Carpe Diem: Select Alumni in the Visual Arts
The group exhibition, Carpe Diem, presented by Montclair State University’s Office of Alumni Engagement and Development and hosted by the University Galleries, features distinguished alumni, including Nancy Pantirer, working across media including painting, photography, video and sound.
Scroll down for special program March 2nd with Nancy Pantirer.
Montclair State University celebrates the creative achievements of its alumni with Carpe Diem: Select Alumni in the Visual Arts, a group exhibition that brings together the works of eleven accomplished artists whose work spans figurative and abstract painting, photography, mixed media, video and installation.
Curated by Sally Morgan Lehman, who has taught in the Department of Art and Design at Montclair and is owner and director of Morgan Lehman Gallery in New York City, Carpe Diem highlights the breadth of artistic practices fostered at Montclair and the lasting impact of its visual arts alumni.
Collectively, their work reflects diverse perspectives, innovative approaches and sustained engagement with contemporary issues — hallmarks of a Montclair education in the arts.
Featured artists include Flávia Berindoague ’13, Bisa Butler ’05, Jonathan Calm ’97, Kyle Coniglio ’10, Alyssa Fanning ’12, Allen Ginsberg (1943), Márta Kucsora (2005–06), Michael Manning ’11, Nancy Bergman Pantirer ’80, Tiffany Perez ’09 and Maria Valdivia ’24. Together, they represent multiple generations of Red Hawks who shape the local, national and international creative landscape as artists, educators and cultural leaders.
“Carpe Diem reflects what we know to be true about Montclair alumni: creativity does not end at graduation,” says Rita Walters, Vice President for Development and Alumni Engagement. “Whether art was their major or a parallel passion, these artists demonstrate how learning, curiosity and creative expression continue to evolve across a lifetime. We are proud to celebrate alumni whose work enriches communities locally and globally.”
The exhibition is on view February 3 through May 3, 2026.
A Cross-Generational Conversation with Alumni Artists
Monday, March 2, 6 – 7 p.m.
This multi-generational panel celebrates the distinguished women alumni of Montclair.
Featuring exhibiting artists Nancy Pantirer ’80, Tiffany Perez ’09 and Maria Valdivia ’24 in conversation about their careers and creative practices, moderated by curator Sally Morgan Lehman.
Register here.
Visit the Exhibition
Segal Gallery
Tuesday – Friday, 12 – 4 p.m.
Select Saturdays and by appointment
All exhibitions and programs at the University Galleries are free and open to the public.
Nancy Bergman Pantirer ’80 is a New York-based artist working primarily in large-scale abstract painting. Through abstraction, Pantirer invokes an ongoing dialogue between control and order versus freedom and randomness. Pantirer holds a Bachelor of Fine Arts from the Hartford Art School at the University of Hartford, as well as a Master of Arts from Montclair State College. She further refined her craft through graduate coursework at Tufts University Museum School in Boston and Pratt University in New York. Her painting and sculpture have been exhibited throughout the country and can be found in collections such as the University of Hartford, as well as in corporate and private collections. Her studio is located in Tribeca, New York City, where she also founded 81 Leonard Gallery to uplift local emerging artists.
