UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — "Nittany Lion: Eco-Mascot," a solo exhibition by Hannah Epstein, is currently on display through Sept. 12 in the HUB-Robeson Galleries on Penn State's University Park campus.

A free, public reception with light refreshments will be held from 6-8 p.m. on Thursday, Sept. 12.

Epstein describes herself as “a feminist folklorist of the Internet Age” who in past works has created hooked rugs that depicted internet memes and monsters. For the HUB Gallery, Epstein’s textiles envision the University’s mascot as an environmental crusader and supportive friend to the Earth who is having a '90s tabloid-style meltdown. In one hooked rug the Nittany Lion reads "The Drowned World," J.G. Ballard’s climate science fiction novel; in another "Hot Mama Earth" sweats and cries as she faces the climate crisis.

As a trained folklorist, Epstein advocates for a deeper understanding of storytelling as a shared, connective activity, where artists can begin to code alternate realities into the social consciousness. Themes of "play" connect her multi-disciplinary practice as her work aims to turn passive viewers into active players. 

The works in this exhibition were created during a residency at the Textile Arts Center in New York. Epstein earned a bachelor of arts from Memorial University of Newfoundland in 2009 and a master of fine arts from Carnegie Mellon in 2017. Her work has been included in exhibitions in Canada and the United States since 2011. She lives and works in Toronto and Los Angeles and is represented by Steve Turner Gallery.

The HUB-Robeson Galleries are open from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. daily. For more information on this and other exhibits or to schedule a tour, contact the HUB-Robeson Galleries at 814-865-2563 or visit the galleries website.