Palmer Museum opens juried show of contemporary art for the USA's 250th

UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — What does it mean to be American? The Palmer Museum of Art is examining that question in the special exhibition "Dreaming American Futures: Invitational 250," on view now through Nov. 29. The major juried exhibition is mounted in response to the celebration of the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence and includes artwork from 50 contemporary artists chosen from the Penn State and local communities.

The Palmer Museum in the College of Arts and Architecture at Penn State is commemorating the yearlong anniversary alongside other arts and cultural institutions all over the country.

“In the spirit of democracy, we wanted to invite artists to submit works that reflect on what life is like in the United States and what futures can unfold here,” said Amanda H. Hellman, Alvin L. and Jean Y. Snowiss Director of the Palmer Museum of Art. “This is the first open-call juried show we’ve had at the Palmer, so we are thrilled to be able to display works made for the people, by the people, in our community this year.”

50 artists

The call for artists included Penn State students, faculty, staff and alumni who reside in the state of Pennsylvania, as well as local artists who live within a 50-mile radius of State College. Nearly 300 entries were submitted, from which the 59 artworks by 50 artists were selected by a team of jurors.

The five jurors included Janine Yorimoto Boldt, the Palmer’s curator of American art; Folayemi Wilson, artist and associate dean for access and equity in the College of Arts and Architecture; Philadelphia artist and Penn State alum Roberto Lugo (Penn State class of 2014, master of fine arts); Lori Fisher, director of the Bellefonte Art Museum; and Malavi Suresh, spring 2026 curatorial intern at the Palmer and third-year art history major studying medieval art and architecture from Europe and South Asia.

“I was impressed with the thought-provoking variety of submissions,” said Boldt, who spent weeks reviewing artwork with the other jurors. “The selected artworks provide insight into some of the issues that most affect our community, our neighbors and Penn State students. “Even though we are living through a challenging moment, the exhibition is ultimately hopeful about our shared future.”

Four themes

The selected artworks in the exhibition include paintings, sculptures, ceramics, mixed-media assemblages, photographs and works on paper from the last two years. Stylistically, the 2D and 3D objects run the gamut from naturalistic realism to full abstraction, but all center around four forward-looking themes relevant to many who call the United States home: "Activating Change," "Bridging the Divide," "Pursuit of Happiness," and "A More Perfect Union."

The themes for "Dreaming American Futures" were identified by Palmer staff from visitor responses during a Palmer gallery installation on view during summer 2025. In the installation "Shaping American Histories, Dreaming American Futures," visitors were asked to reflect on American artworks from the Palmer collection and give comments and thoughts on the nation’s past, its present moment, and its potential futures. The themes for the artists to respond to in the 250th invitational exhibition were then derived from hundreds of comments written on sticky notes that were plastered across the gallery wall by visitors.

"Dreaming American Futures" artist Adwar Oguttuh, a 2026 Penn State graduate, said two of the themes especially resonated with him.

“At a time when division often dominates public discourse, the themes ‘Activating Change’ and ‘Bridging the Divide’ feel especially relevant because they invite us to see one another more fully,” he said. “I hope visitors leave with a greater awareness of the unseen stories and burdens people carry and with a renewed sense of connection, recognizing that many of the burdens we carry in silence are more universal than we often realize.”

One shared nation

Visitors who explore the exhibition can reflect on the nation’s past, examine the present, and imagine future possibilities through both overarching and personal takes on the American experience. Beyond the four themes, common threads that appear in the artworks include family memories, historical legacies, the American Dream, freedom of speech, the fragility and beauty of democracy and cultural identities enriched by a long history of immigration. Each work also includes a statement from the artist about their art and experience.

“The United States is a nation built by immigrants,” said Furong Zhang, an artist who lives and works in central Pennsylvania. “My painting 'The Chaotic Stage' is deeply rooted in my personal Chinese American immigrant journey, capturing the complex web of memories, emotions and cultural rebirth that occurs when immigrating to a new country.”

Tulu Bayar, artist and professor of art and art history at Bucknell University, has two artworks on view that are handmade silk paper prints from a portfolio featuring figures locked in embrace. The hugs speak “urgently to this moment,” she said.

“Before we can imagine a more perfect union, we must first learn how to hold one another with dignity, compassion and love,” she said.

"Dreaming American Futures: Invitational 250" will be on view until Sunday, Nov. 29. The exhibition is organized by the Palmer Museum of Art. Support for the exhibition is provided in part by Palmer Museum of Art Sandstone Members Benson and Christine Lichtig and Sally and Richard Kalin and the McCourtney Institute for Democracy at Penn State.

Artists included in the exhibition are Stephen Althouse, Audrey An, Cami Barber, Kumasi J. Barnett, Tulu Bayar, Venus Bayat, Brandon Berrett, Sophie Brenneman, Susan Marie Brundage, Cheryl Capezzuti, Andre Chaszar, Janise Crow (Crow’s Nest Arts), Clara D’Silva, Chet Davis, Caitlin M. Downs, Rachel Duke, Sandy Erwin, Kennedy René Ferguson, Cecil Fish, Madison Flynn, Dotty Ford, Adriana Forsythe, Irwin Freeman, Annette Hestres Garcia, Jackie Gianico, Rebecca Horwitt, Betsa Houshmand, Brooke Hull, Jennifer Kelly, Tae Hee Kim, Doah Lee, Heidi Theresa Manfred, Ilze Martinez, Anna Mavrodieva, John McKaig, Cristin Millett, Zsuzsanna Nagy, Sarah Nelson, Adwar Oguttuh, Daniel Oliva, Stephanie Oplinger, Michele Randall, Cookie Redding, Krishna Schroth, Lelaina Scott, Melissa Stephens, John H. Strother, Roxi Thoren, Angelo Roman Varisano and Furong Zhang.

