Digital Exhibits

This page includes digital exhibits from the School of Art, DI Hub, KSU Museum, University Libraries, May 4 Visitor Center, as well as individual faculty curated projects. If you would like to submit a digital exhibit for inclusion on this site, or if you have any additional questions or concerns, please contact Virginia Dressler, Digital Projects Librarian or fill out this Qualtrics survey with the pertinent information (https://kent.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_bDzW6ryya455F1s).

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Kid Book Reviews

Videos of children reviewing children's books.

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Shoe Stories

In telling the stories of our clothing and accessories, we often focus on who bought, owned and wore them. But what about the stores where they were sold? This collection of shoes was given to the KSU Museum in 1986 by Dick and Isabel Kertscher, owners of the longtime Ravenna shoe store that bore their name. First opened in 1881 by Rumbaugh and Chapman, the store passed through the hands of a succession of owners before Dick Kertscher took over the store when his father died in 1932. The younger Kertscher ran the store until his retirement in 1987.

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Tim Stover: Linear Integration

The intent of this body of work is to study the effects of contrasting colors, textures, and shapes. While approaching the sculptures, viewers begin to notice internal structures appearing and disappearing with each step. Sharp angles allow the transparent lines to merge and overlap - only to separate and become invisible. These illusions are created using a tedious process of assembling blocks with colored adhesives. Then, cutting the blocks into sections, the grain is revealed by the paper-thin lines of color. Alone, the patterns are amazing, but the shapes remain extremely geometric. Wedging the patterns between castings, I can create drastic color gradations melded within the translucent beauty of the glass.

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A Life in Style: The Wardrobe of James E. Mulholland

Clothes are an expression of who we are. This exhibition tells the personal story of James Mulholland through a selection from his wardrobe. It is a reflection on how clothes are incorporated into a life. The influences on his style range from film references, favorite fashion shows, a love of fine craftsmanship and playful reinterpretation of classic menswear. The pieces on display span decades and show the evolution of how he dressed as well as how he assembled looks out of pieces from different designers even from different years. Mulholland’s personal style emphasizes attention to proportion and contrasting textures. Rather than rigidly following rules or trends, his outfits reflect a spirit of fun, experimentation and humor.

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Head to Toe

Visitors will enjoy three exhibitions that highlight outstanding objects from the museum's permanent collection. Hats, coats, and shoes are essential garments that shielf our bodies from the weather and concurrently speak to the fashion and traditions of the period in which they are worn, while reflecting our personal style.

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Constructed Answer

A contemporary metals exhibition inspired by tragedy, trauma and violence that celebrates the resiliency of the human spirit. Curated in response to a Commemorative Medallion made by Philadelphia College of Art students (now University of the Arts) in honor of the students who perished at Kent State University on May 4th, 1970.

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Pathfinders

This exhibition brings together recent work of six creatives, each of whom is defining their own pathway amidst the ever-changing industries of fashion, social media, and design. Their experiences reveal a rich array of experiments, trials, multiple jobs, and networking, all underpinned by hard work, determination, and imagination. All are also alumni of the KSU School of Fashion and have at least 6 years of experience beyond graduation.

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The 2020 Kent State Ceramics Invitational

An exhibition celebrating the distinct vessels of Sanam Emami, Adam Posnak, Hannah Thompsett, and Brooks Oliver.

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Shannon Rodgers and Jerry Silverman: Dazzling Day and Night

Dazzling Day and Night celebrates the creative legacy of the KSU Museum’s founders, Shannon Rodgers (1911-1996) and Jerry Silverman (1910-1984).  The exhibition highlights over 30 ensembles from the late 1950s, when Rodgers began designing in New York City, through the 1970s. The selections of stylish daywear and elegant eveningwear also provide a time capsule of American ready-to-wear styles during these decades.  Rodgers and Silverman were able to translate the latest designs from the Parisian runways into looks their American clients would want. This exhibit also includes Rodgers’ sketches, photographs, and advertising—especially their famous New Yorker Magazine ads “Just show me the Jerry Silvermans, please.”

