From aspirin and absinthe to art and augmented reality, the University of the Pacific's latest exhibition invites Stockton residents to explore how substances have shaped human history, culture and society.
What do aspirin, absinthe and ayahuasca have in common? More than you might think.
Throughout history, people have used substances for healing, celebration, spiritual experiences and changing how they perceive the world. But what one culture considers medicine, another may regard as dangerous or forbidden.
A new exhibition at the University of the Pacific invites visitors to explore those complicated relationships through art, science, history and interactive experiences.
INTOXIC: Drugs & Culture opened October 13 at the Reynolds Gallery inside Pacific's Jeannette Powell Art Center in Stockton. The exhibition continues through November 20, 2026, and is free and open to the public.
Bringing together university faculty, students, artists and researchers from multiple disciplines, INTOXIC examines how intoxicating substances have influenced human experiences, social relationships and cultural beliefs.
Visitors can expect more than traditional artwork on gallery walls. The exhibition incorporates music, audio narratives, historical objects and augmented reality experiences, creating an opportunity to engage with the subject from several perspectives.
What Makes Something a Drug?
The exhibition begins with a question that may seem simple but becomes more complicated the longer you consider it: What exactly makes something a drug?
The answer has changed throughout history.
According to the exhibition's organizers, the word intoxicate originally meant to poison. Over time, its meaning evolved, just as societies' attitudes toward intoxicating substances have changed.
Substances that are accepted in one setting may be restricted in another. Materials used for medical treatment may also have recreational, ceremonial or cultural associations.
Even the legal status of particular substances can change as scientific knowledge, public attitudes and government policies evolve.
INTOXIC explores these shifting definitions without limiting the conversation to a single perspective.
Instead, the exhibition invites visitors to consider the historical and cultural circumstances that influence how societies understand substance use.
From everyday medications to substances associated with altered states of consciousness, the subject extends across disciplines and generations.
Three Ways to Explore the Human Experience
At the center of INTOXIC are three broad themes that examine why people use substances and how those practices connect to larger cultural experiences.
Community and relationships: The exhibition considers how substance use can be connected to social practices, shared traditions and relationships among people.
The search for relief: Another area explores the human desire to ease suffering, discomfort or other difficult experiences.
Transformative experiences: The exhibition also examines how substances have been associated with changes in consciousness and experiences that people interpret as personally or culturally significant.
Together, these themes provide a framework for exploring a subject that intersects with medicine, religion, history, art and everyday life.
Rather than presenting intoxicating substances as a single category with one meaning, the exhibition considers how their significance depends on context.
That approach gives visitors an opportunity to reflect on assumptions they may have encountered in their own lives.
Art Meets Science, History and Technology
One of the exhibition's distinctive features is its interdisciplinary approach.
INTOXIC includes work by New York artist Bev Fishman, alongside artwork and artifacts from the University of the Pacific's permanent art collection and its Thomas J. Long School of Pharmacy.
The combination brings artistic interpretation together with academic research and objects connected to the history and study of substances.
The exhibition also incorporates audio narratives, music and augmented reality experiences.
These elements expand the gallery experience beyond simply viewing objects.
Visitors can listen, explore and engage with material presented through different formats, making the exhibition appealing to people interested in art as well as those curious about history, science and technology.
The use of augmented reality adds another dimension, allowing digital experiences to become part of the exhibition.
For Stockton residents who have never visited the Reynolds Gallery, INTOXIC offers an opportunity to experience a university art exhibition that brings together several areas of study in one setting.
A Collaboration Across Pacific's Academic Community
The exhibition draws on research and contributions from a wide range of University of the Pacific faculty.
Participating faculty include Ken Albala, Dana Chalupa-Young, Tony Dutoi, Brett DeBoer, Jessica Fong, Maximo Garcia, Joe Harrison, Jim Hetrick, Adam Kaye, Jonathan Latta, Courtney Lehmann, Lou Matz, Jennifer Medel, Greg Rohlf, Elke Schmeling, Raj Sevak, Farley Staniec, Jill Vasileff, Sarah Waltz and Eric Wood.
