The Breathtaker Exhibition of original art in conjunction with the remastered edition of Mark Wheatley and Marc Hempel’s acclaimed graphic novel is finally opening after a two-year delay. McDaniel College is hosting the exhibition from Monday, August 22 through Saturday, October 29, 2022. The opening reception is scheduled for Thursday, August 25 from 5:30 PM to 7:30 PM with a gallery talk at 6 PM. The exhibit is housed in McDaniel’s Esther Prangley Rice Gallery in Peterson Hall, at 2 College Hill in Westminster, MD.
In conjunction with the exhibition, Wheatley is going to speak during the Honors Program Annual Lecture on Thursday, September 29 at 7:30 PM. The free event is open to the public and will be held in McDaniel’s Decker Auditorium at the Lewis Hall of Science (same address as above).
Organized by the Norman Rockwell Museum, the exhibit features over 90 original works of art. It explores the creative and physical processes from the original production of the Breathtaker comic in the 1990s, along with how it was adapted for the Titan Comics rerelease. The exhibit will feature aspects of the creative process from story and character development to how narrative is constructed.
Breathtaker follows Chase Darrow when she goes on the run after she and her mother opposed the government’s dictation of how she should live her life. Chase’s rebellion has put her on the NSA’s radar, who gave her the code name Breathtaker and sent their lead agent to hunt her down.
“McDaniel College is proud to serve as the premiere host of the Breathtaker Exhibition, which represents a chance to see up close the results of the creative chemistry and collaborative process between Mark Wheatley and Marc Hempel,” Robert Lemieux, associate professor of communication and cinema said.
“This is a natural fit for McDaniel, having previously mounted a major exhibition exploring the serious side of newspaper comic strips, as it provides the opportunity to look behind-the-scenes at the process that gave birth to an award-winning graphic novel. The engaging mix of the art displayed will only further enhance the incredible story in the book,” Lemieux added.
“It is gratifying to see an institution of the stature of the Norman Rockwell Museum and such a highly regarded college as McDaniel recognizing the legitimate power of comic art to communicate, entertain, and explore social constructs and ideas. Without their strong and creative support, this exhibition would not be happening. The truth is, there are comic fans in every walk of life. And we shouldn’t be surprised to find many of these fans working in the arts,” Wheatley said.
More information about the exhibition is available by calling (410) 857-2595 or visiting mcdaniel.edu.
