Onondaga Historical Association announces an opening reception for two new exhibits, Manifest Destiny and the American West, and Last House, in the museum at OHA on September 21, 2012 from 4-6 PM. These exhibits are mounted as part of the The Other New York (TONY): 2012, Syracuse’s art biennial.  OHA’s TONY: 2012 exhibits are artistically presented interpretations of dynamic social trends that are part of the historic legacy of central New York. The reception and exhibits are free and open to the public.

In a three-dimensional display employing nearly 1,000 images set in glass jars, Manifest Destiny and the American West, an exhibit by Buffalo artist Robert Hirsch, asks the visitor to think about how our nation’s geographic progression across the continent has shaped American culture. The desire to exploit the salt brine reserves on Onondaga Lake contributed to a westward migration of settlers across Central New York in the post-American Revolution era, while the construction of the Erie Canal enhanced this movement through the 19th century and enabled many travelers to reach lands in the farther reaches of the American continent.

Last House is a multi-channel video installation by media artist Carl Lee that explores the aesthetics and means of a house demolition in Buffalo, NY. Cities like Buffalo and Syracuse are faced with a large number of abandoned houses. This video asks us to think about what we gain and lose in demolishing them. This installation will be accompanied by three paintings by Western New York artist Amy Greenan of vacant houses in Syracuse awaiting an uncertain future, including Not Here, Not Now, her interpretation of 711 Tully Street, which seems poised to have a different fate on Syracuse’s Near West Side than that if the house in Last House.

Onondaga Historical Association is proud to be one of fourteen Central New York venues for TONY: 2012. This community-wide event starts in September. The TONY: 2012 exhibits at OHA will run from September 22, 2012 to January 6, 2013.  The Everson Museum will be hosting a guided “Art Crawl” to view some of the TONY: 2012 exhibits on Saturday, September 22, commencing at noon from the Everson Museum. One of the venues on the art crawl will be Onondaga Historical Association.

TONY 2012 is organized by the Everson Museum of Art in collaboration with ArtRage – The Norton Putter Gallery, Community Folk Art Center, Erie Canal Museum, Light Work, Onondaga Historical Association, PuntodeContacto/Point of Contact, Rosamond Gifford Zoo, Stone Quarry Hill Art Park, SUArt Galleries, Urban Video Project, The Warehouse Gallery, City of Syracuse and XL Projects. Major funding is provided by The Central New York Community Foundation through the John F. Marsellus Fund.

The opening reception for OHA’s TONY: 2012 exhibits, Manifest Destiny and Last House, will be on Friday, September 21 at OHA, 321 Montgomery St., Syracuse, NY 13202, from 4-6 PM. The reception, exhibits and museum are free and open to the public. Museum hours of operation are Wed. – Fri., 10-4, and Sat. and Sun., 11-4. For more information, see cnyhistory.org or call 315-428-1864, ext. 312.