Related Programs

A variety of public programs will be organized throughout the summer and into the fall to engage the Penn State and surrounding community with "Dreaming American Futures." To kick off those programs, the Palmer will host a celebratory community day on Thursday, July 2, with free, drop-in programs running all day from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. The event will include exploration of the exhibition, art activities, readings of notable and historical declarations by community leaders and Palmer staff and a gallery conversation with a local author and artists, as well as free hot dogs, ice cream, cookies and other refreshments throughout the day. Find more information on the "250 Community Day: We the People" event and other summer programs related to the exhibition below.

Thursday, July 2 — 11 a.m. to 8 p.m.

250 Community Day: We the People

Celebrate the spirit of independence and creativity at the Palmer with a festive day of art and community inspired by special exhibition "Dreaming American Futures: Invitational 250." Visitors of all ages are invited to explore the Invitational, which features works by Penn State students, staff, faculty and alumni as well as local and regional artists.  At 11 a.m., start at the Overlook Pavilion for a guided walk through the Arboretum to learn about surprising and “revolutionary” plants. At 1 p.m., don’t miss public readings of notable historical declarations read by community leaders. At 6 p.m., engage with local artists during a gallery conversation as they explore themes of change, connection, happiness and the ongoing work of building a more perfect union. Drop in for an hour or stay for the day! Enjoy free food, art activities like making buttons and gathering with others to reflect, connect and imagine shared futures together. Free parking all day!

Thursday, July 2 — 1 p.m.

Historical Declarations during Community Day

Enjoy public readings of notable historical declarations, including the Declaration of Independence and rousing speeches by Elizabeth Cady Stanton, Frederick Douglass and other American activists. Readings will be performed by community leaders, including Mayor Ezra Nanes; political activist, actor, and professor emeritus Charles Dumas; and Elaine Meder-Wilgus, president of Webster’s Cafe; as well as by Palmer staff and others. Readings will include ASL interpretation by interpreter Gary Thomas.

Thursday, July 2 — 6 p.m.

Gallery Conversation with "Dreaming American Futures" artists

Join us in the galleries for a special community reading and gallery conversation with "Dreaming American Futures" artists and Jeremy David Engels, Liberal Arts Endowed Professor of Communication Arts and Sciences and author of "On Mindful Democracy: A Declaration of Interdependence to Mend a Fractured World" (Parallax, 2026). The conversation will also include Assistant Director Joyce Robinson.

Sunday, July 12 — 2 p.m.

Drop-in Tour: American Art & Social History

Discover the Palmer’s world-class collections and exhibitions with a friendly and knowledgeable museum guide. Each tour explores a theme, lasts about one hour and includes close-looking through discussion and experiential learning opportunities. Guided tours start in the Dr. Keiko Miwa Ross Lobby. Join us for these free drop-in tours. Sign language interpretation for drop-in tours is offered upon request. Interpretation services must be requested in advance and are subject to interpreter availability. Please contact Bronwyn Flemming at bmf5778@psu.edu.

Thursday, July 30 — Free, drop-in, 5-8 p.m.

Art After Hours - Block pARTy

LEAP across campus to the Palmer Museum and the Arboretum at Penn State for a summer Block pARTy! Participate in art-making activities, explore your world-class art museum and gardens and learn about other collections on campus with Museum Consortium members. Throughout the night, enjoy live music and refreshments.

Sunday, Aug. 9 — 2 p.m.

Drop-in Tour: "American Art of Today"

Discover the Palmer’s world-class collections and exhibitions with a friendly and knowledgeable museum guide. Each tour explores a theme, lasts about one hour and includes close-looking through discussion and experiential learning opportunities. Guided tours start in the Dr. Keiko Miwa Ross Lobby. Join us for these free drop-in tours. Sign language interpretation will be provided for this tour by interpreter Gary Thomas.

Friday, Aug. 14 — Free, drop-in, noon and 2 p.m.

Community Artist Conversations: "Dreaming American Futures"

Join local community artists featured in "Dreaming American Futures: Invitational 250" for an afternoon of conversations in the special exhibition galleries. Hear directly from participating artists as they share insights into their work, materials, and ideas. Two group conversations will take place with one at noon and one at 2 p.m., each featuring a selection of artists. Drop in for one session or stay for both! This is a unique opportunity to experience the exhibition through local artists’ perspectives.

About the Palmer Museum of Art

The Palmer Museum of Art at Penn State is the largest art museum collection between Pittsburgh and Philadelphia, and the most significant academic art museum in the state of Pennsylvania. A key element of Penn State’s land-grant mission of teaching, research and public service, the museum is a vital and accessible cultural resource for Penn State’s students, faculty and scholars, as well as for all visitors to and from the entire central Pennsylvania region. Through its world-class objects, programs and outreach, the free museum is a welcoming, inclusive and vibrant forum for authentic arts experiences that cultivates meaningful dialogue about today’s most potent ideas and pressing concerns.



An expansive 21st-century teaching museum, the Palmer Museum is a beacon for advancing the arts and humanities on Penn State’s University Park campus and throughout its diverse communities. The Palmer is dedicated to catalyzing groundbreaking research, scholarship and publications and providing impactful, object-based learning for students of all ages. Its rewarding and thought-provoking exhibitions and programs promote visitor participation, belonging and discovery. In 2025, the Palmer was voted one of 10 winners in the national USA Today 10Best contest for Best New Museums.