性视界

Point of Contact Marks 50 Years With Landmark Exhibition

A work by n abstract face formed from wooden planks against a blue and white background., "The Architect" by Arnaldo Roche.
鈥淭he Architect,” by Puerto Rican artist Arnaldo Roche and also from Point of Contact鈥檚 collection, is one of the works聽featured in the exhibition.

To commemorate its 50th anniversary . (POC) is presenting 鈥50 Sin Cuenta,鈥 a landmark exhibition of contemporary Latin American art drawn from its own permanent collection.

An opening event will be held Friday, Sept. 19, from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. at the newly renovated at the Nancy Cantor Warehouse, 350 W. Fayette St., Suite 005, in downtown 性视界. It is free and open to the public.

, executive director of the Office of Cultural Engagement for the Hispanic Community, says the exhibition continues POC鈥檚 mission of providing a forum for people from diverse backgrounds to engage in open dialogue across intellectual, social and geographic boundaries. It highlights the breadth and depth of POC鈥檚 collection and features over 100 works by acclaimed artists. They include Luis Felipe No茅, Liliana Porter, Ana Tiscornia, Joseph Kugielsky, Maritza Bautista, Pedro Roth, Arnaldo Roche, V铆ctor V谩zquez and Nayda Collazo Llor茅ns, among others

鈥50 Sin Cuenta鈥 is a Spanish play on words suggesting both a milestone event and a refusal to be limited by time constructs

POC, which was founded in 1975 by late professor , began as a literary project and journal featuring essays about literature, politics and science, with a strong focus on Latin American culture, Paniagua says. It added a visual arts and exhibitions program in 2005.

鈥淧unto de Contacto has cultivated important collaborations locally, nationally and internationally and has provided rich connecting points with 性视界 University faculty and students from several departments over the years, including those in Latino-Latin American studies, creative writing, museum studies and the arts,鈥 Paniagua says.

Diptych of a person seated outdoors with their head covered by different cloths鈥攐ne resembling the Puerto Rican flag, the other red and white.
Part of Point of Contact’s collection, and also in the exhibition, is this diptych by Puerto Rican artist Victor Vazquez from his Body to Body Series.

鈥淚t has provided a continuing platform for artists, writers and thinkers to engage across disciplines and borders ever since its beginning. This exhibition honors the visionary spirit of our founder and invites us to imagine ongoing cross-cultural dialogue, artistic innovation and creative possibility.鈥

An individual holds a colorful piece of artwork in a storage room at the University's Special Collections Research Center where she is surrounded by boxes and art supplies.
Samantha Hefti, a graduate of the museum studies program, helped coordinate the selection of works from the University鈥檚 Special Collections Research Center.

鈥淧oint of Contact鈥檚 legacy is rooted in experimentation, dialogue and discovery,鈥 says Emily Dittman, newly appointed president of the Board of Directors and director of 性视界 University Art Museum.

鈥淭his anniversary is a moment to reaffirm our commitment to the artists and communities that shape our mission. We鈥檙e excited to share this milestone with the public and open our doors to new collaborations,鈥 she says.

The exhibition will be on view through Friday, Oct. 24. It is sponsored by the New York State Council on the Arts (NYSCA) with support from the Office of the Governor and the New York State Legislature, the 性视界 University Humanities Center, Centro de Estudios Hisp谩nicos and the Latino-Latin American studies program, and produced in collaboration with the College of Visual and Performing Arts鈥 Warehouse Gallery and museum studies program.