Hudson County Community College ‘Living in the Invisible’ Exhibit Features Works by Artists with Unseen Challenges

February 7, 2022

February 7, 2022, Jersey City, NJ – Hudson County Community College (HCCC) Department of Cultural Affairs invites the community to view “Living in the Invisible,” an exhibit of works by artists who live with unseen physical and mental health challenges. The exhibit may be viewed now through March 23, 2022, at the Benjamin J. Dineen III and Dennis C. Hull Gallery on the sixth floor of the HCCC Gabert Library located at 71 Sip Avenue in Jersey City. An Artist Reception and Artist Talk will be held at 3 p.m. on Wednesday, March 23, 2022.

An estimated ten percent of the United States population has a condition that may be considered an “invisible disability.” While symptoms are not obvious to onlookers, the impact and stigma are real to those who suffer from chronic pain, nerve disorders, autoimmune disorders, cognitive dysfunctions, mental health issues, learning differences, and hearing and vision impairment.

 

Pictured here, “Times Square 1976” by Mary Tooley Parker.

Pictured here, “Times Square 1976” by Mary Tooley Parker.

Inspired by internationally renowned American artist Judith Scott, who was born deaf and with Down Syndrome, the exhibition celebrates the featured artists for their resilience. First presented as a virtual exhibit by Art House Productions last year, this new incarnation was curated by Michelle Vitale, HCCC Director of Cultural Affairs for Diversity, Equity and Inclusion, and includes additional artists and a new exhibition partnership with Wonder Women Artist Residency.

The exhibit includes works by:

  • Mary Tooley Parker, an award-winning textile artist who has dealt with Type 1 Diabetes for 53 years. Her rug-hooking art focuses on realistic interpretations of people and nature. 
  • Doris Cacoilo, an artist, activist, curator, and educator who is the director and founder of gaia, a collective working to support women artists and women’s issues.
  • Eun Young Choi, an artist and Studio Arts professor at HCCC.  
  • Sharon Lee De La Cruz, a Fulbright Fellow, storyteller, educator, and activist from New York City. 
  • Allison Green, who lives and paints in Jersey City, and whose work is included in the Brooklyn Museum, Elizabeth A. Sackler Center for Feminist Art, and the City of Jersey City-City Hall. 
  • Roger Sayre, a Jersey City artist who teaches at Pace University and whose works have been featured in Photography Now, Sculpture Magazine, The New York Times, and numerous other publications. 
  • Stephanie Tichenor, a fiber artist, crafter, and painter who is inspired by youth, moss, leeks, stuffed animals, rainbows, and scraps of paper. 

“Living in the Invisible” may be viewed free of charge by all who visit HCCC. Visitors must check-in at the Gabert Library Security desk, and observe the College’s COVID-19 safety guidelines – masks are mandatory. The Benjamin J. Dineen III and Dennis C. Hull Gallery is open Tuesday through Friday, 12 to 4 p.m. or by appointment. 

The HCCC Department of Cultural Affairs offers a variety of free, educational opportunities for community members throughout the year. Information on all upcoming HCCC Department of Cultural Affairs exhibitions and educational programs may be obtained by contacting Michelle Vitale, Director of Cultural Affairs for Diversity, Equity and Inclusion, at 201-360-4176 or mvitaleFREEHUDSONCOUNTYCOMMUNITYCOLLEGE.