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Three Civil War-themed exhibits open at Museum of Art
Jack L. Dickinson signs a copy of his book titled "Civil War Paper Items the Rosanna A. Blake Confederate Collection Marshall University"" Sunday, July 27, 2008, at The Huntington Museum of Art.
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HUNTINGTON -- Doug and Janie Charles pulled into the Huntington Museum of Art just in time Sunday afternoon.
The couple from Scottown, Ohio, nabbed the last parking spot as the museum drew 250 history and art buffs out for the music-filled opening for four new history-themed exhibits.
Three Civil War-themed exhibits were opened Sunday, including the main attraction, "Civil War Photographs from the David L. Hack Collection," which features 50 original photographs by important photographers working in both the North and the South.
The two other Civil War exhibits that opened Sunday include "Civil War Redux: Pinhole Photographs by Willie Anne Wright." That exhibit features 20 contemporary black and white photographs of Civil War re-enactments over the 12 years that Wright followed "the troops."
Located in the gallery with the Civil War photos exhibit is "A Selection of Civil War Items from the Rosanna A. Blake Confederate Collection, Marshall University," made up of artifacts from one of the finest private collections of Confederate history in the United States.
And located in Gallery Three is "Presidential Politicking: Campaign Memorabilia from George Washington to George W."
The three Civil War exhibits are open through Sept. 21, while Presidential Politicking is up through Sept. 14.
Doug Charles said he was elated to see so many people, and so many young people, enjoying the history-themed exhibits that showcase images by Union photographers Mathew Brady, Alexander Gardner, George N. Barnard, Timothy O'Sullivan and A.J. Russell as well as rare images by photographers traveling in the South, such as A.J. Riddle, J.D. Edwards and David Anderson.
"It's great to see Huntington have something like this and so many people out here," Charles said. "We got the last parking spot... You know they say history is supposedly the least favorite subject in high school and college, but it is so important that you know history or else you're doomed to repeat it."
Inside the auditorium, museum-goers got a behind-the-scenes look at how the photo exhibits came to be by Brooks Johnson, curator of photography for the Chrysler Museum, which now has more than 5,000 photos in its collection.
Johnson, who has put together more than 100 photo exhibits, explained how the Norfolk, Va.-based museum started its Civil War photo collection in 1987, when they secured a 50-photo sketch book by Alexander Gardner, the famed Civil War photographer.
Johnson said one of the unique things about the exhibit is that they are on their original mounts.
"You all get to experience these photographs on their original mounts and exactly how someone would have in the 19th century," Johnson said.
Johnson also detailed the rigors of taking pictures during the Civil War using the lumbering glass plate negatives and having a portable dark room to process the photos on the spot.
"It wasn't easy as Sunday afternoon photography," Johnson said.
And, of course, the photos taken from Gettysburg and Antietam, recognized as "America's bloodiest day."
"That was the first time that people saw what war meant, which is pretty much men being killed," Johnson said.
Outside in the sculpture garden, the twenty-plus members of the Brass Band of the Tri-State brought back music from the era of the Civil War rattling off "The Battle Hymn of the Republic," "The Applachian Mountain Folk Song Suite" and songs from the great Kentucky composer Stephen Foster.
"It's great to play for a lot of people who may not see us normally," said Gary Clarke, director of the Brass Band of the Tri-State, "and it's a great day to come out and be a part of the community and this historical exhibit."
If you go
Here's some more info about the three new Civil War exhibits that just opened at the Huntington Museum of Art.
WHAT: A 50-photo-strong "Civil War Photographs from the David L. Hack Collection." Complementing this exhibit is "Civil War Redux: Pinhole Photographs by Willie Anne Wright" and another exhibit titled "A Selection of Civil War Items from the Rosanna A. Blake Confederate Collection, Marshall University" is made up of artifacts from one of the finest private collections of Confederate history in the United States.
WHERE: The Huntington Museum of Art, 2033 McCoy Road, Huntington
WHEN: The exhibits run through Sunday, Sept. 21.
LECTURES AND MOVIE SERIES: Tuesday, Aug. 5, "No Drums, No Bugles," with introduction by Steve Fesenmaier; Tuesday, Aug. 12, Jean Edward Smith discusses his award-winning biography, "Grant" and signs copies; Tuesday, Aug. 19, West Virginia Civil War images from the West Virginia Archives with Terry Lowry; and Tuesday, Sept. 2, a Civil War Firearms lecture by the Rev. Edward Grant.
HILLTOP BOOKS ONLY: Runs 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday and Sunday, Aug. 16-17. Admission is $5 on Aug. 16 and includes museum admission. Authors of Civil War books will sign copies of their work in the Virginia Van Zandt Great Hall on Saturday, Aug. 16. Call 304-529-2701 for details.
CALL: For more information on events at HMA, call 304-529-2701. HMA is fully accessible.
ON THE WEB: Go online at www.hmoa.org.
