Faulkner's Exhibit at the University Museum

Advertisement for the Faulkner exhibit in front of the University Museum

July 12 is a very important date for many people all over the United States. This day marks the death of William Faulkner. “Faulkner’s Geographies: A Photographic Journey” opened July 12, 2011 at the University Museum in Oxford, Miss. to celebrate Faulkner’s life.

This year was the 38^th Annual Faulkner and Yoknapatawpha Conference in Oxford.

“People come from all over the United States to tour Faulkner’s house, Rowan Oak, and to enjoy a conference. The conference hosts many different speakers and meetings as well as special parties at Rowan Oak,” says Sarah Dean, employee at the University Museum.

The exhibit opened specifically for the tourists visiting for Faulkner’s conference. The idea was for the visitors to tour Rowan Oak and then examine the pictures of Faulkner displayed in the University Museum.

Photographs from the permanent collection of Archives and Special Collections at the University of Mississippi Libraries are displayed in the exhibit.

“All the photos belong to the University Special Collections at the University Museum Collection. The exhibit does not travel because these photos can only be found here,” says Dean.

The museum displays 36 of Faulkner’s photographs. Most of the pictures show Faulkner in Oxford, but a few show him in Japan. Two of the most famous photographs hanging are “William Faulkner at Rowan Oak” (1947) and “William Faulkner in the Library at Rowan Oak” (1947) by Henri Cartier-Bresson.

Dean explains that the exhibit has drawn a large crowd and even attracted the students who study Faulkner, history, and photography.

The museum is open to the public Tuesday-Saturday, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Admission is free. The exhibit will remain open until October 1, 2011.

http://museum.olemiss.edu/2011/05/faulkners-geographies/