The John J. McDonough Museum of Art, Youngstown State University’s Center of Contemporary Art, will open its fall schedule Sept. 2 with four exhibitions on view through Oct. 25.

The exhibitions include Arron Foster’s In_A_Sense, Aislinn Janek’s Landscape as a Form of Knowledge, Michael Boyd Roman’s Negus Weighting on a Miracle, and Justin Sorensen’s June 13th. A reception for all artists will be held on Friday, Sept. 5, from 5 to 7 p.m. at the McDonough.

Foster, an assistant professor of art at Kent State University at Stark, said his work aims “to create a dialogue between myself and the viewer that provides an opportunity for the shared exploration and interpretation of places.” His prints and installations have been featured in national and international galleries, museums and art centers. He earned a BFA in printmaking and art education from East Carolina University and an MFA in printmaking and book arts from the University of Georgia.

Janek, a New York City-based emerging artist, explores the material language of painting, sewing and memory. She has exhibited internationally, with recent solo shows in Ashiya, Japan, and upcoming exhibitions in Tokyo and Kobe in 2026. She has completed residencies in France, Czechia and Japan.

Janek, a YSU graduate with a BA in communication studies and minors in fine art and psychology, described her work as considering “landscape not as neutral ground but as a site where memory, language and history are inscribed and fragmented.”

Roman, an Atlanta native and assistant professor of design and Black visual cultures at Oberlin College and Conservatory, described his exhibition as blending “elements from hip-hop and urban culture with art history and religious iconography.” His work, he said, portrays “the ordinary grace of contemporary Black men” and seeks to counter historical narratives with positive, spiritual representations.

Roman previously served as visual arts program director at Morehouse College and holds degrees from Syracuse University, the Maryland Institute, and California State University, Northridge.

Sorensen’s June 13th draws on the format of the Chinese handscroll, allowing viewers to experience the unfolding composition as they move through the image. His work examines how recent technological developments influence perceptions of the world. Sorensen is an Ohio-based artist who has exhibited nationally and internationally. He holds a BFA from Kutztown University and an MFA from the Rhode Island School of Design.

The exhibitions and reception are free and open to the public. The McDonough Museum is open Tuesday through Saturday, 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.

For more information, call the McDonough Museum at 330-941-1400.

These exhibitions are made possible in part by state tax dollars allocated by the Ohio Legislature to the Ohio Arts Council, a state agency that funds and supports quality arts experiences to strengthen Ohio communities culturally, educationally and economically.