 

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Acquiring History: The 50 Year Legacy of Robert Smithson’s Partially Buried Woodshed at Kent State University

Fifty years ago, one of the most influential artists of the last hundred years did a short artist’s residency at Kent State University at the behest of students who were interested in his work. This exhibition is an exploration of the work created and the legacy of this historic work of art.

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Amos Paul Kennedy Jr.

American printer, book artist and papermaker best known for social and political commentary, particularly in printed posters.

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The Mid America Print Council Members Exhibiton

The 2020 members exhibition of this educational and community-based organization that focuses on all print related arts.

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Into the Wind, the Veils

Into the Wind, the Veils is a survey of photography, digital collage, and performance/videos by Franco-Moroccan artist Mehdi-Georges Lahlou whose themes include religiosity and queerness.

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2021 Biennial Faculty Show

A 2021 group exhibition of work by retired, current, and part-time faculty.

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Nurturing, Positivity, and Strength: Artists Donald Black Jr and Dareece Walker explore the role of Black Fathers in America

An exhibition highlighting two Black artists who are working to express everyday aspects from their own lives that might be easily overlooked thus creating a more accurate represen­tation of Black fathers in America.

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Re-emergence

A group exhibition of select northeast Ohio artists.

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Campus Strike Papers: The Aftermath of May 4 1970

In the aftermath of the shootings of May 4, 1970, Kent State University Libraries sent letters to colleges and universities across the nation requesting campus strike newspapers and related documents to be archived for future research. This virtual exhibit highlights a selection of the responses that are found in the Campus Strike papers in Special Collections & Archives.

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The Truth Demands Justice: A Snapshot History of the May 4th Task Force

This exhibition features posters, flyers, and other items created by the May 4th Task Force, a student-run organization founded in 1975 to raise awareness among students, faculty, administrators, and the general public about the Kent State Shootings of May 4, 1970.

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Spotlight on Special Collections & Archives at Kent State

An online exhibit featuring selected highlights from major collections in Special Collections and Archives in celebration of our 50th Anniversary.

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Lafayette Tolliver Photographs

This exhibit features the photographs of Lafayette Tolliver, a Kent State University alumnus who attended the university from 1967-1971, graduating with a Bachelor of Science degree in photojournalism. Tolliver served as one of the founding members of Black United Students (BUS). His photographs document Black student life in the late 1960s and early 1970s.

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50 Years: Long Live the Memory: Civil Rights, Black Power, and Anti-War Actions: Orangeburg, Kent, and Jackson, 1960-1967

This exhibit highlights social activism occurring in and around three state universities during the years leading up to the shootings at South Carolina State (Orangeburg), Kent State (Ohio), and Jackson State (Mississippi). Showcased here are selected key events in each of the three institutions' immediate environments indicating a growing level of Civil Rights actions, anti-war protests, and the development of a Black Power movement occurring from 1960 through 1967.

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Keeping Kent Open

Immediately following the Kent State shootings, President Robert White ordered that the University close and an injunction was then granted to that effect. However, the faculty voted to complete their courses by any means necessary. This exhibit features legal documents, news clippings, letters, and oral histories surrounding the effort to keep Kent State open.

Photo of Taylor Hall, where the may 4 museum is located
Augmented Reality May 4 Site

The May 4th augmented reality experience is designed to engage and immerse users as they journey through the events of May 4th, 1970 and reflect on its meaning for today. The experience invites users to view multiple perspectives of the Kent State shootings through the lens of augmented reality using historical imagery, audio, and related experiences that highlight past and current humanitarian struggles.

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Black Student Movements: Orangeburg, Kent and Jackson State

This exhibit was part of the May 4th 50th Commemoration Events at Kent State University. It focuses on student activism at three campuses: South Carolina State College (now University) in Orangeburg, South Carolina, Kent State University in Kent, Ohio, and Jackson State College (now University) in Jackson, Mississippi. Showcased in this exhibit is the activism of those Black students at all three campuses and images of the shootings which occurred there.

