The Presence of Absence
(2021 AK Teens: Future Curators Exhibition)
Friday, April 30, 2021 – Saturday, May 22, 2021
On View at Buffalo Center for Arts and Technology May 1–22, 2021
On View at Western New York Book Arts Center April 30–May 21, 2021
Virtual Exhibition on View Starting April 30, 2021
Register for the Closing Celebration
Wednesday, May 19, 2021 ● 5 pm – 6 pm
FREE Virtual Event
Remarks from Albright-Knox staff members; the Future Curators; and a representative from the program’s sponsor, KeyBank, will begin at 5:10 pm EST. Registered participants will receive a link to join this virtual event the morning of the program.
The Albright Knox Art Gallery’s AK Teens:Future Curators is an annual program designed to expose high school students to the museum field through the organization of an exhibition of artwork by local high school students. Students are involved in all aspects of the exhibition, including selecting the artwork; designing the exhibition’s layout; and writing the wall text, in-gallery labels, and press release.
Book Arts is excited to collaborate with the 2021 Future Curators to present this impressive exhibition.
Despite living in a seemingly connected world, with access to video calls, texting, and social media, many often feel an ocean apart from others, the world, and even themselves. Just as silence can be deafening, The Presence of Absence makes us realize how important these things are. This exhibition represents the expression of human emotion at a time when isolation is mandatory. Using misplaced objects, fractured pieces, and lost figures, the artists in the exhibition draw attention to this feeling of disjointedness. Throughout The Presence of Absence, the works display a progression of physical, social, and emotional isolation. Communicating the hardship of disconnection has led to the pursuit of reconnection and repair. Can we reunite with the parts that have gone missing, making us whole again?
Visiting hours here at Book Arts: Thursday 10am – 2pm, Friday 12pm – 6pm, Saturday 10am – 2pm. Our Gallery is free & open to the public. Plan your visit.
Please visit the Buffalo Center for Arts and Technology (BCAT) for in-person visiting times.

Julia Yoo (Etobicoke School of the Arts). Perpetual Foreigner II. Archival pigment print.
ABOUT THE 2021 ARTISTS
The artists whose artworks are featured in the 2021 AK Teens: Future Curators Exhibition, The Presence of Absence, include: Holly Arrison, Amnna Attia, Scarlett Barone, Lilian Beaudoin, Brianna Bernas, Bikash Biswa, Abby Brock, Sienna Cefalu, Kylie Cocca, Eleanor Collins, Isabella Conde, Clare Connolly, Margaret Coughlin, Lucy Dietrich, Lisa Doan, Kelcey Doyle, Dessa Ely, Cara Eugeni, Sarah Falsetti, Naomi Foster, Rhiannon Furey, Leah Gallie, Eve Giancarlo, Adeliz Gottinger, Delaney Graham, Emily Grucello, Erica Guy, Gretchen Gwitt, Kennedy Intihar, Jessica Jiang, Hailey Kliszak, Alexandra Lee, Tessa Lord, Kylie Lundrigan, Sam Marod, Dyshon Martin, Kelly Murray, Jacob Niccola, Amaya Ortiz, Maxwell Palermo, Monet Parker, Emily Peca, Emilea Pfalzer, Donny Schmidt, Amina Sidali, Gabriela Sirén, Arthika Sivasubramaniam, Adeline Skye, Lauryn Socha, Katelyn Suitor, Alex Sullivan, Natalie Turcotte, Annelise Wall, Vivian Wattle, Christopher Weitz, Sadie Withers, Madisyn Wright, and Julia Yoo.
SATURDAY, MAY 15th @ 10am | Join us for a deep exploration of the artwork on view through meditation and discussion. FIND OUT MORE.
About the 2021 Curators
The 2021 Future Curators team consists of eighteen students in grades 11 and 12: Amnna Attia (Etobicoke School of the Arts), Isabella Conde (Lewiston-Porter High School), Mychajlo Deneka (West Seneca West High School), Rhiannon Furey (Lewiston-Porter High School), Gretchen Gwitt (Nichols School), Mackenzey Holmes (Pioneer High School), Abigail Janowski (Amherst High School), Allison Janowski (Amherst High School) , Zoe Kowalski (Grand Island Senior High School, Future Curators Mentor), Alexandra Lee (Lewiston-Porter High School), Tristan Madden (Nichols School, Future Curators Mentor), Catherine McDonnell (West Seneca West High School), Katelyn Michaels (Nichols School), Madison Stoklosa (St. Mary’s High School), Annelise Wall (Nardin Academy), Christopher Weitz (West Seneca West High School), Sarah Wisniewski (Niagara Falls High School), and Bradley Zubek (West Seneca West High School).
Beginning in January 2021, this creative team of young aspiring art professionals has been learning what goes on behind the scenes at the Albright-Knox and using the museum’s collection and current exhibitions to begin thinking about art from the mindset of a curator. They are pleased to present the culmination of their experience, the 2021 AK Teens: Future Curators exhibition, The Presence of Absence. This year, the exhibition will be on view simultaneously in two separate venues in Buffalo, New York: the Buffalo Center for Arts and Technology (1221 Main Street) and the Western New York Book Arts Center (468 Washington Street). You will also be able to view a virtual version of the exhibition starting April 30, 2021. A virtual exhibition closing celebration will take place on Wednesday, May 19, 2021, 5–6 pm. Learn More about the AK Teens: Future Curators Program