Today’s post was written by Cora Chiep, student library assistant and a sophomore English and classics/archeology double major.
After attending the opening reception of the library’s fall 2026 special collections gallery exhibition, “Heart of Hearts,” I came away with a strong sense of curiosity. Ava Lehrman, a graduate student in English who curated the exhibit, spoke about her work. Specifically, she spoke on the symbol of the heart and how it holds significant meaning and symbolism across time and culture.
From the Egyptian legend of the weighing of the heart against a feather in the afterlife, to the Christian symbol of the sacred heart all the way to the modern heart emoji, the heart has held immense meaning in the physical and spiritual sense. Not un-ironically, the discussion of the exhibit centered strongly on the passion and labor that went into completing the project. It was this labor of love (pun intended) that makes the exhibition as spectacular and as well thought out as it is; the passion of the curator undeniably clear behind the curation.
Ava spoke on how inspired she was by the people around her and how questions of the heart’s meaning sparked her interest. She described the process of the project, including her fears and anxieties of influence. She spoke on how creating a narrative within constraint was a difficult process, but quickly became something that she felt to be extremely fulfilling. Her passion and dedication are undoubtable, and the audience seemed enraptured throughout the talk.
The exhibit itself is a beautiful synthesis of literature, art, and artifacts that display and convey the importance of the heart symbol in a way that is intriguing to the eye and the mind. Through Ava’s curation, it is possible to focus on each singular piece as well as the part it has to play in the collective story. Ava went a step further with this project, going above and beyond, personally designing the wall displays that decorate the exhibit space – the first time a student curator has taken on this task.
Throughout the event I was struck by the genuine passion and curiosity I felt in the room. Every individual in the room seemed truly engaged, people were taking notes, asking questions and nodding along with focused and eager expressions. This collective passion was poetically fitting for the event, mirroring the innate curiosity in our heart of hearts.