works of artist Chuck von Schmidt, announced Professor Nina Bellisio, director of the Azarian McCullough Art Gallery. The exhibit runs September 2 through 28, 2014 with an artist reception scheduled for Tuesday, September 9 from 4:30 p.m. – 6:30 p.m. A Gallery talk will be given at 5:30 p.m. that evening. The event is free and open to the public.

Chuck von Schmidt’s work seeks to explore the human condition through responses to culture and history. Whether collecting soil samples at historical flood sites for his series Antediluvian Memories or working with materials inspired by trade along the Silk Road, the rich history of humankind im­presses itself upon each artwork.

Included in this exhibition are sculptures from von Schmidt’s Bamiyan series. These sculptures were created as a response to the Taliban’s 2001 destruction of two colossal statues of Buddha in the Bamiyan Valley in Afghanistan. These symbolic replacement faces were created from a variety of ma­terials which reflect the diversity of cultures which passed through the Bamiyan Valley including silk cocoons, lava, iron and beetle wings.

Von Schmidt says of these works, “the diverse materials used to create essentially the same image repeatedly, refer to the universality of the human condition, hopefully to suggest tolerance to those who may have previously neglected it.”

Von Schmidt is an artist based in Long Island, N.Y. His work has been exhibited internationally for over 40 years. A graduate and former faculty member of the Cooper Union, he has also taught at Brooklyn College and the Rhode Island School of Design. In 2004, he was commissioned by the Pave The Way Foundation to create The Ideals of Aaron, a sculpture that he presented to Pope John Paul II, in recognition of the Pope’s milestone accomplishments in furthering relations between the various world religions.

Regular Gallery viewing hours are Mondays through Thursdays 11 a.m. – 1 p.m.

The Azarian McCullough Art Gallery (AMAG) is located at the base of Costello Tower on the campus of St. Thomas Aquinas College. The Gallery hosts seven exhibits during the academic year. Each exhibit features an artist’s reception and a Gallery talk. Refreshments are served. Admission is always free and open to the public. For more information about the Azarian McCullough Art Gallery, including upcoming exhibits, visit www.stac.edu/amag or call 845-398-4195 for information about regular viewing hours.

St. Thomas Aquinas College is an independent liberal arts college located on 60 acres in Rockland County, NY which provides education at the undergraduate and graduate levels. The College’s 2,800 full and part time students can choose from more than 100 different majors, minors, specializations, and dual degree programs across three Schools: Arts & Sciences, Business, and Education. The College is recognized by U.S. News & World Report in the Top-Tier for Regional Universities, by Colleges of Distinction in both its New York and Catholic editions, by Affordable Colleges Online as a top College in New York for Return on Investment, and is included as a Military Friendly School®. St. Thomas Aquinas College is accredited by the Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools; its School of Education is accredited by National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education(NCATE); and its School of Business is accredited by the International Assembly for Collegiate Business Education (IACBE). For more information, visit www.stac.edu.

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