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DI HUB 3D walkthrough model

Experience an immersive digital 3D 'walkthrough' of the Design Innovation Hub at Kent State University. This experience can be viewed in a web browser or with a VR headset and it inlcudes a wealth of intro videos and information about the spaces, tools and programs supported through Design Innovation and the DI HUB.

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Armed with Our Voices

In commemoration of the 50th anniversary of the May 4 tragedy, the Wick Poetry Center, with its partners, developed an interactive exhibit, encouraging visitors to explore the history of student protest and the timely themes of peace and conflict transformation.

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"Listening to Liberty" Exhibition

This is a brief video 'fly-through' of the "Listening To Liberty" exhibition that was installed in the DI HUB at Kent State University in November of 2020. The exhibition showcased the range of technology innovations that Kent State provided to create deep audience engagement as part of the "Sisters In Liberty" exhibition that was installed in the National Immigration Museum on Ellis Island, NY in 2019/2020. The original exhibition was proposed and conducted in partnership with the Cathedral Santa Croce in Florence, Italy.

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Poets for Science

Poets for Science is a participatory exhibit exploring the connection between science and poetry, curated by Jane Hirshfield.

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TEXTURES: the history and art of Black hair

TEXTURES synthesizes research in history, fashion, art, and visual culture to reassess the “hair story” of peoples of African descent. Long a fraught topic for African Americans and others in the diaspora, Black hair is here addressed by artists, barbers, and activists in both its historical perceptions and its ramifications for self and society today. The exhibition is organized by the KSU Museum with KSU faculty and co-curators, Dr. Joseph L. Underwood (Art History) and Dr. Tameka N. Ellington.

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Earth Stanzas

On the 50th anniversary of Earth Day, we launched Earth Stanzas, eight poems that engage the beauty, depth, and interconnectedness of the Earth and invite readers to respond with their own poetic voice.

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Digital Green Book

The Digital Green Book Project collects the oral history of Northeast Ohio barbers and salon artists, with video interviews and related exhibition materials. Create and share your own response to the TEXTURES exhibition in the Digital Green Book.

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Why Florence

A Community Poem to Celebrate the Kent State University Florence Center.

A coat garment with the Chanel logo on the inside tag
Forever Chanel: Coco + Karl

A study of designs under the Chanel label by both Coco Chanel and Karl Lagerfeld reveals a story of invention and reinvention.

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Some days

A community poem, “Some Days,” to honor the vital work of our caregivers during this unprecedented time of crisis, created in partnership with Kent State University College of Nursing.

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Culture/Counterculture: Fashions of the 1960s and 70

A look at how the generational divide between the Baby Boomers and their parents shaped the fashions of the 1960s and '70s.

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Pledge

A community poem inspired by Gary Snyder's "For All" meant to inspire allegiance to the broad scientific community or to the land we occupy.

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Fashions of Southern Africa

A celebration of contemporary fashion designs of South Africa and Namibia. The Kent State University Museum presents Fashions of Southern Africa, an exhibition that brings together the work of fashion designers currently active in South Africa and Namibia. The display of over thirty ensembles and accessories explores the ways that people in southern Africa dress, make clothes and think about fashion. The exhibition looks beyond a simple binary between “western fashion” and traditional African dress to see that there is original distinctive fashion in Africa.

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Global Peace Poem

A global community poem in commemoration of the 50th anniversary of Kent State University’s May 4 shootings. We invite people from around the world to contribute a line or stanza to a Global Peace Poem titled “My Voice.”

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Flapper Style: 1920s Fashion

A look beyond the quintessential beaded dress to explore the range of influences on fashion of the Jazz Age.

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Mapping May 4

An interactive map of stories about what happened across Kent on May 4th, 1970 and the days leading up to it.

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Inside Out: Revealing Clothing's Hidden Secrets

A close examination of the secret inner-workings of custom made clothing that are usually out of sight when the garments are worn.

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The May 4th Augmented Reality Experience

The May 4th augmented reality experience is designed to engage and immerse users as they journey through the events of May 4th, 1970 and reflect on its meaning for today. The experience invites users to view multiple perspectives of the Kent State shootings through the lens of augmented reality using historical imagery, audio, and related experiences that highlight past and current humanitarian struggles.

