The work of guest artist Ron Copeland is on display at Youngstown State University’s Judith Rae Solomon Gallery.

Copeland, originally from Canton and now lives in Cleveland, draws on his Rust Belt upbringing in his art. In “Fragmented Narrative,” he explores how neighborhoods tell stories through their layered visual language.

Faded storefront lettering, rusted gas pumps and hand-painted signs may seem like remnants of a disappearing world, but Copeland reveals how they speak to the endurance of community, the creativity of everyday labor and the beauty found in what remains.

Using materials sourced from secondhand shops, industrial sites and decommissioned elements from art museums and sign shops, Copeland constructs illuminated works, assemblages and sculptural pieces that echo collective memory. Through hand-painted signage and collaged artifacts, each piece pays tribute to the resilience of working-class culture and the often-overlooked artistry of vernacular design.

Rather than present a linear narrative, Copeland allows history to bleed through in layers. Paint is chipped and repainted. Words are half-visible. Surfaces are weathered. These choices reflect the imperfect nature of memory: overlapping, fragmented and deeply subjective. The works invite viewers to piece together their own stories and to interpret the remnants and imagine what once was.

“Fragmented Narrative” runs through Oct. 3 at the gallery, located on the second floor of Bliss Hall. Gallery hours are 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. weekdays, and admission is free.