Art Exchange at Mercy University Celebrates Successful Launch with Community Leaders and Award-Winning Film Screening
President Susan Parish speaks to Westchester County Executive Ken Jenkins and Senator Andrea Stewart-Cousins at the ArtEx launch reception. The event brought together faculty, staff, alumni, elected officials and community partners to mark new cultural initiative.
Mercy University recently celebrated the launch of the Art Exchange at Mercy University (ArtEx) with a reception hosted by President Susan L. Parish and a film screening that brought together faculty, staff, alumni, elected officials and community partners from across Westchester. Several distinguished guests attended, including Westchester County Executive Kenneth W. Jenkins, Senate Majority Leader Andrea Stewart-Cousins, State Assemblymember MaryJane Shimsky, Westchester County Legislator David Imamura and Dobbs Ferry Mayor Christy Knell.
Following the reception, the University hosted a free public screening of "Martyr of Gowanus," an award-winning independent film by filmmaker Brian Meere, starring Sawyer Spielberg. The screening brought together students, faculty, staff, alumni and neighbors from the surrounding communities, who got an exclusive look before its public release. The film, set in the working-class Brooklyn neighborhood of Gowanus in 2001, follows Gavin (Spielberg) as he searches for connection and meaning after the attacks on 9/11.
The evening concluded with a Q&A session with Meere moderated by Professor Marc Palmieri, co-director of ArtEx at Mercy University. Palmieri, who is a writer, playwright and actor, went to school with Meere.
Meere, who wrote and directed the film, took questions from the audience offering insights into the independent filmmaking process and the film itself.
“I wanted to make a film about 9/11 that was different,” Meere explained, adding that he did not want the incident itself to be the main story but how it affected those who lived it, but were not directly involved.
“Mercy is so honored by this opportunity to have our audience experience this important story, not only as our inaugural ArtEx launch, but as a way to be together in our collective remembrance, on the 25th anniversary of the attacks that changed so much of America,” Palmieri said.
The Art Exchange at Mercy University aims to serve as a vibrant cultural hub for the River Towns and surrounding communities, fostering connections between the university and the broader Westchester region through arts programming and community engagement.
For more information about ArtEx and upcoming programming, visit https://www.mercy.edu/academics/artex.
