Insightful & Incidental: Portraits from the Collection of Robert M. Infarinato
Louise and Bernard Palitz Gallery
Monday, August 13, 2007 - Friday, October 4, 2007
Call Lubin House for Availability

It's not polite to stare. This is the axiom most of us are brought up with and do our best to follow. In a rare instance, visitors to the latest exhibit, Insightful & Incidental: Portraits from the Collection of Robert M. Infarinato, on display at the Louise and Bernard Palitz Gallery, are actually encouraged to stare. The exhibit is comprised of 39 portraits ? illustrating insightful images, where the sitter is posed in a setting to demonstrate the subject's character or physical form and incidental portraits, created on the spur of the moment - from the personal collection of Syracuse University alumnus Robert Infarinato '67.

"There are so many wonderful images that link and enhance each other," says Dr. Edward Aiken, associate professor of museum studies and the exhibitions curator. Aiken admits to having a difficult time culling the images for the exhibit and says that the expansive collection, created by Infarinato over a period more than two decades, is not just about the images but a portrait of the collector. "The photo has to speak to [Robert] first. This collection focuses more on the image rather than the name of the artist."

Indeed, with a sense of modesty, Infarinato can point out what it is about each portrait that made him want to add it to his collection, and subsequently, share it with the University. "I do not collect fashion and model photos, except for this piece," says Infarinato while looking at Jeanette McDonald for Vanity Fair, a photo of the 1930's actress and singer taken by Edward Steichen. "This photograph appealed to me however because I feel like I'm not looking at a model when I look at this [image]."

While glancing at Allyn (Italian) 8 Years Old, a portrait by photographer and author Jeanne Birdsall, Infarinato comments that this is one of the only color photographs in his entire collection. "Most of my collection is black and white because I feel it's a classic medium." But this portrait in particular, a gum bichromate print, purchased over ten years ago, caught this collector's eye. "It wasn’t only the image I like, but the process by which it was made. The print has a lot more texture."

"I'm so curious when looking at these two women, elegantly dressed, so interesting standing next to the car," says Infarinato while examining The Famous Rowe Twins of the Casino de Paris, photographed in 1929 by Jacque-Henri Lartigue. With a wry chuckle he adds "The look on their faces give you a story; one we'll never know unfortunately." Infarinato first came across this portrait while on a trip to Sweden and to have the opportunity to add it to his personal collection was a dream come true.

For Infarinato, there is a larger dream about this impressive collection however; the dream of working in partnership with the University. He presented a discussion on photography appreciation in Florence, Italy at the SU Abroad Center there. Infarinato also made a couple trips to campus to meet with students and take part in question and answer sessions while the exhibit was on display on campus last year. The most significant aspect of this exhibit were the opportunities to hold sessions with the students," says Infarinato.

"Bob lives to learn and grow," says Aiken, echoing Infarinato. The collector - enthusiastic in supporting Chancellor Nancy Cantor's mission of Scholarship in Action - encouraged the idea of having students from the Graduate Museum Studies Program brought in to the curatorial process of the exhibit. "He could be a teacher with all he knows. The exhibit is his way of sharing what he has learned with others."