By Ben Pham ’27

Mercersburg Academy’s Burgin Center for the Arts presents Lapis Philosophorum, an exhibition by artist Keith White from now to February 23, 2026. Along with the exhibition, White will be the featured guest at an artist’s reception that is open to the public on Friday, January 23, from 6:30 to 8 p.m.

White is an artist based out of New York whose art falls under two categories: redreamings and figure drawings. White’s style is deeply introspective and is often an attempt to understand and interpret what he sees: “My paintings and drawings are the residue of my glance, artifacts of my attempts to see,” he explained.

Further elaborating on his unique style, White stated, “Through dreams, I access internally-generated subconscious images. Redreamings result from my attempts to understand the underlying message of those images by revisualizing the dream.”

Through a two-step blindfolded process, he polishes his initial dream solely through his subconscious, guiding his hands the way his mind visualizes it. The resulting artwork is the meaning of the dream. 

White’s figure drawings explore the energy relationships between forms. “The drawings function as maps of psychological states or conditions at that time. As such, these drawings contain multiple different layers,” he explained.

Lapis Philosophorum is named after one of three categories where the works are grouped. One category is exteriors, which consists mostly of landscapes. A second is interiors, which includes physical interior spaces and redreamings that are psychological interiors. The third category, after which the exhibition is named, includes figure drawings.

“He’s an incredible figurative artist who has graciously shared his encompassing array of artwork that emphasizes the complexity, beauty, and humanity of the human form,” said Sydney Caretti P ’24, ’26, director of galleries and arts faculty member. “Viewing the triptychs in the Cofrin Gallery, there’s a whole narrative that becomes available either through your own imagination, the imagery provided, or a combination of both, I don’t want to give my interpretation, that I have gleaned from Mr. White, but rather allow the audience space to engage and interpret freely. I hope viewers enjoy the journey of experiencing this exhibit in both the Cofrin Gallery and the newly named Magraw Niche Gallery.”

The Burgin Center for the Arts is open from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Monday through Friday and 1 to 6 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday. Visitors can contact the Office of Campus Safety using instructions at the Burgin front door to be admitted or make an appointment with Caretti at 717-328-6206.