Category: Press Releases

Victoria Brzustowicz

Underpin and Overcoat

Rochester Contemporary Art Center (RoCo), the National Susan B. Anthony Museum & House, and SewGreen Rochester present a new public art installation celebrating the major women’s rights anniversaries being celebrated this year. “Underpin and Overcoat,” by artists Amelia Toelke and Andrea Miller explores the idea of jewelry as signage, which wearers adorn for both themselves and for others. Inspired by the objects Suffragists often made—such as pins, ribbons, sashes, and medals—“Underpin and Overcoat” gives greater presence to jewelry and wearable objects that are tools for protest, action, and identity-formation.

This public installation takes the form of oversized buttons that are proportionally scaled to ornament several Rochester buildings. Incorporating expressions, icons, sayings, and slogan, these buttons will be affixed to several building facades between Rochester Contemporary Art Center (137 East Ave.) and the National Susan B. Anthony Museum & House (17 Madison St.), Sew Green (438 West Main St.). “Underpin and Overcoat” aims to unify the public, inspire action, bring joy, and create a space for viewers to insert their own messages and ideals. The work aims to help us discuss opposing views, ask questions, and find commonality in shared sentiments. During this critical political season, “Underpin and Overcoat” enlarges the intersection of jewelry, political history, and social justice on the streets—much as the Suffragists did themselves.

The artists also invited local artists and organizations to contribute designs for some of the buttons to provide a platform for additional voices. Contributors include Amanda Chestnut, Tania Day, Thievin’ Stephen, Erica Jae, Abiose Spriggs, and the Seneca Art & Culture Center at Ganondagan.

In partnership with SewGreen Rochester, Christ Church, and Susan B Anthony Museum and House, RoCo will host an artist talk and Sash Memorial workshop on Saturday, July 25. Inspired by the iconic “Votes for Women” sashes worn by Suffragists from 1850 – 1920, the artists, Sew Green staff, and other collaborators invite all community members to create their own, contemporary versions of this historic piece of political ephemera. All are welcome, especially those with little sewing experience. Sashes made at this event will be collected and exhibited in the artists’ larger exhibition, Worn.

Update 7-24-2020

The public art installation by artists Amelia Toelke and Andrea Miller is now on display outside 19 Madison Street, the Anthony Museum Visitor Center!

ABOUT THE ARTISTS

Andrea G. Miller is an educator and visual artist whose practice is greatly influenced by the traditions of metalsmithing and sculpture, community outreach, and public education. Miller, born and raised in the Midwest, completed her MFA from the University of Wisconsin – Madison and earned a BS in art education as well as a BFA in metals from Ball State University. She maintains an active studio practice and exhibition record outside of the classroom. In 2017, she was awarded the Lilly Endowment’s Teacher Creativity Fellowship, which allowed her to restore and travel with her vintage camper, LeRoy. She and the camper traveled over 5,000 miles from Indiana, throughout the southwest and back. Travel and adventure have become an important part of her life and she strives to empower her students to approach making and their life with the same sensibilities.

Amelia Toelke is a visual artist whose work engages the language of jewelry to explore the complex negotiation between identity, culture, and adornment. Toelke’s work activates the space between object and image, reality and representation, revealing her long-time infatuation with flatness. Through a palette of recurring imagery and tropes her work seeks the point where humor and sentimentality meet. Toelke currently lives in Chatham, NY.

ABOUT THE COLLABORATORS

Amanda Chestnut’s work focuses on the representation of history—and in particular, how the history of race and gender impacts modern narratives. Her art has been exhibited in Rochester at Firehouse Gallery, Joe Brown Gallery, University of Rochester, and High Falls Art Gallery at the Center at High Falls. She was formerly a resident at the Center for Photography at Woodstock in Woodstock, NY, and at Genesee Center for the Arts & Education in Rochester, NY. She has held graduate assistantships at Visual Studies Workshop and the Criminal Justice Department, both at the College at Brockport in Rochester. Chestnut holds an MFA graduate of Visual Studies Workshop, Rochester, NY. As an artist interested in both upending and interpreting traditional definitions of the archive, she pairs archival images and text with contemporary imagery and her own perspective to convey the history, emotion, and lasting socio-economic impact of the past. Her previous works incorporate photographic poems that draw from archival imagery, text-based poems, and Chestnut’s hair. Most recently Chestnut curated “Verified” a group exhibition at Loud Cow in Spencerport, NY, and the Rochester Biennial at the Rochester Contemporary Art Center (RoCo). To learn more about Amanda Chestnut, her personal artistic and curatorial endeavors visit amandachestnut.com.

