Past Exhibits
Abject Object: Feminism, Art & the Academy
Abject Object brings together relics of The Ohio State University Gallery’s activist past and artwork made by feminist artists now, looking to the future of what it means to be feminist and make art.
August 22, 2023 - March 3, 2024
Facing Feelings: The Art of Raina Telgemeier
Facing Feelings: The Art of Raina Telgemeier is a retrospective featuring original artwork spanning over 20 years of Telgemeier’s career, including New York Times bestsellers Smile, Drama, Sisters, Ghosts and Guts and some of her earlier works. Also on display are works by artists who influenced Telgemeier and show great skill in depicting human emotions, including Keiji Nakazawa, Lynn Johnston, Robb Armstrong, Bill Watterson, Lynda Barry, Will Eisner, and more.
May 24, 2023 - November 19, 2023
Beyond Translation: Moving Between/Across/Through Languages as Part of a Research Practice
The language we write in is often reflective of the language we think in. What happens when we are forced to confront the limitations of a single language within our research? Can the language we write in reflect the languages we experience?
March 20, 2023 - May 5, 2023
Deathless Fragments
Deathless Fragments will consider Ohio’s complex medieval manuscript legacy by exploring both its history as a site of manuscript destruction and its future as a center for the reconstruction and recovery of lost medieval books.
March 20, 2023 - August 6, 2023
百物语 Hundred Stories
Hundred Stories is an obituary/ cemetery service for deleted or censored social media accounts, empowered by encryption and decentralization technology.
March 3, 2023 - April 22, 2023
The Amalgamation of Spaces
The Amalgamation of Spaces is an installation by Zainab Ali that focuses on her experiences having lived in both Pakistan and Columbus, Ohio.
February 16, 2023 - April 18, 2023
The Art Of The News: Comics Journalism
At a time of eroded public faith in traditional news media, comics journalism has emerged as a powerful antidote to disinformation and fake news. Practitioners in this field cover news or nonfiction events using the framework of comics, re-asserting the ethical value of truth-telling, while at the same time highlighting the subjectivity of news coverage in an immediate and accessible way.
November 12, 2022 - May 7, 2023
Man Saves Comics! Bill Blackbeard's Treasure of 20th Century Newspapers
Twenty-five years ago, six semi-trucks arrived at The Ohio State University. They contained the world’s most comprehensive collection of newspaper comic strips and cartoons, totaling 75 tons of material. Bill Blackbeard, a comics historian, and collector, had amassed this vast and unparalleled collection in his San Francisco home starting in 1967.
November 12, 2022 - May 7, 2023
Farewell Transmission: Community Resilience amid the End of Coal in Ohio
Farewell Transmission: Community Resilience amid End of Coal in Ohio is a multidisciplinary installation exploring how ethnographic field research conducted in Ohio coal communities can be transformed and animated through exhibition in gallery spaces.
August 20, 2022 - February 28, 2023
A Walk in Our ‘Shoe: 100 Years of Ohio Stadium
A Walk in Our ‘Shoe: 100 Years of Ohio Stadium celebrates the history of the Horseshoe. On view in the Thompson Library Gallery August 20, 2022-February 26, 2023, the exhibit is presented by University Archives and is free and open to the public.
August 20, 2022 - February 26, 2023
Black Joy: Expansive, Unfiltered, Unapologetic
An art exhibition to bask in the joy of original art made by local Black creatives that promotes, explores, and celebrates the beauty of pan-Africanism through art with the intention to unite and uplift the Black community. Focusing geographically on Columbus artists, the intention is to bring Black artists from the community and Ohio State into one space.
August 20, 2022 - February 28, 2023
Celebrating Sparky: Charles M. Schulz and Peanuts
This exhibition celebrates the centennial of Schulz’s birth and highlights the lasting legacy of his life and work. Schulz’s own words guide visitors to explore the themes of friendship, connectedness, unrequited love, and insecurity that made the strip resonate with so many fans.
May 21, 2022 - October 23, 2022
STILL…Racism in America: A Retrospective in Cartoons
Pioneering father/daughter cartoonists Brumsic Brandon Jr. (1927– 2014) and Barbara Brandon-Croft (1958– ) chronicled the nation’s cultural landscape in their comic strips through the lens of racism. The elder Brandon, who created Luther in the late sixties, and was later syndicated by the Los Angeles Times Syndicate until 1986, was also known for his blistering editorial cartoons. Where I’m Coming From is the work of his youngest daughter, the nation’s first Black woman cartoonist in the mainstream press; it debuted in 1989 in the Detroit Free Press. Universal Press Syndicate later distributed her provocative feature until 2005. For six decades, their respective pens lay bare the truth: Nothing has changed. This retrospective reveals how vividly the specter of racism remains in America... STILL.
