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. According to a news release, 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.
The release says “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.
“We are exhibiting works that are part of our permanent collection," Ritsma told WNIJ. "Works that we have borrowed from collectors, from other museums such as the Illinois State Museum, and art gallerists such as the Catherine Edelman Gallery.”
Additional events for “Eye to Eye” include Family Day on Saturday, Oct. 11, from 10 a.m.–1p.m. featuring crafts, prizes, games, and scheduled tours of the exhibition. The museum will also host multiple gallery talks in September, October and November. 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.
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.