Niagara University, New York: April 3, 2025 – Castellani Art Museum of Niagara University is proud to announce the opening of three dynamic new exhibitions this spring: Brigid Kennedy: Social Fabric, Jessica Gadra: Fact in Fantasy, and Glitched Reality: AI Meets CAM’s Collection. These thought-provoking exhibitions open with a joint public reception on Thursday, April 24, 2025, from 5:00 to 7:00 p.m., offering visitors the opportunity to experience a wide spectrum of contemporary artistic expression—ranging from personal narrative and folklore to emerging AI technologies.
Brigid Kennedy: Social Fabric, on view from March 20 through September 28, 2025, offers a deeply personal and socially engaged exploration of the human experience. Kennedy’s work—spanning painting, sculpture, and installation—draws on Buddhist philosophy, Eastern belief systems, and contemporary events to reflect on the invisible forces that shape our lives. Her Inside/Outside series offers quiet meditations on perception and place, while her Social Justice series confronts urgent topics like mental health, voting rights, cobalt mining, and the refugee crisis. Kennedy’s connection to Niagara University adds a poignant layer to the exhibition—her grandfather was an NU graduate, making this exhibition a meaningful return to her family roots. “My work is an exploration that questions, re-examines, and forges meaning,” Kennedy says. “It is rooted in lived experiences, memories, and personal perspectives.”
Opening on April 24 and running through November 9, 2025, Jessica Gadra: Fact in Fantasy invites audiences into a whimsical, mysterious world of fairies, gods, and mythical beasts. Buffalo-based illustrator Jessica Gadra reinterprets beloved fairy tales and folklore through highly detailed and emotionally layered drawings. Her work explores the intersection of fantasy and reality, often revealing dark, humorous, or unexpected truths hidden within familiar stories. “Fairy tales, myths, and folktales tell these truths to me in the most appealing and digestible form,” says Gadra. Curated in collaboration with Niagara University students enrolled in the course AHM357: Exhibiting Cultures, the exhibition showcases Gadra’s talent for breathing new life into timeless narratives while exploring deeper cultural and psychological themes.
Also debuting on April 24 is Glitched Reality: AI Meets CAM’s Collection, a special student pop-up exhibition on view through August 31, 2025. This innovative project is the result of the Museum’s ongoing AI and Art initiative, which invites students from Niagara University’s MKG 325: International Marketing course, taught by Shawn P. Daly, Ph.D., P.E., and students from Niagara Falls High School enrolled in MKG 181: Principles of Marketing to reinterpret artworks from CAM’s permanent collection using artificial intelligence image generator tools. The involvement of Niagara Falls High School students was made possible through a partnership with the Levesque Institute for Civic Engagement, which organizes dual enrollment programming with the Niagara Falls City School District. The resulting works—imaginative digital reinterpretations grounded in traditional pieces—explore themes of identity, fantasy, environmental change, and self-expression. Glitched Reality invites viewers to consider the creative potential and ethical implications of AI in the context of artistic production and historical reinterpretation.
Castellani Art Museum invites the public to attend the joint opening reception for all three exhibitions on Thursday, April 24, from 5:00 to 7:00 p.m. CAM Members are invited to enjoy a special tour with artist Brigid Kennedy and CAM’s Director Ellen Owens at 4:30 p.m. All visitors can enjoy light refreshments, connect with participating artists and students, and explore the galleries. Admission is free and open to all.
CAM will offer free Public Tours of these exhibitions at 1:00 p.m. the following Saturdays:
May 3 | Glitched Reality: AI Meets CAM’s Collection
June 7 | Brigid Kennedy: Social Fabric
August 2 | Jessica Gadra: Fact in Fantasy
Visit CAM’s website to register and view other related programs.
About the Castellani Art Museum:
With learning and public access at the heart of its mission, CAM is the premier resource for the visual arts in Niagara County. The Museum’s permanent collection includes over 5,000 pieces of modern and contemporary art, Niagara Falls art, and regional Folk Arts. CAM is committed to the preservation of these artworks, along with offering exhibitions and programs that serve the campus, local communities, and tourists.
For more information on the CAM, please visit www.castellaniartmuseum.org and follow CAM on Facebook, X (@CAM_of_NU), and Instagram (@CastellaniArtMuseum).