Camelot, the newest exhibit in Rush Rhees Library, is running from now until December. While exhibits are typically held in the Robbins Library, Camelot is unique in both the physical and cultural spaces it occupies.
“This particular exhibit is of the collection, the personal collection actually, of my predecessor in this role, Alan Lupak and his wife Barbara Tappel-Lupak,” said Dr. Anna Siebach-Larson, the director of Russell Hope Robbins Library and Kohler Collins Center for English Studies. She further shared that a goal of the exhibit was “to celebrate the Lupaks and their legacy.”
In the main entrance of Rush Rhees, the exhibit focuses on movie posters from many different times. In the Rare Books Collection, the focus is on children’s stories and cartoon depictions. However, what I found most interesting were the pieces in the Robbins Library. This section of the exhibit is focused on visual takes on the Arthurian legends, but with a special focus: all of the works are illustrated by women for the many of the most famous books written on these stories.
“People have a really specific idea, often, of the middle ages as something that’s male dominated, very white, very cis and heterosexual,” said Dr. Siebach-Larson, “[Women are] incredibly important in shaping our understanding and our images of Camelot … [it’s] really important to me [to be] able to show the wide variety of stories from that time period.”
To explain more about her art, featured artist Anna Marie Ferguson will be on campus in October.
Dr. Siebach-Larson also shared that the main takeaway from the exhibit is an “awareness of how present these stories are in our culture today […] even in areas where we might not recognize that they have an influence.” She invites everyone to “just have fun.”
Overall, this exhibit is a great opportunity to see collections from a new perspective. Throughout the year, the Robbins Library hopes to display more collections, and as Dr. Siebach-Larson points out, “collections mean nothing if they’re not used.”
To see the Camelot exhibit in person, stop by the Robins Library, the main entrance of Rush Rhees, and the Rare Books Collection. There is also a full digital exhibit online along with in-person and online events.
For those looking for more involvement, contact Dr. Siebach-Larson via email.
