Marc Schepens says the title of his exhibition, “Egem,” as well as the art therein, recalls one of the last conversations he had with his late father.

Nahant artist Marc Schepens’ exhibition “Egem” takes its name from a little town in western Belgium. While the former NECC adjunct professor has never been there himself, it’s a place with close ties to his family history. Exploring this space between the known and unknown inspired the paintings, which feature abstract bursts of chaotic color that — when looked at as a “big picture” — begin to come together as city streets and buildings.

“Egem” has been installed in the Linda Hummel-Shea ArtSpace in the Bentley Library on the Haverhill campus, 100 Elliot St., and will be on display through April 14. The exhibit is free and open to the public during library hours, which are Monday through Thursday, 8 a.m. to 9 p.m. and Friday, 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. An artist’s reception will be held on March 23 from 3:30 to 5:30 p.m.

Schepens says the title of the exhibition, as well as the art therein, recalls one of the last conversations he had with his late father. There, he says, in the slippery moment between life and death, memory and experience can crystallize into an image — and it’s these images that find themselves on the canvases in the ArtSpace.

From 2013 to 2015, Schepens taught art classes including Dimensional Foundations, Drawing I and Painting I at NECC. He currently serves as a full-time lecturer at Boston University and an adjunct instructor at Bunker Hill Community College.

“Egem” is sponsored by the art department and the NECC Foundation. The exhibits featured in the Linda Hummel-Shea ArtSpace Gallery express the views of the artists. They do not necessarily reflect the views or policies of Northern Essex Community College.

NECC offers an associate degree in general studies: art with a focus on specific area of the arts, such as fine arts, multimedia, photography or visual communications.

For further information contact Patricia Kidney at pkidney@necc.mass.edu or Marc Mannheimer at mmannheimer@necc.mass.edu.