Students from Professor Ken Albala's History of Alcohol and Intoxicants course also contributed to the exhibition.
Their involvement connects classroom learning with a public presentation of research and creative work.
The exhibition is curated by University Curator Lisa Cooperman and Professor of History Ken Albala, with exhibition design by Professor of Graphic Design Zoya Laskowski.
By bringing together contributors from different academic backgrounds, INTOXIC demonstrates how a complex subject can be explored through multiple disciplines.
An artwork may encourage visitors to consider a substance's cultural meaning, while a historical artifact or academic perspective may raise questions about its use and significance.
That combination makes the exhibition an opportunity for learning as well as artistic discovery.
Live Music Adds Another Dimension
The exhibition's programming extends beyond the gallery displays.
On Tuesday, October 20, from 7 to 8 p.m., students from Professor Andrew Conklin's Composition classes will perform alongside the Percussion Ensemble led by Professor Jonathan Latta.
The performance adds a musical component to the exhibition's exploration of human experience and cultural expression.
For visitors interested in both visual art and live performance, the event offers another way to engage with Pacific's creative community.
The exhibition's organizers have also scheduled a public reception on Thursday, October 22, from 6 to 8 p.m.
The reception provides an opportunity for community members to visit the gallery and experience the exhibition during a special evening gathering.
Both events are part of the programming surrounding INTOXIC, which remains on view through November 20.
A Free Cultural Experience in Stockton
One of the most inviting aspects of INTOXIC is that admission to the Reynolds Gallery is free.
Located on the south side of the University of the Pacific's Stockton campus, the gallery welcomes members of the public Monday through Friday.
For residents looking for a different cultural experience, the exhibition offers an opportunity to explore a thought-provoking subject without an admission fee.
It may be especially interesting to college students, educators, artists, history enthusiasts and people curious about the relationship between science and society.
The exhibition also demonstrates how university galleries can connect academic research with the broader community.
Subjects studied in classrooms and laboratories can become the starting point for public conversations when presented through accessible creative experiences.
INTOXIC brings those conversations into a gallery setting where visitors can explore the material at their own pace.
Whether someone arrives with a particular interest in art, pharmacy, cultural history or interactive technology, the exhibition offers multiple points of entry.
Event Details: INTOXIC: Drugs & Culture
Exhibition dates: October 13 – November 20, 2026
Location: Reynolds Gallery, Jeannette Powell Art Center, University of the Pacific
Address: 1071 Mendocino Avenue, Stockton, CA
Gallery hours: Monday–Friday, 9 a.m.–4:30 p.m.
Admission: Free and open to the public
Special events:
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Music Performance: Tuesday, October 20, 7–8 p.m.
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Exhibition Reception: Thursday, October 22, 6–8 p.m.
Exhibition curators: Lisa Cooperman and Ken Albala
Exhibition designer: Zoya Laskowski
Information: University of the Pacific Event Calendar
Contact: Lisa Cooperman, Reynolds Gallery
Phone: (209) 932-3254
Email: [email protected]
Social media: @reynolds_gallery on Instagram and Facebook
Looking at a Familiar Subject in a Different Way
Art has a way of encouraging people to reconsider familiar ideas.
INTOXIC takes a subject often discussed through medicine, law or public health and examines it through the broader experiences of human culture.
By combining historical research, artistic expression, music and interactive technology, the exhibition invites visitors to consider how the meanings attached to substances have changed across societies and generations.
It also raises questions about the relationships between personal experience, cultural beliefs and scientific understanding.
Visitors do not need to arrive with answers or specialized knowledge.
The exhibition offers an opportunity to explore the questions themselves.
For Stockton residents interested in art that sparks curiosity and conversation, INTOXIC: Drugs & Culture provides a free opportunity to discover how history, science and creativity intersect at the University of the Pacific.