The Light In Our Eyes
On View October 4 - 20, 2024
First Friday Reception & Opening Friday, October 4, 5-7pm
In celebration of the 150th anniversary of the Hudson-Athens Lighthouse, the Athens Cultural Center collaborated with the Hudson Athens Lighthouse Preservation Society (HALPS) for a landmark event honoring this storied maritime beacon. This exhibit showcased the Hudson-Athens Lighthouse through the unique perspectives of our community's youth, exploring what the lighthouse symbolized for them.
Recognized by the National Trust for Historic Preservation as one of America’s 11 most endangered historic places, the lighthouse's preservation has become a matter of national importance. As part of this commemorative initiative, students from Coxsackie-Athens, Catskill, and Hudson high schools presented a collection of art, poetry, and longform writing exploring the lighthouse, river life, and local lore.
The exhibit included a virtual tour of the lighthouse and opened with a performance by Joseph Smith performing as inventor Augustin Fresnel, whose “stepped” lens revolutionized lighthouse illumination and saved countless lives at sea.
This exhibition is presented by the Hudson-Athens Lighthouse Preservation Society and the Athens Cultural Center, with support from the Athens Community Foundation, the Maurice D. Hinchey Hudson River Valley National Heritage Area, the Milton and Sally Avery Arts Foundation, and ACC members.