Art exhibit unveiling celebrates friendship, healing, and legacy of beloved WVU pharmacy professor

The exhibit, Art, Healing, and Friendship: Remembering Dr. Arthur I. Jacknowitz, has been on view in the West Virginia University Health Sciences Center Pylons Commons since August, but it came to life on Tuesday, September 16, during the unveiling when the artists, curators, and those closest to the project shared the stories and passion behind it. 

The artists, Dr. John Mauger and his son, Jeffrey Mauger, dedicated the exhibit in honor of their late friend and beloved WVU School of Pharmacy professor, Art Jacknowitz.

Their connection to the project’s namesake is deeply personal. John and Art were professors and close friends during their years together as faculty members at the WVU School of Pharmacy. They co-curated the Cook-Hayman Pharmacy Museum, a project that brought them both “great joy and pride.” Over time, the friendship grew to include both families. Art and his wife, Linda, were even godparents to Jeffrey and his brother, Jeremy.

The Maugers’ father-son collection reflects a shared belief in the transformative power of creativity. John, a watercolor artist for more than 30 years, draws inspiration from his rural upbringing and British artistic traditions, while Jeffrey, a multidisciplinary artist and WVU alumnus, explores a wide range of subjects, from portraits and landscapes to cityscapes and still lifes.

“To present our work together, in the presence of these beautiful Pylons and within the context of WVU, a place that holds so many lasting memories for our family, is an experience that I cherish,” said John. “It’s a heartfelt tribute to the many years of friendship, laughter, and shared purpose we had with Art and his wife, Linda Jacknowitz.”

The exhibit features life-sized reproductions of the Maugers’ original paintings, printed with permission and framed in collaboration with Appalachian Gallery and WVU Art in the Libraries. In addition, a display case outside the William A. Neal Museum of the Health Sciences features personal memorabilia that celebrates Art’s life and legacy.

Linda said her husband would have been humbled by the tribute.

“Traditional arts were always an important part of Art’s and my life together…we took a joyful delight in discovering a new favorite museum and in appreciating the colors, shapes, textures and emotional experiences the visual arts on display brought into our lives,” she said. “Whether it was the Brooklyn Museum, the Art Institute of Chicago, the Israel Museum, or more recently, the art museum at West Virginia University, my Art championed them all.”

The exhibit was made possible through Linda Jacknowitz’s generous support and reflects her family’s commitment to integrating the arts into the health sciences community. It is presented by WVU Libraries' Art in the Libraries initiative in collaboration with the Health Sciences Center and the Neal A. Museum of Health Sciences. It will be on display through May 2026.