The Mystique of the Archive September 2, 2008 - January 4, 2009
Archives, in all their disparate forms, are the material record of a culture. From their earliest incarnations, they have provided a vital source for the exploration of the imaginations of both individuals and societies. There is an aura about archives—a promise of mystery and discovery. This aura, this mystique, has become increasingly apparent in recent years as more and more writers have used the subject of archives as the central focus of their works. Umberto Eco, Tom Stoppard, A. S. Byatt, Doris Lessing, Penelope Lively, Julian Barnes, and Diane Johnson, among others, have written about archives, attracted by their treasures of knowledge, inspired by their promise of adventure and the lure of discovery.
This exhibition attempts to embody the mystique of the archive. It uses the lens of the Harry Ransom Center to explore both the archiving of our culture and the culture surrounding archives themselves. Drawing on the Center's extensive holdings of the imaginative creations of writers and artists, the exhibition illustrates the diverse nature of archives and their myriad uses. In the process, the exhibition traces the life of an archive in an institution, demonstrating how collections are acquired, accounted for, cataloged, preserved, and, most importantly, how they support the quest for knowledge and endlessly yield new discovery.
The Ransom Center's biennial Flair Symposium, "Creating a Usable Past: Writers, Archives, and Institutions," scheduled for November 13-15, 2008, will further examine the place of archives in contemporary culture and the role of archives as the vital source for understanding it.
A Cabinet of Drawings: Selections from Across the Collections September 2, 2008 - January 4, 2009
This exhibition will explore the Ransom Center's extensive holdings of drawings created by internationally recognized artists, architects, designers, scientists, and literary greats. Selections will highlight the medium's inherent strength as a multifaceted form of visual communication. From intimate expressions of the artist's innermost thoughts to highly refined master works, the exhibition will provide visitors with a broad appreciation of this fundamental yet highly versatile and expressive art form.
The exhibition, or "cabinet," will be presented as a series of mini-exhibitions contextually grouped by theme and artistic intent to include preliminary drawings, designs, book illustration, illustrated letters, landscapes, and portraiture.
