Out & About: Saint Vincent College galleries host thought-provoking exhibits

Even though masks no longer are required in most settings, organizers of a new exhibition at Saint Vincent College think they’re still a relevant conversation topic — in more than one way.

The topic is explored in “Through the Mask: Conversations About Masks and Masking,” a juried multimedia exhibit that opened Nov. 10 in the Foster and Muriel McCarl Coverlet Gallery on the Unity campus.

The opening was paired with the opening of “Native Narratives: Modern and Contemporary North American Indigenous Artists” in the college’s Verostko Center for the Arts.

Works in “Through the Mask” interpret masks not only as the most ubiquitous symbol of the covid-19 pandemic, but also as a metaphor for they ways people conceal their emotions or, alternately, reveal the need for social change.

Though McCarl Gallery shows generally focus on its collection of 19th-century woven bed coverings, it also presents exhibitions that “find bridges between the historical coverlets and contemporary art,” said history lecturer Pamela Curtin, one of the jurors for the exhibition.

Some pieces in “Through the Mask” are textile-based, linking them to the gallery’s primary mission, she noted.

The exhibition includes work by 20 area, national and international artists, including Pittsburgh artists Sarah Simmons and Evan Rumble.

Featured artist Andrea Finch traveled from Chambersburg for the opening and was seen adding stitches to “Stitching the Situation,” an interactive textile project by Heather Schulte of Boulder, Colo.

The large canvas is a daily cross-stitch documentation of coronavirus case and death counts in the U.S. from Jan. 20 to June 25, 2020. Those who view it are invited to add stitches of their own to memorialize their own pandemic experiences.

Also attending the opening was artist Lisa Stock of New York City — although her trip had a double purpose.

“I had always wanted to see the Fred Rogers Institute,” she said. “When my piece was accepted, I was over the moon.”

Also seen in the gallery: Julie Curtin, Laura Wargo, Kelsie Patton, Beth DiGiustino and Sean Callahan.

In addition to Curtin, exhibition organizers and jurors included Elaine Bennett, dean of the School of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences; McCarl Gallery curator Lauren Churilla; Verostko Center curator Andrew Julo; associate history professor Karen Kehoe; and history lecturer Casey Bowser.

Most works in “Native Narratives” are on loan by members of the Saint Vincent monastic community. The exhibition celebrates Native wisdom and experience, while also exploring indigenous identities and environmental degradation.

Included are sculptures by Cliff Fragua of Jemez Pueblo, N.M.; figurative bronzes by Chiricahua Apache modernist sculptor Allan Capron Houser and his son, Philip Haozous; and a piece of pottery by Gloria Hernandez of Mata Ortiz, Mexico.

“Native Identities” runs through Dec. 16, while “Through the Mask” continues through Feb. 3. For gallery hours and more information, visit saintvincentarts.org.