thirsty while drowning

Conceptual artist Cole Sternberg ’01 VSB literally worked with nature to create the 15 paintings he exhibited in the newly renovated Villanova University Art Gallery from Nov. 3, 2022 to Jan. 18, 2023. Each work in thirsty while drowning was exposed to the elements (left in wind, rain and dragged through large bodies of water) to reveal nature’s own patterns.

Sternberg’s multimedia exhibition extended beyond the Connelly Center, with massive murals sprawling across Vasey Hall, Bartley Hall and the Jake Nevin Field House (see below). His hope was that this visual commentary on sustainability would enhance ongoing dialogue about the environment within the Villanova community.

A massive photographic mural ripples across the arched windows on Jake Nevin Field House. It’s part of thirsty while drowning—a first-of-its-kind campus-wide art exhibition at Villanova. Captured on his 22-day voyage across the Pacific Ocean, these images by Sternberg invited passersby to immerse themselves in the serene seascape and to explore more of his works on display in the Villanova University Art Gallery.