Tyler Art Gallery is opening its Fall 2022 exhibition series with “Al Bremmer: A Retrospective,” a tribute to the former art professor who died in November 2021.
“When we have had such an important person to our history and they recently passed, we try to honor them with an exhibit,” Miranda Traudt, the director of arts programming, said. “He touched so many different lives. The response and the amount of people who plan on seeing the show and attending the reception … is pretty incredible. We are seeing a lot more interest compared to other exhibitions.”
Bremmer was a painting and drawing professor at SUNY Oswego for 35 years and also served as chair of the art department for a number of years. The retrospective gallery is a way to look back on his work throughout his entire career.
“You’ll see pieces from the beginning of his career all the way up and through the later years,” Traudt said. “It’s very interesting because it shows a real breadth of different types of works he created.”
Bremmer used multimedia designs in his work, one aspect that Traudt thinks will draw people to the gallery.
“What’s amazing about this show is that Al worked mostly in abstract impressionism style [and] the materials he used were so diverse,” Traudt said. “In one of them he picked up sticks and other objects … it calls your attention because it makes you want to stand close and figure out what he’s putting together.”
Bremmer’s work has been featured all over the U.S., including in the Everson Biennial at the Everson Museum in Syracuse, the Westmoreland Art Nationals in Youngwood, Pennsylvania and at Bradley University in Peoria, Illinois.
Traudt said she is hoping everyone will find something they enjoy about the gallery, which will be open to the public and SUNY Oswego students for no charge Sept. 9 through Oct. 9.
“I think everyone is going to find something they identify with,” Traudt said. “I brought one of my classes there and I asked them to write about a couple pieces and it was really fascinating because they all picked different works.”
Bremmer’s wife, Kathryn Timms, played a huge role in setting up the gallery, according to Traudt. She chose most of the work, helped package them and set up the exhibit.
“She has been an incredible help,” Traudt said. “She has been integral to putting this together.”
The exhibit will be celebrated with a reception on Sept. 16 from 5-7 p.m. The event is open to the public and will feature remarks about Bremmer from friends and family.
“Al Bremmer: A Retrospective” is open from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Tuesdays through Saturdays. For more information or to make an appointment to view the exhibit, call 315-312-4581 or email artswego@oswego.edu.
Photo via Annika Wickham
