LATROBE, PA – The Verostko Center for the Arts at Saint Vincent College is excited to kick off the spring semester with two new exhibits: People of the Book & the Storyboard and The Hoods Series. Both exhibits will open on Thursday, Jan. 27.

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People of the Book & the Storyboard featuring contemporary Jewish graphic novels and comics. This exhibit assembles a dozen projects that visually recount stories from the Bible, Rabbinic writings, the Passover Haggadah, and personal biography – principally, first-person narratives from the Holocaust – in formats that engage readers of all ages. At a time when visual storytelling is experiencing renewed resonance, these works were selected for their ability to balance tradition with innovation. Visitors will be able to view printed selections from each of the books, while copies of the works on view be available to peruse in a comfortable reading area within the space.

The opening day of the exhibit will feature a conversation between Rabbi Jamie Gibson, MHL, D.D., Rabbi Emeritus at Pittsburgh's Temple Sinai, and Rabbi Jason Z. Edelstein Chair in Catholic Jewish Dialogue at Saint Vincent College and exhibiting artist Ben Schachter, MFA, Saint Vincent College Professor of Visual Art. The two will survey the works on view and explore the role of interpretative storytelling within Judaism. This event will start at 1:00 p.m. and is free and open to the public.

Additionally, the Center will be sponsoring two virtual events to complement this exhibit: On Feb. 10, at 6:30 p.m., art historian Samantha Baskind, Ph.D., and artist JT Waldman will present in conversation, “Stories of Purpose: The legacy of Jews and Comics,” and on Feb. 23, at 3:00 p.m., Nina Caputo, Ph.D., Associate Professor in the Department of History at the University of Florida, will present an in-depth exploration of her book, “Debating Truth: A Graphic Novel on Medieval Catholic-Jewish Dialogue.”

To learn more about these presentations and to receive Zoom links to virtually attend either, email verostkocenter@stvincent.edu.

The exhibit and its related programs are sponsored by Saint Vincent College, the Verostko Center, and Steel Tree - a fund of the Jewish Federation of Pittsburgh.

The Center is also pleased to share the work of Tara Lamourt, MFA, a professional artist and longtime educator at St. Benedict's Preparatory School in Newark, New Jersey. To combat harmful stereotypes and racial profiling that has resulted in the brutality and murder of young men of color, Lamourt created a series of portraits imaging her students. Lamourt paints these young men wearing a black hoodie - part of the uniform for seniors at St. Benedict's Prep that recalls the monastic habit worn by the Benedictines of Newark Abbey who sponsor the school. In addition to Lamourt's work, a small selection of artifacts relative to the history of St. Benedict's and Newark Abbey will be on view.

People of the Book & the Storyboard and The Hoods Series run through March 11, 2022. During the Spring 2022 semester, the Center is open Wednesdays from 1:00 - 4:00 p.m., Thursdays from 1:00 - 7:00 p.m., and Fridays from 1:00 - 4:00 p.m. To make an appointment outside the Center's normal hours, visitors are encouraged to email verostkocenter@stvincent.edu.

The Center is located on the 2nd floor of the Dale P. Latimer Library on the campus of Saint Vincent College. In accordance with Saint Vincent's Forward Together Guidelines, ALL visitors are required to wear masks while inside and to maintain social distancing protocols. Those experiencing symptoms of illness should postpone their visit.

Details regarding programming are being finalized and will be made available soon on the Center's website: www.verostkocenter.org. For more information, contact Andrew Julo, curator of the Verostko Center for the Arts, at andrew.julo@stvincent.edu.

Given the evolving situation concerning the COVID-19 pandemic, all visitors to Saint Vincent College are required to wear a mask while indoors, regardless of vaccination status. Guests will be required to follow all COVID-19 mitigation strategies set forth in the Saint Vincent Health and Safety Plan while on campus. For the latest information about these protocols, please visit https://www.stvincent.edu/resources/covid-19-updates/index.html.

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ATTACHMENT 1: Painting from The Hood Series

ATTACHMENT 2: People of the Book & the Storyboard title image

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