Tania Day-Magallon is a Mexican American artist who has collaborated in numerous art events and exhibits in Rochester. She started her art education at a young age and attended to different art institutions in Mexico City where she also began her licentiate studies in Fine Arts at a renowned university where Frida Kahlo taught for some years, contributing to an undeniable legacy in the style of many Mexican female artists. Day-Magallon has received and embraced that artistic influence during the years she lived in Mexico, and it is manifested in her artwork as she employs a rich symbolism emphasizing her own cultural identity and spiritual views. Tania Day-Magallon has also participated in art exhibits in Chicago, where she resided for several years; and she has participated in collaboratives, presentations, performances, and has given art workshops at different venues including at her private studio. In addition, Day-Magallon is also passionate about body art including henna design and tattoos; she owned a tattoo parlor in the city of Chicago which has influenced and enriched her artistic career in many aspects. Tania Day-Magallon is currently a member of WOC-Art collaborative, and other art groups and collectives where she remains active. She has also a BA from SUNY, where she continued her studies in visual arts and psychology. Learn more here: daymagallonart.com

Erica Jae was born and raised in the 19th ward of Rochester, NY. Out of love and protection, her mother allowed her only to play from in front of her house up to the stop sign that was located two houses down. Naturally, Erica grew curious about the world beyond her parameters and in college, she majored in social sciences with a concentration in mental health. Over the last 8 years, Erica has worked as an assistant manager, a clinical case manager, and a residential counselor in various group homes. Her work has been featured on NBC nightly news with Lester Holt and published in local magazines. From an early age Erica expressed herself through writing fictional short stories, poetry, and blasting hip hop from the stereo in her room. With her camera as an advocate, Erica tells the stories of the people within her community and beyond. Her work seeks beauty in hidden gems, balance with the duality of light and dark, and stillness in the poetic rhythm of the streets. Learn more here and IG: @artxericajae // @ello_yellow

Born and raised in Atlanta, Ga. Abiose Spriggs received her undergraduate degree at the College of Wooster in Wooster, Ohio for fine art. She was introduced to art through her parents. Her mother is an educator and her father was in art administration. Abiose’s entire upbringing was centered around art thus growing her appreciation for it and leading to further study. Her art focuses primarily on her personal experience and interest as a black person in America. Expressed through various mediums, drawing, printmaking, sculpture, and paint. In her paintings, she loves utilizing the medium to show the artist’s hand often against an attempt to create the absences of the artist hand. Painterly brush strokes that are free and dance across the surface confined by the square. This, to the artist, is what it’s like to be black in America. Being fed the illusion of freedom but never allowed to have it. Color has always been important in her art, the connection of color to emotion is a large driving force behind anything she draws. Spriggs is continually inspired by painters who`utilize bold colors and big canvases and those that use multiple mediums. Jacob Lawrence, Josef Albers, Sam Gilliam, David Hammonds, Cezanne, Paul Gaugin, Egon Schile, Emma Amos, Wanda Koop, Radcliffe Bailey, Virginia Jaramillo, Betye Saar, Kerry James Marshall, and Elizabeth Catlett to name a few.

Thievin’ Stephen makes art in Rochester, where part of supporting local artists is avoiding businesses that don’t. Learn more here: thievinstephen.com or Instagram: @thievinstephen

Victoria Brzustowicz

40 Years of the Susan B. Anthony Dollar

National Susan B. Anthony Museum & House Commemorates the 40th Anniversary of the Release of the Susan B. Anthony Dollar

The National Susan B. Anthony Museum & House will host a brief ceremony on July 2, 2019, 11:00 am,  at 17 Madison Street, the National Historic Landmark that was Susan B. Anthony’s home and headquarters. 

The ceremony commemorates the 40th anniversary of the launch of the Susan B. Anthony dollar which took place on the front steps of 17 Madison Street on June 2, 1979. The ceremony will feature remarks by Anthony Museum President & CEO, Deborah L. Hughes. 

The ceremony will be followed by the opening of the exhibit, More than a Coin: 40 Years of the Susan B. Anthony Dollar, which will be on display at the Anthony Museum Visitor Center at 19 Madison Street.

This event is free and open to the public. 

That evening, the Anthony Museum hosts a special-invitation-only event, when numismatist Mitch Sanders gives a presentation titled “11 Stories of the Susan B. Anthony Dollar” in the Carriage House (behind 19 Madison Street), with a 5 pm Meet & Greet, and a 5:30 presentation. 

Victoria Brzustowicz

Wreath Hanging Ceremony

National Susan B. Anthony Museum & House Commemorates Susan B. Anthony’s Death and Legacy

 

Rochester, NY– The National Susan B. Anthony Museum & House will host a ceremonial wreath hanging on the front steps of 17 Madison Street, the National Historic Landmark that was Susan B. Anthony’s home and headquarters, on Wednesday, March 13, 2019 at 11:00 a.m.