May 21, 2022 - October 23, 2022
Sara Hess & Hannah McCasland: Flux of Effection
“Flux of Effection”couples the studio practices of Hannah McCasland and Sara Hess. This site-responsive installation arranges a landscape of objects and images constructed both independently and collaboratively through material call-and response.
February 25, 2022 - April 8, 2022
Protecting Plants, People, and the World: Celebrating Ohio State’s Commitment to Plant Health
From early classroom teaching to research discoveries and technological advances of today, this exhibition examines the connections between plant health, humans, and the environment. This project is organized by The Ohio State University Libraries and the Department of Plant Pathology, College of Food, Agricultural, and Environmental Sciences.
February 5, 2022 - August 7, 2022
The Department of Planetary Futures: ACSE Laboratory Special Collections Fluid Preserved Planetesimal Specimens Archive by Jacklyn Brickman
The Department of Planetary Futures (DPF) Special Collections Fluid Preserved Planetesimal Specimens Archive is an exhibition by Jacklyn Brickman of the Department's preserved planetesimals collection. The exhibition will include 54 jars containing onion planetesimals preserved in vinegar, a publication outlining the scientific processes of DPF, lab book, archival images and a video tour and explanation of the ACSE Nebular Mitosis laboratory.
February 4, 2022 - April 18, 2022
Revisiting Between Spaces
The Fine Arts Library is pleased to announce an exhibition by Tamryn McDermott titled Revisiting Between Spaces. McDermott asks the viewer to navigate a history through an archive of handmade objects and a corresponding catalog.
January 24, 2022 - April 28, 2022
Power Lines: Comics and the Environment
This exhibit surveys over 100 years of comics that depict the pleasures and dangers of human interaction with the environment. Comics have captured it all—including fears about pollution, the celebration of nature preserves, anger at the failures of the Environmental Protection Agency, and the recognition of the ways environmental destruction and global warming disproportionately affect people of color.
November 13, 2021 - May 8, 2022
Dark Laughter Revisited: The Life and Times of Ollie Harrington
Oliver “Ollie” Harrington (1912-1995) used his voice and artistic talents as a cartoonist to attack racial, economic and social injustice with razor-sharp wit and insight. Speaking from the perspective of a cartoonist of color, his commentary chronicles many of the events and issues that defined the 20th century, from segregation and apartheid, to war and poverty.
November 13, 2021 - May 8, 2022
Shelving Unit
Artists Nathan Gorgen and Molly Jo Burke display semi-functional artwork centered on the complexity of modern life. They use discarded art, found objects, sustainably sourced natural materials and objects they collect in their family life. Their work reflects on consumer culture in general and plays with the perception of a material’s purpose, quality and value.
October 8, 2021 - December 8, 2021
Art Unites Columbus at Ohio State
The Ohio State University has collaborated with the Greater Columbus Arts Council (GCAC) to bring #ArtUnitesCbus, a Black Lives Matter public art initiative, to the Columbus campus this fall. The murals will be installed in the plaza south of the Wexner Center for the Arts, Thompson Library, and Hale Black Cultural Center.
August 25, 2021 - November 24, 2021
The Dog Show: Two Centuries of Canine Cartoons
This exhibition documents the fascination that cartoonists have had with our furry friends. Beginning with political cartoons from the 19th century and moving through to 21st century creations like Dav Pilkey’s Dog Man, over one hundred different characters are showcased. All of the major cartoon genres are represented — comic strips, editorial cartoons, magazine cartoons, comic books, illustration, and animation.
June 19, 2021 - October 31, 2021
Into the Swamp: The Social and Political Satire of Walt Kelly’s Pogo
Walt Kelly's newspaper comic strip Pogo was a platform for political satire and commentary using a motley group of swamp critters. We celebrate Walt Kelly and his social commentary through the joyous, poignant and occasionally profound insights and beauty of the alternative universe that is Pogo.
January 30, 2021 - October 31, 2021
Making Faces: Portraits by John Kascht
The Billy Ireland Cartoon Library & Museum presents Making Faces: Portraits by John Kascht, a traveling retrospective of drawings and paintings personally selected by the artist. This exhibition features more than 60 satirical portraits of historical and contemporary notables.
