Portraits as Public Memory
“Portraying St. Lawrence” exhibit expands representation of our community.
How does a community honor and represent those who have contributed in significant ways to its growth and success? And who gets acknowledged? At St. Lawrence, as with many institutions, you’ll find your answers as you walk through the campus buildings. Most of the official portraiture depicts white males—all deserving of being remembered for the impact they made on our community. But what would it mean to expand the aperture on who is worthy of being pictured on the walls of halls our future generations travel?
These are the questions for consideration in the Richard F. Brush Art Gallery exhibition “Portraying St. Lawrence,” which honors the lives and contributions of three St. Lawrence community members: Margaret Kent Bass; Ernest M. Kaientaronkwen Benedict ’40, GP’03 (1918-2011); and Reverend Kathleen Buckley (1953-2020).
The interactive exhibition was created to draw attention to who is commemorated in official campus portraiture, how portraits act as a form of public memory for an institution or community, and how we can expand both who we remember and how we remember those important to our community through culturally responsive commemoration.
On a Friday evening in January, families and friends gathered to celebrate the three honorees with a reception and official portrait unveiling. Spearheaded by Angela Sweigart-Gallagher, associate professor of Performance and Communication, Allison Rowland, associate professor of Performance and Communication Arts, and Jessica Sierk, associate professor of Education, the “Portraying St. Lawrence” exhibition was made possible by a grant from St. Lawrence University’s Arts Collaborative. Honorees were selected through a nomination process that involved the campus community and the three commissioned artists were chosen in collaboration with the nominees or their families.
Honorees
Margaret Kent Bass
Margaret Kent Bass was St. Lawrence University’s director of multicultural affairs in 1993 and joined
the English department in 2000. She was appointed associate dean for faculty in 2004 and interim vice president and dean of students in 2005-06. Among her many accolades are the Owen D. Young Outstanding Faculty Award and the Emily Eaton Hepburn Women’s Award for Creative Leadership. Nadirah Croft, a 2021 St. Lawrence University Higher Education Opportunity Program graduate, is the artist behind Margaret’s portrait. Loved ones celebrated with Bass at the portrait unveiling.
Ernest M. Kaientaronkwen Benedict ’40, GP’03
Ernest M. Kaientaronkwen Benedict ’40, GP’03 (1918-2011) was the first Indigenous student to graduate from St. Lawrence University and he went on to become a venerated chief of the Akwesasne Mohawk Council, a renowned activist and educator, and started one of the most influential Native newspapers in the world, Akwesasne Notes. He partnered with the great teacher Ray Tehanetorens Fadden in a mission to revive the national identity of the Mohawk Nation. Renowned artist and family friend, Dave Kanietakeron Fadden, was selected to paint Benedict’s portrait. Three generations of Benedicts attended the opening, including Ernest’s children Daniel and Rebecca, pictured.
Reverend Kathleen Buckley
Reverend Kathleen Buckley (1953-2020) was a dedicated diversity advocate who served as University chaplain for nearly two decades. Buckley is remembered by many as a spiritual advisor, compassionate presence, and fierce advocate for LGBTQIA+ justice on campus. The Sullivan Center’s Reverend Kathleen Buckley Conference Room for Diversity & Inclusion, named in her memory, is a meeting space open to all students whose work aligns with Buckley’s inspired vision for the Laurentian community. Buckley’s portrait was painted by St. Lawrence student, Mikayla Quinn ’24, and is admired in this photo by Buckley’s partner, University Chaplain Rev. Shaun Whitehead.
