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LIBRARY
EXHIBITS 2007 – 2008
In an effort to provide
on-going learning enrichment opportunities to students,
staff, faculty, and members of the community, Eastfield
College Library offers a variety of educational and
informative exhibits. All exhibits are on loan
through Humanities
Texas with
funding through SPAR
(Student Programs and Resources). The project was
made possible in part with a grant from Humanities
Texas, the state partner of the National Endowment for
the Humanities. All
exhibits are on display during the scheduled
hours of the library.
September
10 – 29
DESTINATION
MEXICO
A
new exhibit from Humanities Texas, Destination
Mexico explores the compelling lure of
Mexico
for tourist, travelers, historians and scholars.
From the early 1800s Mexico
has held a particular fascination as a neighboring
foreign country of mystery.
This exhibit documents the eight decades of
travel to
Mexico
from the first rail connections in the mid-1880s to the
beginnings of major air travel in the 1950s.
Including views of the major cities in
Mexico
as well as unusual haunts such as unyielding landscapes
of the vast desert regions and interesting country
villages, this exhibit will evoke a charm and sense of
adventure in traversing the myriad realms of
Mexico. Accentuating
the history of travel to this land of enchantment, Destination
Mexico is an educational, beautiful exhibit well
worth viewing.
October
8 – 27
JASPER,
TEXAS
Focusing
on the strength of their community rather than the
horrific crime to James Byrd, this exhibit reveals the
extraordinary ways in which the entire town was
affected. Photos
of the peaceful Huff Creek Road
and the lovely country church where James Byrd was found
hold no clue to the terrible event that turned Jasper,
Texas
into an international byword.
The exhibit compels the viewer to realize the
impact of the crime on young and old alike in this close
community. Additional
photographs emphasize the diligence of the ministers who
through concerted and cooperative efforts kept the
incident from erupting into more violence.
A timely exhibit that compels the viewer to look
racism anew, Jasper,
Texas
is a thought-provoking examination of the
healing of a community through tragedy.
October
29 – November 17
THE SUN KING: LOUIS XIV
Larger
than life, Louis XIV, also known as The Sun King, ruled
France
for seventy-two years.
Born to parents who had remained childless for
over twenty-three years, Louis XIV was considered a
“gift from God”.
During his reign, tremendous changes occurred in
France
in development of the arts, music, and the performing
arts, grandiose building campaigns, advancements in
science and technology, improvements in public works and
more. Louis
XIV had a profound impact on world matters and led France
through three major and several minor wars.
He prompted exploration of the New World and Louisiana, pressed for innovations in cartography, and founded
the Paris Observatory.
This exhibit highlights his life and works, his
absolute monarchy, and famous people such as Richeleiu,
Colbert, Moilere and Racine who became influential
during his reign. Informative
and educational, the exhibit The
Sun King shines bright even today.
January
14 – February 2
EL GRECO
This
exhibit incorporates the beauty of El Greco’s art, the
definitive portrait of
Toledo
, and the historical significance of the time period.
Born in Crete but living and working in Spain, El Greco is the premier representative of the Spanish
school of paining during the late sixteenth and early
seventeen centuries.
Traveling between
Venice,
Siena,
Florence,
Rome, and finally to Toledo, El Greco was most influenced by Tintoretto and
Michelangelo. From
his early training as an icon painter in
Crete
, he retained the spiritual characterization of icons in
his later works. Known
for his elongated figures and odd mixtures of pigments,
El Greco’s style is a strange marriage of Byzantine
and Renaissance art with leanings towards Mannerism.
Based on the international exhibit with
cooperation from the Dallas Museum of Art, the National
Gallery of Art, the Toledo Museum of Art, and Humanities
Texas, the photographic display demonstrates the
compassion and respect evident by El Greco’s
interpretation of religious subjects.
A small but significant collection of
photos-and-text, El
Greco of Toledo will enlighten all audiences.
February
4 – 23
BLACK ART: ANCESTRAL LEGACY
This excellent photo-and-text exhibit of African
American art is divided into four major groupings revealing the interwoven
tapestry of folklore, history, spiritualism, and
traditions present in African motifs.
Throughout all, African heritage is the source of
inspiration and creativity. The Legacy reveals the African beliefs and traditions retained
through the devastation of slavery and the role of 20th
century artists striving to keep those beliefs alive.
Private
Visions exemplifies the spiritualism, mysticism, and
deep religious beliefs present in African American Art.
Reclamation
examines that recent period in which African American
artists traveled to
Africa
to publicly recognize their indebtedness to African
heritage. The
fourth grouping, Festivals
and Rituals, reflects the traditions of African
music, religion, dance, and public celebrations present
in
America
and the
Caribbean
. A
contemplative and educational exhibit, Black
Art: Ancestral Legacy
confirms the dependence of African American art on
the traditions and customs of historical
Africa.