The brief ceremony commemorates the 113th anniversary of Susan B. Anthony’s death on March 13, 1906, and will include remarks by Anthony Museum President & CEO, Deborah L. Hughes.

This event is free and open to the public.

Update:

Here is a short video of part of the remarks given at the ceremony.

Victoria Brzustowicz

Suffragist City Parade Coming Soon

Saturday, September 15, 2018

Parade starts @ 10:30 am

Route: W. Main St. to the National Susan B. Anthony Museum & House,  17 Madison St., Rochester, NY

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Stay After the Parade for the Block Party in Susan B. Anthony Park

11:00 am–2:00 pm

Organize! Agitate! Educate!

Featuring

MUSIC

Madeleine McQueen | Sarah Long Hendershot and Dan Hoh |  Connie Deming

Artists Coalition for Change Together

The Raging Grannies

Games and activities for kids

Art Force 5—students from Alfred University—will create a mosaic of Susan B. Anthony and Frederick Douglass. Join them to paint a tile and learn about the big picture in the process!

Meet Susan B. Anthony, Frederick Douglass and other  celebrated role models!

Food Trucks

Wraps on Wheels  •  Dillicious Eats  •  Neighborhood Catering

Victoria Brzustowicz

VoteTilla To Be Presented with Award

VoteTilla, a July 2017 project of the National Susan B. Anthony Museum & House,  will be awarded  the Engaging Communities Award as part of the Museum Association of New York’s 2018 conference “Visioning Change.” The Award Ceremony will take place at 8:00 AM on Monday, April 9, 2018 at the Hyatt Regency Rochester. Photo opportunities available. For further information please contact info@nysmuseums.org or 518-273-3400.

UPDATE: Lieutenant Governor Kathy Hochul presenting the MANY Engaging Communities Award for July 2017’s VoteTilla to the Anthony Museum. Accepting the award are Deborah L. Hughes and Sharon Salluzzo (Chair, Board of Trustees). We share this award with all the volunteers and partners who made VoteTilla a success!

Victoria Brzustowicz

Deborah L. Hughes to Speak at Arizona State University

On Thursday, March 29, Deborah L. Hughes will present Interpreting a 19th Century Icon for the 21st Century: The National Susan B. Anthony Museum and House at Arizona State University, Institute for Humanities Research, Tempe, Arizona.  That afternoon she will talk about the challenges involved in running a museum dedicated to the women’s rights icon and that is itself an historical landmark. She will also discuss the museum’s efforts to make its collections more accessible to 21st century audiences.

Hughes is president, CEO, and executive director of the Susan B. Anthony Museum and House in Rochester, New York, a position she’s held since 2007. Hughes has a degree in religious studies from University of Oregon and a graduate degree from Colgate Rochester Crozer Divinity School.

The National Susan B. Anthony Museum & House interprets the legacy of the great reformer to inspire and challenge individuals to make a positive difference in their lives and communities. We preserve and share the National Historic Landmark that was her home and headquarters, collect and exhibit artifacts related to her life and work, and offer tours and interpretive programs to share her story with the world.

DHughes

Anthony Museum Raises Concern over Continued Misuse of Anthony’s Name and Legacy

Rochester, NY – In light of recent events in the world of American politics, the National Susan B Anthony Museum & House today reiterated its nonpartisan educational mission to inspire and challenge individuals, through Susan B Anthony’s life and work, to make a positive difference in their lives and communities.

 

Today, presidential candidate, Donald Trump, announced his intention to create a “pro-life coalition” headed by Marjorie Dannenfelser of the Susan B. Anthony List. This coalition would work to support Mr. Trump’s previously declared commitments to the anti-abortion movement and to encourage voter turnout in key battleground states. The Susan B. Anthony List is a 501(c)(4) organization. Along with its affiliated political action committee, the SBA List Candidate Fund, this organization has long raised concerns for the Anthony Museum and those dedicated to protecting the legacy of the great reformer. Neither organization is in any way affiliated or in partnership with the National Susan B Anthony Museum & House.

 

“Not only does the Museum maintain a nonpartisan perspective,” said president and CEO, Deborah L. Hughes, “but it would not be in keeping with Susan B. Anthony’s legacy to endorse a political candidate. We are pleased that this once-reviled woman has earned such a high place of honor and authority that individuals and organizations seek her as their champion, but the National Susan B Anthony Museum & House is here to tell the authentic story of her life and work, rather than to use her name for a political agenda.”

 

The National Susan B Anthony Museum & House, a 501(c)(3) educational entity, is dedicated to preserving and interpreting Anthony’s life and work in a historically accurate and responsible manner. It is not affiliated with any other organization bearing the name of Susan B Anthony.

