This year’s alumni art exhibition spotlights the work of two remarkable photographers whose creative journeys trace back to their time at Burroughs.

In Ghosts of Tree Island, Rosalie Rosenthal ’85 examines the transience of objects, people, and places, using photography to uncover the personal and collective histories embedded within them. Working across digital and historic processes, her thoughtful images have been exhibited nationally — from the Oceanside Museum of Art and KMAC Contemporary Art Museum to the Griffin Museum of Photography — and are held in the 21c Museum Hotels collection. Rosenthal, a member of the artist collective Memory Is A Verb, lives and works in Louisville, Kentucky.

David Stradal ’75’s The Black Cowboy Project, meanwhile, is a powerful series inspired by an unexpected visit to an all-Black rodeo in rural Illinois. After years away from the camera, Stradal rediscovered his passion for photography while documenting the lives, craft, and dedication of these often-overlooked athletes. Rendered in striking black and white, his portraits aim to preserve their legacy and affirm their place in the fabric of American culture.

Photos from the opening reception (part of Alumni Weekend 2025) are posted below.

“The show is always a highlight of Alumni Weekend and a celebration of the creative spirit that endures within the Burroughs community,” says Corey Stranghoener Reuwee ’97, direct of alumni relations.