(NEW YORK CITY – Aug. 23, 2019) SUNY Empire State College visiting professor and alumnus Raúl Manzano ’05 will present “In the Eye of the Beholder,” an exhibit of his paintings confronting contemporary issues, in the office of Manhattan Borough President Gale A. Brewer this fall as part of her celebration of National Hispanic Heritage Month.

Manzano’s artwork addresses immigration, family separation, education, minority discrimination, AIDS, 9/11, the environment, the foundation of the American republic, and other relevant topics.

“Our gallery space has hosted exhibitions from sources far and wide,” said Brewer. “I’m thrilled that we’ll be showcasing Raúl Manzano’s work for National Hispanic Heritage Month. His history as an immigrant informs his work and I’m sure others who see it will be as moved as we were.”

“We are proud to have Raúl Manzano’s art displayed by Borough President Brewer as part of the celebration of National Hispanic Heritage Month,” said SUNY Empire State College President Jim Malatras. “Professor Manzano’s artwork, besides being beautiful, challenges the viewer to think in new ways about what it means to be an American.”

“As an immigrant, I was fascinated by the Statue of Liberty as a symbol of freedom and hope in a place called ‘the land of opportunities,’ the United States of America,” said Manzano. “Lady Liberty with her impressive monumental size, standing in New York’s harbor, provides the perfect anecdote for many of us arriving here for the first time in pursuit of better opportunities, colloquially known as ‘The American Dream.’”

In “Grasping for Freedom, Grasping for Hope,” and other paintings featuring the Statue of Liberty, Manzano invites viewers to reflect on complex multicultural situations to find common ground.

A naturalized citizen born in Columbia, Manzano was awarded second prize this July at “STRIVE: A National Exhibition Highlighting the American Immigration and the American Dream,” a juried exhibit at d’Art Center, Norfolk, Virginia, for his painting “Grasping for Freedom, Grasping for Hope,” which will be included in “In the Eye of the Beholder.”

The exhibit runs from Sept. 10, through Oct. 11, at the Maggi Peyton Gallery, 19th floor, Municipal Building, 1 Centre Street. Gallery hours are from 9 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., Monday-Friday, and admission is free.

“In the Eye of the Beholder” is the second in the ongoing series of art exhibits held across the state. The first, "A Study of Color: Old Masters to Contemporary Art," opened Monday, Aug. 5, at the college’s new Student Center, 111 West Ave., Saratoga Springs, and runs through October.

About Raúl Manzano

Manzano holds a doctorate in Interdisciplinary Studies, with a concentration in museum studies, from Union Institute and University. He completed a Master of Arts at SUNY Empire State College and a B.F.A at the School of Visual Arts.

Manzano’s faculty role at SUNY Empire includes mentoring adult students, teaching art history and studio practice, and organizing students’ exhibitions. He coordinates the college’s Livingston Gallery, located on the third floor of the Brooklyn location, where he curates annual exhibitions in celebration of Hispanic Heritage and Black History months. Manzano serves on various college committees and is the co-advisor for the Metro Art Club.

Since 2000, he has been the resident director of the School of Visual Arts' "Painting in Barcelona," summer program in Barcelona, Spain.

About SUNY Empire State College

SUNY Empire State College educates more than 17,000 students in person, online and through a blend of both, at more than 30 locations in New York and at eight international sites worldwide. Together with one of SUNY Empire’s more than 1,300 faculty mentors, each student designs his or her own individualized pathway to a college degree that accommodates his or her schedule and awards credit for prior college-level learning. SUNY Empire awards more than 3,000 degrees annually and 94 percent of graduates stay in New York state. Today, 87,000 SUNY Empire alumni are entrepreneurs, veterans and active members of the military, professional athletes, teachers, medical professionals and leaders in their field, as well as in their communities. To learn more, visit www.esc.edu and follow the college on social media @SUNYEmpire.