Table of Contents
01 Exhibitions 02 News Spotlight 03 Looking Back, Looking Ahead
Exhibitions Here, There: New Perspectives from the Collection September 8 - December 11, 2026
Image: Rosalyn Schwartz, French Blue II, 1999
Here, There: New Perspectives from the Illinois State Museum Collection, brings together artists whose practices explore the intersections of place, memory, and identity. Here, There examines how belonging is continually shaped through movement, lived experience, and cultural exchange. It features work by internationally celebrated artists such as Eldzier Cortor, Joseph Yoakum, and Theaster Gates alongside emerging voices including Jason Reblando and Zehra Khan. This exhibition considers “here” and “there” as relational spaces where personal and collective histories intersect.
Shepard Fairey: Recent Additions September 8 - December 11, 2026
Shepard Fairey: Recent Additions presents a selection of works by Shepard Fairey, one of the most influential contemporary artists and graphic designers of the twenty-first century, drawn from the Schingoethe Center's recent acquisitions. Bringing together prints and mixedmedia works from the museum's collection, this exhibition highlights Fairey's distinctive aesthetic and explores the enduring impact of his work on contemporary art, design, and visual culture. Image: Shepard Fairey, Radical Cat, 2026
Trace January 26- May 14, 2027 Where are the animals? Trace brings together recent work by Colleen Plumb, Lee Deigaard, and Linnéa Ryshke to explore the presence and absence of animals in the human world. Examining trace as both what remains and what is followed, the work featured in the exhibition asks how learning to attend to animal lives might reshape our understanding of the worlds we share. Image: Linnéa Ryshke, Barn owl held / to photograph, after being ringed, 2022-24
Charley Harper: Modern Nature January 26- May 14, 2027 Charley Harper: Modern Nature showcases recent acquisitions to the Schingoethe Center collection, highlighting Charley Harper's distinctive vision of the natural world. Blending careful observation with humor and modern design, Harper's work celebrates the beauty and diversity of wildlife while inviting visitors of all ages to see familiar animals from a fresh perspective. Image: Charley Haper, Birdwatcher, 1975
The Schingoethe Center Newsletter • Fall 2026 1
News Spotlight
Museum Staff Attend Artful Movement® Summer Institute at the National Museum of Asian Art
In fall 2025, the Schingoethe Center became one of a select group of Smithsonian Affiliates partnering with the Smithsonian’s National Museum of Asian Art and Create Calm to participate in the Artful Movement: Social-Emotional Wellness from Coast to Coast® initiative.
This summer, Schingoethe Center staff members Dr. Natasha Ritsma and Trey Ambrose traveled to Washington, D.C., to attend the Artful Movement® Summer Institute at the National Museum of Asian Art. During the institute, they received continued training in the Artful Movement® approach, connected with fellow Smithsonian Affiliate educators, and welcomed a new cohort of K–5 teachers from across the country who will be implementing the program in their classrooms.
The Schingoethe Center is especially excited to partner with Aliki Stanek, a K–5 art teacher at Smith Elementary School in Aurora, Illinois, as part of this new teacher cohort. Working alongside Schingoethe Center staff, Stanek will help develop lesson plans, design educational programming, and create resources that support both museum educators and classroom teachers in integrating Artful Movement® into their teaching. Interested in bringing an Artful Movement® experience to your students or group? Contact the Schingoethe Center at museum@aurora.edu to learn more or schedule a program.
Trey Ambrose, Aliki Stanek, and Dr. Natasha Ritsma’s reflection in Yellow Egoless Door by Olafur Eliasson on view at the National Gallery of Art.
Schingoethe Center Partners with the Wackerlin Center to Lead Aurora University’s Labyrinth Ambassadors Program
Labyrinth Program student ambassadors and leaders pose before the grotto in the historic Harmonist Labyrinth in New Harmony, IN.
2 The Schingoethe Center Newsletter • Fall 2026
Schingoethe Center staff members Dr. Natasha Ritsma and Zachary Bishop are partnering with Dr. Justin West, Executive Director of the Wackerlin Center for Faith and Action, and Dr. Mark Woolfington, University Chaplain, to lead the newly created Labyrinth Ambassadors Program at Aurora University. The program aims to introduce the AU community to the labyrinth at the Wackerlin Center and its potential as a powerful tool for reflection, mindfulness, and connection. This past July, program leaders traveled to New Harmony, Indiana, with eight student Labyrinth Ambassadors. There, they participated in Labyrinth Facilitator Training through Veriditas, an international labyrinth organization. Over the course of three days, the group explored the history of labyrinths, learned how they can be used to promote mindfulness and spirituality, and developed best practices for guiding others through the labyrinth experience.
Looking Back, Looking Ahead Spring Semester Review
Image Detail: René Arceo, Monarch Sky Above | Monarca cielo arriba, 2003
Fall Semester Preview
Image Detail: Miyoko Ito, Sacramento, 1975
During Spring 2026, the Schingoethe Center welcomed more than 4,400 visitors and hosted 108 tours of the exhibition, Mapping Territories: The Art of Exile in Pilsen–Chicago. Organized by educator and artist Rene Arceo, the exhibition featured the work of 32 printmakers, highlighting the social and political challenges faced by migrants while celebrating the resilient cultural community they built in Chicago's Pilsen neighborhood. To enrich the exhibition experience, the Schingoethe Center presented a variety of public programs, including an opening reception, Family Day, and printmaking workshops. The semester concluded with a historic milestone, as the Schingoethe Center recorded its highest annual attendance to date, welcoming more than 7,700 visitors during the academic year.
This spring, the Schingoethe Center excited to showcase Here, There: New Perspectives from the Illinois State Museum Collection, as the featured exhibition for the semester. Here, There is a guest-curated exhibition featuring modern and contemporary artworks from the Illinois State Museum. Three guest curators, Mariela Acuña, Sheridan Tucker Anderson, and Allison Lacher were invited to explore and bring a fresh perspective to the ISM’s nearly 100-year-old collection of Illinois and regional artists. Their curatorial projects speak to themes of nostalgia, home, belonging, and sites of history in American art. Alongside the exhibition, we’re hosting a lineup of programs and events designed to spark discussion and connection throughout the semester. Featured events that are free and open to the public include: Opening Reception for Here, There – Tuesday, September 8, 2026 / 5–7 p.m. Join us for refreshments and gallery micro talks. Family Day – Saturday, October 3, 2026 / 10 a.m.–1 p.m. Fun for all ages! Crafts, prizes, snacks, kite making station, scavenger hunt, print making demo, and more! Live music by AU’s Mariachi Ensemble.
Please consider donating to support the Schingoethe Center’s mission The Schingoethe Center at Aurora University is proud to serve as the only art museum in the Fox Valley region. Your support helps us bring world-class art and meaningful cultural experiences to both the Fox Valley and Aurora University communities. Every contribution, regardless of size, directly advances our mission to foster curiosity, celebrate artistic excellence, explore diverse cultures, and inspire a lifelong appreciation for the visual arts. Together, we can continue making exceptional art accessible to all. The Schingoethe Center Newsletter • Fall 2026 3