February 15, 2020 - November 19, 2020
Student Artwork in the Fine Arts Library
The Fine Arts Library is proud to host artwork from three students artists this spring semester. Works by Mona Gazala, Lydia Smith, and Caryl Anna Gonzalez-Gammon will be on view from February 4 - April 17 and are free and open to the public.
February 4, 2020 - April 17, 2020
Time & Change: 150 Years of The Ohio State University
This free exhibition, pulled from the University Archives, celebrates the shared past that exemplifies The Ohio State University’s memorable history. The exhibit includes artifacts highlighting fascinating and everyday moments of life on campus.
February 1, 2020 - March 15, 2020
Drawn to Presidents: Portraits and Satiric Drawings by Drew Friedman
Pennsylvania-based illustrator Drew Friedman has employed his intensely realistic, warts-and-all style of caricature to satirize celebrity and authority for four decades. This exhibit features the original artwork created by Friedman for All the Presidents, as well as his presidential-themed original art.
November 2, 2019 - February 9, 2020
Ladies First: A Century of Women’s Innovations in Comics and Cartoon Art
Drawing on women’s voices from the margins to the center, this exhibit surveys women’s innovations in comics and cartoon art, tracking their contributions to the field. Included are works from early suffragette cartoonists, the queens of the comic strip pages, mainstream comic book artists, communities of self-published minicomics creators, and everyone in between.
November 2, 2019 - April 18, 2021
when an object reaches for your hand
In a yearlong collaboration between the Wexner Center for the Arts and The Thompson Library, Ann Hamilton worked with special collections staff to scan objects in the archives rarely seen by the public. These images are presented in book-form stacks by the windows of Thompson’s second level stacks tower.
September 21, 2019 - March 15, 2020
Scarlet and Gray: The Student Experience
150 years of students are bound by The Ohio State University's traditions. Taken from the University Archives, the items in this exhibit exemplify Ohio State's orientation, classes, campus living, student organizations, and commencement.
August 31, 2019 - January 19, 2020
Thurber's Columbus
How does our home shape who we are? James Thurber (1894–1961), one of the most popular writers and cartoonists of the mid-twentieth century, grew up in Columbus, Ohio. This exhibit explores Thurber’s early life, works inspired by his experiences here, and his legacy in Columbus and beyond.
May 18, 2019 - August 18, 2019
Front Line: Editorial Cartoonists and the First Amendment
Editorial cartoonists both benefit from and defend First Amendment speech and press protections. This exhibition examines free speech through historical works from the Billy Ireland Cartoon Library & Museum’s collections as well as contemporary works by members of the Association of American Editorial Cartoonists.
April 20, 2019 - October 20, 2019
Drawing Blood: Comics and Medicine
Drawing Blood traces the history of comics’ obsession with medicine. Over the last two centuries, medicine has gone through remarkable transformations. Comics have been there every step of the way to celebrate its triumphs, serve as a tool in medical education, and call attention to new challenges.
April 20, 2019 - October 20, 2019
Showcase Exhibits in Thompson Library
Exhibits display the University Libraries' subject area expertise and diversity and inclusion.
March 25, 2019 - July 26, 2019
Creative Responses to the Cold War
This exhibition gathers international expressions of human hope, anxiety, and dissent during an era of geopolitical divide. In the face of conflict and change, human creativity connected citizens across the world. This exhibit examines the era’s political conflict, social transformation, and technological change.
February 2, 2019 - May 5, 2019
Highlights from Special Collections
Exhibits display rare items from the University Libraries' eight distinctive collections.
December 3, 2018 - July 8, 2019
Tales from la Vida: Latinx Comics
The Latinx comics community is growing and diversifying—and rapidly. This exhibition features autobiographical short stories situated within the language, culture, and history that inform Latinx identity and life. The exhibition is presented in conjunction with the publication of Tales from la Vida: A Latinx Comics Anthology, edited by Dr. Frederick Luis Aldama and published by the Ohio State University Press.
November 3, 2018 - March 31, 2019
Tell Me a Story Where the Bad Girl Wins: The Life and Art of Barbara Shermund
Barbara Shermund was one of the first women cartoonists to work for The New Yorker. Beginning there in 1925, she contributed nine covers and hundreds of cartoons. Shermund’s cartoons had a fierce and feminist electricity rarely seen in that era of male dominated cartooning. This exhibit celebrates the life and work of this essential cartoonist.
November 3, 2018 - March 31, 2019
50 Years of the OSU Department of Dance
This exhibition celebrates the department’s indelible impact on the fabric of dance performance, dance scholarship, dance notation, and dance education in the United States and abroad. We feature the outstanding teachers, choreographers, dancers, Labanotation specialists, collaborators, and scholars of the department.
