'After Sept. 11' exhibition planned at
Bernstein Gallery, Sept. 9-Dec. 1

"After Sept. 11," an exhibition that explores how the work of 12 regional artists has been influenced by the tragic events of one year ago, will open Monday, Sept. 9, at the newly renovated Woodrow Wilson School of Public and International Affairs' Bernstein Gallery on the lower level of Robertson Hall.

The public is invited to an opening reception from 7 to 9 p.m. Friday, Sept. 13. The exhibition runs from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Mondays through Fridays through Dec. 1.

Robertson, including the gallery space, has been undergoing significant renovations over the past year. The Bernstein Gallery originally was dedicated in 1990 as a memorial to former Woodrow Wilson School Dean Marver Bernstein and his wife, Sheva.

It is intended as a showcase for art reflecting the mission of the Woodrow Wilson School. "At the Woodrow Wilson School, we encourage our students to take an interdisciplinary approach to solving public policy problems," said Associate Dean Karen Jezierny, who has spearheaded the effort to make the gallery a place where art and public policy coexist. "Incorporating the visual arts into the students' academic experience serves to further broaden their outlook."

Curator Kate Somers said, "The idea of having exhibitions at WWS which tie in to the school's curriculum makes a lot of sense. 'After Sept. 11' is an appropriate inaugural show for the gallery -- the work on view will be a deeply moving reflection of how 12 regional artists have expressed, in art, their emotional, spiritual and political reactions to that event."

The other shows planned for 2002-03 include: "In Their Backyard: Community Health Leaders," showcasing black and white photography by Larry Fink of community health leaders across the country who have dedicated their lives to improve health care for vulnerable populations; "Africa's 'Lunatics,'" featuring the work of the young Frenchman, Vincent Fougere, who spent eight years photographing people with serious mental illness in Africa; and a juried competition of photography by Woodrow Wilson School students as they express visually their academic studies both here and abroad.