February 25 – March 15
RURAL
TEXAS
WOMEN
Created by the Texas Agricultural Extension Service and
organized by Texas A&M and Humanities Texas, this
exhibit documents the persistence of rural Texas
women during times of prolific food shortages and
absence of men and goods.
From the 1930s and the severe demoralizing
Depression, through the rigorous demands of World War
II, through the 1950s Cold War, and the upheavals of the
revolutionary 1960s, Texas women personified determined,
industrious self-reliance.
The exhibit highlights photographs of Texas women
preparing and preserving food, cleaning their homes,
tending gardens, raising animals, restoring furniture,
and doing repair work normally conducted by men.
Even during such difficult times,
Texas
women were able to provide needed volunteer assistance
and support. Rural
Texas Women at Work honors the perseverance and
dedication of the hard-working women of Texas
and offers educational, historical, and social
commentary.
March
24 – April 11
SIGNERS OF THE
TEXAS
DECLARATION OF
INDEPENDENCE
On March 1, 1836, delegates gathered in
Washington-on-the-Brazos to discuss the creation of a
formal declaration of independence. The
Texas Revolution had already begun and the small
settlements of
Texas
were greatly outnumbered against Santa Anna’s Mexican
army. Support
from the
United States
was crucial for the success of the Texas Revolution but
first
Texas
had to declare independence from Mexico. With that
in mind, the fifty-four representatives of each
Texas
settlement met to deliberate the issues and come to some
consensus. During
those days of the Convention of 1836, daily reports were
being received of the heroic acts of the defenders of
the
Alamo
and their subsequent martyrdom.
On March 17th upon hearing that the
Mexican army was approaching, the delegates departed but
not without having achieved their goals.
They had created, adopted, and signed a formal
Texas Declaration of Independence, drafted the first
constitution for the new
Republic
of
Texas, and had successfully organized an ad interim
government.
This exhibit follows the trail of the Texas
Revolution, the necessity for a formal Declaration of
Independence, and the tense proceedings in adopting and
signing one of the most important documents in Texas
history. Also included are photographs and biographies
of the Anglo and Tejano delegates such as Sam Houston,
Jose Antonio Navarro, James Collinsworth, Lorenzo de
Zavala and others. Signers
of the Texas Declaration of Independence is an
excellent updated version of the original prepared by
the Texas Centennial Commission in 1936. Set against the background of the
Texas
battles for freedom, this exhibit is a powerful
testimony to the intelligence, courage, and fortitude of
the people of Texas.
May 13 – June 3
BORDER STUDIES
This
contemporary exhibit brings the history, people, and
daily events of the Texas–Mexico border to life.
Delving first into the geography and natural
border of the Rio Grande
through a series of historical maps, the exhibit
documents the overwhelming movement of the border to the
West and South. Beautiful
photographs of the canyons, the Rio Grande
River
, and natural passes describe the terrain.
The exhibit reflects the variety of people on
both sides of the border going about their daily
activities and the shared influences of both cultures.
Photographs document the legal workers crossing
over to work on both sides, and translate the
international flavor of the Texas-Mexico Border.
Only a small part of the exhibit is dedicated to
Border Controls set up to monitor continuous illegal
immigration through the maze of territory from El
Paso/Juarez to Brownsville/Matamoros.
More importantly, the exhibit introduces those
people sharing the Border blending into a special group
called the “ambiente fronterizo” who have combined
cultural, religious, ethnic, and traditional ideas.
A unique look at the people and places of the
Texas-Mexico border, Border
Studies is a thought-provoking, educational, and
worthwhile experience.
July 21 – September 1
PEOPLE’S LIVES:
A PHOTOGRAPHIC CELEBRATION OF THE HUMAN SPIRIT
Photographs
by Bill Wright of Abilene,
Texas
reflect ordinary people whose lives have intersected his
through over twenty years of world travel.
Based on a book published by the University
of
Texas Press
, the photographs examine people in various aspects of
their lives including their home life, work, and play.
Less observance than participatory, Wright has
connected with his subjects in a most intimate manner.
He remembers the events, the conversations, and
the reason for each photo making this assemblage a
meaningful work of art.
Many foreign cultures are represented such as China
Uzbekistan,
Australia,
Nepal,
Morocco, the Middle East, and
Latin America. Throughout
all, Wright has insisted on celebrating the spirit of
“strength, joy, courage, and determination.”
His photographs reveal the heart of the people
with love and adoration.
Not to be missed, People’s Lives is a wholesome memorial to the human spirit.
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