September 29, 2018 - January 20, 2019
From Pattern to Painting: The Religious Iconography of Pimen Sofronov
From Pattern to Painting unveils the process of creating a religious icon through the drawings of Russian-American painter Pimen M. Sofronov (1898–1973). Sofronov created icons and murals in Orthodox Christian churches throughout the United States. The exhibition displays Sofronov’s pattern books, sketches, life-size drawings, and photographs of his finished icons and murals.
May 31, 2018 - September 16, 2018
Koyama and Friends: Publishing, Patronage, and the New Alternative Press
In 2013, Koyama Press publisher Annie Koyama donated original art to the Billy Ireland Cartoon Library & Museum that represented a snapshot of the contemporary alternative comics industry. This exhibit of the Koyama Collection offers an introduction to a diverse network of cartoonists, small-press publishers, and collectives operating today.
May 5, 2018 - October 21, 2018
Artistically MAD: Seven Decades of Satire
Harvey Kurtzman’s brainchild made its debut in 1952. Over the ensuing years, MAD has featured artwork by many of the most talented cartoonists in the industry. This exhibition showcases original drawings and paintings, vintage MAD magazines, and memorabilia branded with the gap-toothed mug of its iconic mascot, Alfred E. Neuman.
May 5, 2018 - October 21, 2018
Cartoon Couture at the Columbus Metropolitan Library
Satirizing, advertising, and codifying fashion has been a tradition in cartoons and comic art since the forms’ origins. Historically, the comics medium has often ridiculed the clothing trends of the “elite” to entertain all classes of readers.
March 1, 2018 - March 26, 2018
Poets, Punks, and Pioneers: Self-Publishing in American Literature
Some of the most important, remarkable, and controversial works in American literature have been self-published. Poets, Punks, and Pioneers highlights the untold stories of writers who dared to publish their own work and what they risked to do so.
February 7, 2018 - May 20, 2018
Cartoon Couture
Satirizing, advertising, and codifying fashion has been a tradition in cartoons and comic art since the forms’ origins. Historically, the comics medium has often ridiculed the clothing trends of the “elite” to entertain all classes of readers.
November 4, 2017 - April 22, 2018
Looking Forward, Looking Backward: U.S. Immigration in Cartoons and Comics
Explore the topic of U.S.
November 4, 2017 - April 22, 2018
Publish or Perish: The Impact of Printing on the Protestant Reformation
Publish or Perish highlights the role of printing and publishing during the Protestant Reformation. Curator Eric J.
September 27, 2017 - January 28, 2018
Hot on the Trail of Iconic Detectives
The game is afoot! Hot on the Trail of Iconic Detectives explores popular depictions of fictional detectives over the last 150 years. Curated by English Librarian Jennifer Schnabel, the exhibition examines detectives in 19th-century dime novels, young adult fiction, comic books, film, and contemporary Japanese manga.
May 24, 2017 - September 17, 2017
Building Ohio State: From Forest to the Renovation of the Thompson Library
Building Ohio State tells the story of the unique connections and history shared between The Ohio State University and Ohio’s forests. From its beginnings as a land-grant institution to the renovation of the Thompson Library, the University has been instrumental in promoting forest research and education and demonstrating sound management of Ohio’s forests.
February 1, 2017 - May 14, 2017
From Author to Reader: Charvat at 50
In celebration of the 50th anniversary of the William Charvat Collection of American Literature, “From Author to Reader: Charvat at 50” explores the complex relationships between the people and processes behind the creation, production, dissemination, consumption, and reinterpretation of American literature. The exhibition features selections from the Collection’s holdings that focus on the different stages in the life cycle of a book. Highlighted authors include William Burroughs, Raymond Carver, James Ellroy, Herman Melville, and Paul Powers.
September 14, 2016 - January 22, 2017
Mysteries in Ice
Mysteries In Ice is an exhibition about polar exploration and how it impacts our understanding of the earth’s climate. It will feature historical collections from the Polar Archives alongside contemporary items representative of current exploration in ice-covered regions. Help us celebrate the 25th anniversary of the Polar Archives by learning about daily life in harsh climates, the communication of scientific concepts through pop culture, and the documented achievements of polar explorers. Visitors can also expect great interactive opportunities such as the chance to try on the clothes of contemporary explorers, see a demonstration of glacial flow with flubber, or attend a film screening at the Wexner Center for the Arts.
October 5, 2015 - January 3, 2016