Every year, Union College hosts the annual Steinmetz Symposium, where students, faculty and staff come together to celebrate the research and creative works students dedicate themselves to during the academic year. One of the most notable events is the Visual Arts Exhibition by the Art Department, located in the Feigenbaum Center for Visual Arts.
This year, the exhibit—featuring art from the 2024–25 school year—was the largest and most diverse it has ever been, showcasing 250 pieces from more than 80 students. The works ranged from poetry to various forms of visual art, including digital media, sculpture and painting. The exhibition space was covered wall to wall with expressive pieces, creating a vibrant ambiance, with sound from a videographic art piece projected on a TV adding to the atmosphere.
Each piece offered an authentic representation of the artist’s hard work, narrating a meaningful story from their perspective while also inviting viewers to find their own interpretations.
When asked about the inspiration behind their work, first-year Xuan Ho said, “my piece, ‘Why Do You Starve?’ was created with my parents’ struggles in mind. War, poor economic situations and many other factors influence people’s lives and their reasons for not having food. I created my piece to encourage others to reflect on why the people around them go hungry.”
The passion Union students have for their creations—and the significance behind them—was evident throughout the exhibition. The wide range of media, from charcoal and oil painting to steel and wood sculpture, made the show well worth the visit. Overall, this year’s Steinmetz exhibition was not only innovative, but also a powerful collection of student artistry.
The exhibition also underscores the importance of programs like Union’s Visual Arts Department. When asked how the program has influenced them, first-year Curran Maguire said, “the art program at Union has made one of the largest impacts in my life. Everyone in the department nurtured my love for photography and challenged me to push my artwork further than I ever had before.”
Programs like these are essential to academic communities. They offer students a meaningful outlet for creativity, helping them grow as artists and discover their most authentic selves. Whether as a hobby or a potential career, the arts deserve continued support.
If you get the chance, make sure that you try and attend future showcases by the Visual Arts Department—and explore the many impressive classes they offer—to keep imagination and creativity alive on campus.
