“Requiem for Newspapers,” an exhibition by veteran journalist and SIU Carbondale alumnus Tim Atseff opens Aug. 18 at SIU Carbondale’s Sharp Museum. (Photo provided)
August 04, 2026
SIU’s Sharp Museum exhibition commemorates newspaper industry
CARBONDALE, Ill. — Reading the newspaper — printed on real paper and delivered to the front door — was once part of the daily routine for many Americans. That was before the digital revolution. An exhibition at Southern Illinois University Carbondale’s Sharp Museum commemorates and laments the heyday of print journalism.
“Requiem for Newspapers,” a collection of more than 15 paintings and works by veteran journalist and SIU Carbondale alumnus Tim Atseff opens Aug. 18 in the museum’s Mitchell Gallery. The exhibition is also coordinated with programming from SIU’s Charlotte Thompson Suhler School of Journalism and Advertising. The exhibition will be in Sharp Museum through Dec. 11. An artists’ reception will be held later this fall.
Tribute to the industry
Atseff is a 1970 graduate from the university’s School of Art with a major in painting. The exhibition includes work from Atseff’s 46 years in newspapers in his hometown of Syracuse, New York, where he was an editorial cartoonist, a managing editor and a magazine editor. As editorial cartoonist for the Herald-Journal, Atseff’s work of more than 1,500 cartoons with local, national and international themes appeared in several publications, including The New York Times, Washington Post and Boston Globe. He has also designed and edited six tabletop books.
“I felt the need to give a tip of the hat to what was once a giant of an industry—one that connected communities and held those in power accountable — every day,” he said. “A friend on your doorstep to share stories of celebration, tragedy, victories, losses, that recipe that became a family favorite or the puzzle or comic that made your day. A requiem.”
‘Democracy lives in the light’
T. Lance, the museum’s curator of exhibits, said the exhibition is not only of Atseff’s “wistfulness, but also as a signal of democracy” noting that Atseff banners one of his paintings with the phrase “Democracy lives in the light.”
“Through this exhibition, Atseff examines the disappearing tradition of print newspapers, arguing that their decline signals a more serious threat to democracy,” Lance said.
That the newspaper industry is in peril is past a matter of speculation. According to a 2025 report by Northwestern University’s Medill School of Journalism, the country has lost nearly 3,500 newspapers in the last 20 years. The loss is creating “news deserts,” — areas where people have limited or no access to reliable local news sources.
“At first glance, ‘Requiem for Newspapers’ may seem like a nostalgic tribute, but its core message is grief, warning of an industry in peril,” Lance said. “The paintings create an immersive installation that underscores how the decline of newspapers reflects a broader societal loss. Atseff’s vision is cautionary. As newspapers close and print culture is replaced by digital news, Atseff highlights what is endangered: the very democratic process that newspapers once ensured.”
Returning to campus
The power of art is in the response it generates, Atseff said. He noted there were a variety of responses to the exhibition at the Everson Museum of Art in his hometown of Syracuse, New York.
“It was like going to the calling hour of a friend; some cried, some laughed, all bound up with losing something and the uncertainty that brings,” he said.
This is Atseff’s second exhibition at Sharp Museum. His four-month, 26-piece “Art of Darkness” exhibition that featured his paintings and editorial cartoons, began in November 2020.
“It’s an honor to come back with a significant show that is evocative and provocative,” he said.
Jan Thompson, director of the Charlotte Thompson Suhler School of Journalism and Advertising, said the school plans to have programming with Atseff when he is on campus later this fall. Thompson said she has been a fan of Atseff’s work beginning with his 2020 exhibition.
“I believe the exhibit, ‘Requiem for Newspapers,’ will allow the audience to reflect and to understand the value of information that newspapers provide to a community,” she said.
Museum hours
For more information on the exhibition, contact Lance at 618-453-5388 or t.lance@siu.edu or visit museum.siu.edu. Sharp Museum hours are noon to 4 p.m. Tuesday through Friday and 1-4 p.m. Saturday. The museum is closed Sunday and Monday, and during all SIU breaks and holidays.
As with all exhibitions, the artwork represents the viewpoints of its creators, not SIU. SIU complies with the Illinois Governmental Ethics Act and State Officials and Employees Ethics Act.