Contemporary Confections

Start: Saturday, February 21, 2026 1:00PM
End: Saturday, February 21, 2026 3:00PM

Contemporary Confections Date: Saturday, February 21, 1:00 pm–3:00 pm Price: $35 Location: M&T Bank Ballroom Contemporary Confections brings together contemporary art, coffee, and chocolate for an indulgent afternoon at the Memorial Art Gallery. Enjoy a curated coffee menu from Ugly Duck—featuring cortados, cappuccinos, and lattes—paired with artisan chocolates from Laughing Gull. The program includes short talks from Mary Vacca (Manager at Ugly Duck), Lindsay Tarnoff (co-owner of Laughing Gull), and Tim Peterson, MAG’s Curator of Contemporary Art, who will connect the craft of confection to select works in the newest exhibition in the Forman Gallery, Desire and Abundance. About the Speakers Tim Peterson is a leading curator of contemporary art, and is an advocate for artists, collaboration, and community engagement. He is noted for premiering major solo exhibitions by an exceptionally diverse slate of fast-rising and established artists including Reggie Burrows Hodges, Njideka Akunyili Crosby, Paula Mpagi Sepuya, Ghada Amer, Nicola López, Christian Marclay, Yashua Klos, Kehinde Wiley, Uta Barth, Jacob Kassay and Shinique Smith. Ugly Duck Coffee is a multi-roaster coffee shop focused on hospitality and consistently serving good coffee. In 2015, they started as a pop-up espresso bar in Rochester, NY, partnering with local businesses to bring a mini-coffee shop within their space. After one year on the move, they settled into their little 900 sq ft shop at 89 Charlotte St in Downtown Rochester’s East End. Every drink they serve is crafted with the intention of highlighting the characteristics of the coffee while maintaining the integrity of the roasters they partner with. Laughing Gull Chocolates creates with a conscience. Each unique, mouthwatering chocolate truffle, bark, specialty bar, drink, sauce, or other confection, is the result of the owners taking a global perspective in educating themselves. Part of this is being intentional about choosing a supply chain that nurtures relationships with the people who supply and lovingly farm the cacao. Laughing Gull uses their delicious confections to connect chocolate lovers to the source in a united mission to help change the world.