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The 1980s: An Age of Excess

A look back at the fashionable excesses of the 1980s

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The Art of the Picture Book at the Reinberger Children's Library Center

The Reinberger Children's Library Center's collection of limited edition prints and original picturebook art represents the shared commitment to the art of the picturebook and its everlasting impact on the world of children. The collection, which is housed in the Marantz Picturebook Collection for the Study of Picturebook Art, is made up of donations from Guy and Carol Wolfenbarger, Alma Flor Ada, Isabel Campoy, Will Hillenbrand, Rosemary Wells, Yuyi Morales and more.

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Magical Designs for Mozart's Magic Flute

An exploration of costume designs from 18 different productions of Mozart's Magic Flute. Magical Designs for Mozart’s Magic Flute is an exhibition conceived and curated by distinguished theatrical and opera designer Judy Levin to compare scenic and costume designs of this much loved opera. These selected productions, extolled for their remarkable visual achievements, speak to the many interpretations given to the opera by scholars over the years, as well as the role of the creative teams in shaping each production.

Double Happiness
As the World Weds: Global Wedding Traditions

Friday, September 16, 2022 to Sunday, August 27, 2023, Rockwell Hall - Broadbent Gallery

This exhibition draws from the KSU Museum’s rich holdings of wedding dresses and associated materials as well as personal collections of treasured pieces.

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Shifting Paradigms: Fashion + Technology

A selection of clothing, accessories and online business models that utilize cutting edge technology. The exhibition is divided into four sections; Generative Technology, Democracy of Preference; Technology and Expression and DIY.

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Lafayette Tolliver: Visual Footprints in Time

Kent State student photojournalist Lafayette Tolliver (BS '71) documented Black campus life, from 1967-1971. The exhibit provides viewers an array of subjects he documented and includes selected editorials he wrote in the Daily Kent Stater. The goal is to generate interest in and further exploration of this amazing body of work that Tolliver has shared with Kent State and the world.

Photographs in the Tolliver archive are fully digitized and available for viewing online. See our Feature Page for more information: https://omeka.library.kent.edu/special-collections/exhibits/show/tolliver

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Remembering May 4

This exhibit focuses on the lives, not the deaths, of Sandy Scheuer, Bill Schroeder, Allison Krause, and Jeff Miller. They were brothers, daughters, students, friends, boyfriends, girlfriends, and much more in between. We hope that everyone can see a little bit of themselves in them.

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Knitting Beyond the Body

The exhibition began with conversations between the co-curators, KSU Museum Director Sarah J Rogers and Professor Linda Orn-McDaniel in the School of Fashion Design and Merchandising. Both are hand knitters and Ohrn-McDaniel is the force behind the School’s KnitLAB which has a 10-year partnership with industry leader Stoll by Karl Mayer. KnitLAB serves as one of the few such studios in the country at a state university and is located on the first floor of Rockwell Atrium.

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Alma Flor Ada Ephemera

This virtual exhibit showcases ephemera made by students in response to Alma Flor Ada's work, who inspired and touched countless lives over her career. This exhibit highlights letters and artwork created in response to three of her novels and her visits to various classrooms. All items in this exhibit were donated by Alma Flor Ada from her private collection to the Reinberger Children's Library Center.

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The Vocal Majority: 1969

The Vocal Majority: 1969 is an exhibit of the May 4 Visitors Center. The exhibit was created by Skylar Wrisley, designed by Ariel Bradford and Jennifer Goubeaux, and was temporarily on display in the May 4 Reflections Gallery in the Spring and Summer of 2023. 

This exhibit is meant to complement Kent State's story of May 4, 1970 by presenting some of the preceding events in the Fall of 1969. While the Vocal Majority highlights the experiences of Kent State students, this story has national significance and massive participation in a series of the largest antiwar demonstrations in U.S. history. These experiences are captured in photos, newspaper articles, flyers, posters, and artifacts. The protest in the Fall Antiwar Offensive in 1969 can be used to better understand what prompted the following events in the Spring of 1970.

 
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