Exhibitions & Events

OPEN CALL! PRIDE SHOW
Pride Show at RIVAA
Application Deadline: May 17, 2026
Calling all LGBTQ+ Artists and Allies for RIVAA's 4th annual Pride Show, Our Flag is Still Here!, to help us honor our June's Pride Month on Roosevelt Island!
Exhibition Dates: May 28 to June 10
All works should celebrate visually the legacy of LGBTQ+ people.
Questions: pride@rivaagallery.org
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Generously supported in part by the Roosevelt Island Public Purpose Fund.
RIVAA programs are made possible by the New York State Council on the Arts with the support of the Office of the Governor and the New York State Legislature.

Portraits & Landscapes '26
Polish-American Photography Club @ RIVAA
May 15 to May 22, 2026 at 3 PM
Exhibition Information: Opening Reception (Vernissage): May 15, 2026, 5:00 PM Closing Reception (Finissage): May 22, 2026, 5:00 PM Portraits and Landscapes 2026 is the second edition of this acclaimed exhibition presented at RIVAA Gallery, continuing a vibrant dialogue between tradition and contemporary photographic practice. This year’s edition brings together the work of 35 photographers, offering a broad and compelling presentation of two timeless and foundational genres of photography: portraiture and landscape. The exhibition is organized by the Polish-American Photographic Club and features new works by Club members, participating artists from the Association of Polish Art Photographers, as well as invited photographers from Poland and the United Kingdom. Together, these artists create a dynamic international exchange, revealing a rich spectrum of perspectives shaped by cultural heritage, artistic exploration, and individual experience. Each participating photographer approaches these classical themes through their own distinctive visual language. Some focus on the emotional depth and psychological presence of the human face, while others turn their lens toward the majesty, stillness, or energy of natural and urban environments. From intimate portraits to expansive landscapes, the works on display explore identity, memory, time, and place. A special highlight of this second edition is the participation of renowned artists whose work has significantly shaped the history of contemporary photography, including Tomek Sikora, Piotr Jaxa, Ryszard Horowitz, Ewa Rubinstein, Tamara Pieńko and Tomasz Grzyb. Their presence brings historical continuity, artistic depth, and a meaningful intergenerational dialogue to the exhibition. Portraits and Landscapes 2026 invites viewers to discover how genres rooted in photographic tradition continue to evolve and remain relevant in the contemporary world. The exhibition is both a tribute to the enduring strength of portraiture and landscape, and a platform for new interpretations that transcend geography, generations, and styles. Ultimately, it is a celebration of artistic individuality and shared humanity—seen through the eyes of photographers who find beauty, truth, and connection in every frame. The exhibition will feature a special performance by the legendary Polish jazz musician Krzysztof Medyna. Curators: Dariusz Kanarek Piotr Olszewski Małgorzata Sobocka Artists: Members of the Polish-American Photographic Club Grażyna Benkowska, Edward Bochnak, Wiesław Burdzy, Damian Grabski, Ryszard Horowitz, Dariusz Kanarek, Tomasz Klimek, Matt Klimek, Wojtek Kubik, Edward Madej, Marta Medyna, Małgorzata Olszewska, Piotr Olszewski, Aneta Pieróg-Sudoł, Ewa Rubinstein, Mira Satryan, Kazimierz Śmieszko, Małgorzata Sobocka, Justyn Suric, Sabina Szafrankowska, Jolanta Szczepkowska, Uta Szczerba, Jacek Szymula, Małgorzata Tambor, Tomasz Wielgomas, Regina Wypych, Marian Żak, Zosia Zeleska-Bobrowski, Ewa Zeller. Members of the Association of Polish Art Photographers: Tomasz Grzyb, Ryszard Horowitz, Piotr Jaxa, Dariusz Kanarek, Tamara Pieńko, Tomek Sikora, Sabina Szafrankowska. Guest Exhibiting Artists: Agnieszka Konarska (U.K.), Izabela Łapińska (Poland), Krzysztof Opaliński (Poland), Artur Frątczak (Poland).

Transformations
Chamber Music @ RIVAA
Sunday, May 24, 2026 at 3 PM
Roosevelt Island Chamber Music Society Presents Transformations at RIVAA Gallery.
A gorgeous program featuring the genius of 19th century female composers Farrenc, Mayer and Mendelssohn, as performed by the brilliant duo of Sarah Darling, violin/viola and April Sun, fortepiano.
Program:
Louise Farrenc Sonata no. 1 for violin and piano
Fanny Mendelssohn Fantasia for viola and piano
Emilie Mayer Notturno for violin and piano
Selections interspersed with Romantic songs and 4-hand arrangements
Performers:
Sarah Darling, viola and violin
April Sun, fortepiano
Joined by Yi-heng Yang, fortepiano

Bleu Pablo: Feng Shui Series
Solo Show at The Octagon
On View: April 1 to June 28, 2026
Opening Reception: April 18th At The Octagon, 888 Main Street, Roosevelt Island Bleu Pablo Presents a solo exhibition featuring works from his Feng Shui Series, an ongoing body of work he began in 2015. Rooted in the ideas of balance, energy and spatial harmony, the series explores how color, texture and movement can shape emotional and environmental experiences. Through his abstract compositions, Bleu Pablo invites viewers to reflect on the unseen forces that influence both our inner lives and the spaces we inhabit. About the series: "The Feng Shui Series started back in 2015, when I was thinking about balance, how we move through life with all its setbacks, victories, and chaos. None of us are perfect, but we’re all trying to align the energies around us and find our center. My work reflects that: layered, chaotic, alive. Through all that chaos runs a yellow line, my symbol for balance and harmony. It’s not about perfection, it’s about the everyday practice of finding your center, even when life feels messy. That line is the quiet in the storm, the moment of clarity in the chaos. The title Feng Shui was inspired by the track Feng Shui by @realremedymusic and @roydshal, perfect to the energy and flow I was exploring. Now at The Octagon, the series invites you to ask: How do we navigate life’s chaos while finding our balance?" -Bleu Pablo
