A month-long exhibition that confronts issues that arise when one society or culture dominates another, whether through war, occupation, or in the name of freedom, religion, or civilization, opens with a public reception at 4:45 p.m., Monday, October 25, in Boyden Gallery at Montgomery Hall. The two-person exhibition, “Tenterhooks: Karley Klopfenstein and Anja Marais,” will be on display weekdays 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. through November 19.

Both artists work in “soft” mediums, such as carpet-making and paper constructions. Klopfenstein’s work addresses the political situation in Iraq, while Marais’ work explores colonialism. “Tenterhooks” refers to the feeling of unease the works produce: softly tender, deadly serious.

Klopfenstein, a St. Mary’s 1997 graduate from New York City, is the college’s fall artist-in-residence. Marais came to the United States after graduating from the University of South Africa.

St. Mary's College of Maryland, designated the Maryland state honors college in 1992, is ranked one of the best public liberal arts schools in the nation by U.S. News & World Report. More than 2,000 students attend the college, nestled on the St. Mary's River in Southern Maryland.