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Please send any inquiries re: this statement to president & CEO, Deborah L. Hughes.

DHughes

Anthony Museum Announces “VoteTilla” Event to Mark Suffrage Centennial

Rochester, NY – The National Susan B Anthony Museum & House has begun major plans to commemorate the centennial of woman suffrage in New York State in 2017. VoteTilla – a weeklong navigational celebration – will take place along the Erie Canal from July 16 – 22, 2017. A core group of canal boats will set out from Seneca Falls and travel to Rochester, with a concluding celebration at the Anthony Museum on Madison Street.

Throughout the week, VoteTilla boats will dock at several towns and villages along the route. Local residents and partner organizations are invited to share in the celebration by offering programming and excursions or by adding their own boats to the traveling fleet. Current partners include Bristol Valley Theatre, Canal Society of New York State, the City of Rochester, Erie Canalway National Heritage Corridor, the RIT Women’s and Gender Studies Coordinating Committee, Rochester Museum & Science Center, Susan B Anthony Neighborhood Association, the Seward House, and the University of Rochester’s Susan B Anthony Center for Women’s Leadership.

Superintendent Ami Ghazala stated, “The National Park Service at Women’s Rights National Historical Park is thrilled to partner with women’s organizations in the Finger Lakes. We strive to bring attention to historical and current stories that highlight the diversity of the United States.”

National Women’s Hall of Fame president Jeanne Giovannini stated, “This consortium will strengthen the ties and collaboration among these cultural and historical organizations, helping to bring national and international attention to the Finger Lakes Region for its significance and place in our nation’s history in the promotion of human rights.”

“VoteTilla will be a vivid reminder of the work and cooperation required to secure the vote for women,” says Anthony Museum president & CEO, Deborah L Hughes. “Educational, historical, and civic organizations and community members of all ages can come together to host events, greet the passing boats, and participate in special events, on both land and water.”

The VoteTilla celebration immediately follows both the July 4th Bicentennial Celebration of the New York State Canals and the Convention Days weekend in Seneca Falls.

For information on partnering with the Anthony Museum for this special event, please email or call our office at 585/279-7490.

DHughes

“Thank you, Susan B Anthony!” Online Exhibit Launched

Rochester, NY – The National Susan B Anthony Museum & House is proud to announce the launch of a new online exhibit, “Thank you, Susan B Anthony!”, in partnership with Google Cultural Institute.

tysba_googleThrough this virtual exhibition, users are able to view artifacts, documents, and other items from the Museum’s permanent collection that bring to light new aspects of one of the world’s greatest social reformers. Viewers will encounter a young Susan B through the cross-stitch sampler she created as a preteen, images of her as a young woman, and letters penned in her own hand.

“We are excited to share these images, some of them never before published, with the world,” said Deborah L. Hughes, president and CEO of the National Susan B Anthony Museum & House. “Telling Susan B Anthony’s story through this innovative platform will help us inspire and challenge people around the world in a new way.”

“Thank you, Susan B Anthony!” is a part of the Google Arts & Culture’s American Democracy collection, which brings together over sixty online exhibits and more than 2500 individual artifacts from forty-four institutions dedicated to the preservation of U.S. political history and the practice of American democracy. The exhibition is accessible at g.co/AmericanDemocracy or through the Google Arts & Culture mobile app for iOS and Android.

Highlights of the “Thank you, Susan B Anthony!” exhibit include:tysba_google2

  • A letter from Susan B Anthony to her aunt and uncle, pondering her future as a champion of equal rights
  • A letter by Daniel Anthony, Susan B’s father, to his brother, endorsing Frederick Douglass and his newspaper, the North Star
  • A pamphlet transcription of Henry R. Selden’s remarks on behalf of Anthony at her 1873 trial for voting

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Google Arts & Culture is a product of the Google Cultural Institute and its partners designed to put the world’s cultural treasures at the fingertips of internet users and to assist the cultural sector in sharing more of its diverse heritage online. The Google Cultural Institute has partnered with more than 1100 institutions, providing the Arts & Culture platform to over 400 thousand artworks and a total of 5 million photos, videos, manuscripts, and other documents of art, culture, and history. The exhibitions on Google Arts & Culture are open for all online, for free, on the web and through their mobile app.

The National Susan B Anthony Museum & House interprets the legacy of the great reformer to inspire and challenge individuals to make a positive difference in their lives and communities. We preserve and share the National Historic Landmark that was her home and headquarters, collect and exhibit artifacts related to her life and work, and offer tours and interpretive programs to share her story with the world.

The National Susan B Anthony Museum & House is supported primarily through the contributions of its members and donors. It is not affiliated with other organizations bearing her name.