CHICAGO -The Illinois
Humanities Council announces the opening of "Between Fences,"
a traveling exhibition of the world-renowned Smithsonian Institution, at the Princeton Public
Library (698
E Peru St, Princeton). The exhibition will run from March 7, 2009 through April 19,
2009. Visitors will be able to
experience "Between Fences" during the hours of 10:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. Monday
through Thursday, 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. on Fridays, and 9:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.
on Saturdays.
The grand opening will take place on Saturday, March 7th at 7:00 p.m. with a lecture by Dr. Debra A. Reid, Professor of History from Eastern Illinois
University and one of the
state scholars for "Between Fences." Dr. Reid will discuss
Illinois’ fencing history, fence laws, and
land use policy, paying particular attention to Princeton
and the surrounding region. For more information about the opening and
other special events during this exhibit, please contact Grant Lynch of the Princeton
Public Library at 815.875.1331.
ABOUT "BETWEEN FENCES"
Built of hedge, concrete, wood, and
metal, fences are central to the American landscape. We use them to enclose our
houses and neighborhoods. They are decorative structures that are as much a part
of the landscape as trees and flowers. Industry and agriculture without fences
would be difficult to imagine. Private ownership of land would be an abstract
concept. But fences are more than functional objects. They are powerful
symbols. The way we define ourselves as individuals and as a nation becomes
concrete in how we build fences.
Through
an examination of boundaries, place, and space, "Between Fences"
will explore how neighbors and nations divide, protect, offend, and defend
through the boundaries they build. In addition to objects and images
relating to the exhibition stories, fence materials will include tools,
photographs, and publications including product literature, journals,
postcards, and posters.
"Between Fences" is part of the Museum
on Main Street
(MoMS) program, a partnership between the Smithsonian Institution
Traveling Exhibition Service and state humanities councils nationwide. MoMS
serves museums, libraries, and historical societies in towns of fewer
than 30,000 residents by bringing them
Smithsonian-quality exhibitions. For more information about MoMS,
call Ryan Lewis at 312.422.5585 ext. 231 or visit www.prairie.org/moms.
The Illinois Humanities Council
is a nonprofit educational organization [501 (c) 3] dedicated to fostering a
culture in which the humanities are a vital part of the lives of individuals
and communities. Organized in 1973 as the state affiliate of the National
Endowment for the Humanities, the IHC creates programs and funds organizations
that promote greater understanding of, appreciation for, and involvement in the
humanities by all Illinoisans, regardless of their economic resources, cultural
background, or geographic location. The IHC is supported by state, federal, and
private funds.
D A R E T O K N O W
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