You wake up one day and realize all your memories from your past are gone. Your body is covered in bruises and you are itching to stay alive.
What do you do? In the case of Mark Hogancamp, once you recover, you create a therapeutic village. “Marwencol” is a World War II-themed town built by Hogancamp in his own backyard where soldiers fight Nazis and a doll modeled after him is tended to by women who are all
modeled after important people in his life.

In 2000, Hogancamp was viciously assaulted by a group of men outside a bar in Kingston, New York. After spending 40 days in the hospital, including nine in a coma, he was released. Unfortunately, he barely remembered the attack and the events before it and was diagnosed with
permanent brain damage. He had to rely on photos to piece together what he had experienced before that horrific event and turned to making art as a form of therapy for his recovery and trying to piece together what he was missing from his past.

Mr. Hogancamp visited the art gallery at Choate House on Tuesday, October 8 from 1:00 to 4:30 p.m., where he explained the process behind making his village. Students, whether they were part of a class or visiting out of curiosity, had the chance to ask Mr. Hogancamp any questions about his art.

Hogancamp also discussed the real-life inspirations behind some of his dolls and discussed the importance of having strong women represented in media explaining how they can help conquer “evil” as he had a lot of women in his life who supported him after his assault.

The exhibit will remain at Choate House for the remainder of the fall semester. It is open to any and all Pace students and faculty.