Sacred: Image, Text, Ritual Exhibit Opens at Suzanne H. Arnold Art Gallery

Annville, PA (01/16/2018) — Exploring sacred art through five major religions-Buddhism, Christianity, Hinduism, Islam, and Judaism-is the focus of the newest exhibition at the Suzanne H. Arnold Art Gallery at Lebanon Valley College. The exhibit Sacred: Image, Text, Ritual runs from Jan. 19-Mar. 18.

An array of objects, such as gold Jewish Torah finials, an ancient Buddhist Gandharan sculpture, a Christian Russian Hodigitria icon, an Islamic 17th century leaf of the Koran, and a 10th-11th century Hindu stele representing Vishnu are some of the items included. This variety of work representing themes of image, text, and ritual provides a lens with which to explore these unique traditions and the ways in which they intersect.

Dr. Matthew Sayers, LVC assistant professor of religion, collaborated with Dr. Barbara McNulty, director of the Gallery, to develop and curate this exhibit. Four LVC students, including art & visual culture majors Sarah Johnson '18 and Audrey Reiley '18 and religion majors Victoria Bubacz '18 and Christine E. Hallman '17, assisted with the research for the accompanying catalog and museum labels. This project was supported by an LVC student-faculty research grant.

The opening reception for Sacred: Image, Text, Ritual is Friday, Jan. 26 from 5-7 p.m. in Zimmerman Recital Hall in the Gallery, and is free and open to the public. The evening will include a performance by Rasika School of Dance featuring the Hindu mythology Pushpanjali dance, also known as offering of the flowers.

Additional events related to the exhibit are below:

Thursday, Feb. 8, 5 p.m. | Zimmerman Recital Hall Artist Talk: Susan Leviton lecture and performance on Yiddish and Contemporary art

Thursday, Feb. 22, 8 p.m. | Zimmerman Recital Hall Lecture: Muslim Prayer with Mohammad Omar, affiliate Muslim chaplain at LVC

Thursday, Feb. 27, 5 p.m. | Zimmerman Recital Hall Lecture: Desire and Devotion: The Living Images of Buddhism and Hinduism Dr. Justin McDaniel, professor of religious studies and undergraduate studies chair at the University of Pennsylvania

Tuesday, March 13-Friday, March 16 | Synodinos Commons, Clyde A. Lynch '18 Memorial Hall Performance: The Sacred Arts Tour Sand Mandala Sand Mandala created by eight Tibetan Buddhist monks from the Drepung Gomang monastery, Southern India

Thursday, March 15, 5 p.m. | Zimmerman Recital Hall Lecture: Mount Sinai and the Monastery of St. Catherine: Intersections of Pilgrimage and Faith Dr. Kristine Larison, independent scholar

Gallery hours are Wednesday, 5-8 p.m., Thursday and Friday, 1-4:30 p.m., and Saturday and Sunday, 11 a.m.-5 p.m., and by appointment for groups. Please contact the Gallery at 717-867-6445 or gallery@lvc.edu to arrange a private Gallery talk for your school or organization.

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