OXFORD, Miss. – The University of Mississippi Libraries’ Department of Archives and Special Collections collaborated with the UM Museum to host “No Two Alike,” an exhibit of unusual materials from Mississippi artists and unique art publications from Special Collections’ rare book collection.
The latest exhibit at the Department of Archives and Special Collections in the J.D. Williams Library features iPads to provide a more in-depth experience for visitors. Photo by Thomas Graning/Ole Miss Communications
The exhibit, open through Dec. 14 in the Faulkner Room of the J.D. Williams Library, includes paintings, pottery, woodcarvings and sculpture from the museum paired with archival materials from Special Collections to provide context. The exhibit also features four iPad stations, offering an enhanced view of selected pieces in the display.
“Special Collections is honored to be a part of this collaboration with the University Museum,” department head Jennifer Ford said. “This pairing of artwork with archival materials has greatly enhanced this exhibition.”
Visitors can find pottery from Biloxi artist George Ohr, whose “No Two Alike” description of his work helped create the exhibition title. The display also includes paintings and handwritten notes from Theora Hamblett, woodcarvings from Sulton Rogers and original sculptures from blues musician James “Son” Thomas, among many other materials from different artists. Also showcased is an original copy of William Faulkner’s handmade book “Marionettes,” as well as cartoons drawn by Pulitzer Prize-winning author Eudora Welty.
UM student Jocelyn Jarrett uses one of the iPads to explore the ‘No Two Alike’ exhibit in the J.D. Williams Library’s Department of Archives and Special Collections. Submitted photo
“The museum explores and appreciates every opportunity to partner with the Archives and Special Collections team, who are in every respect our analogous institutional peers in their mandate to preserve university collections and make them creatively and accessibly available to students, scholars and the community,” said Robert Saarnio, museum director. “That they are such a highly skilled and enjoyable group of colleagues only makes these partnerships all the more successful and, I would add, mutually beneficial.”
This collaboration brings significantly meaningful educational value to the audiences that study and reflect upon the various collections housed at the university, he said.
“We were very excited when Jennifer brought the concept for ‘No Two Alike’ to us, and there wasn’t a moment’s hesitation in our concurring and joining the planning process,” Saarnio said. “The exhibition outcome is simply wonderful in its many layers of exploration and celebration of these artists, authors and creative talents whose works and archives we hold in our respective collections.”
Ford said the exhibit would not have been possible without the efforts of the entire Special Collections staff and Saarnio and the museum staff, especially collections manager Marti Funke, along with UM videographer Mary Stanton-Knight. She also credited the support of Cecilia Botero, dean of university libraries.
“Robert and his very talented staff could not have been more enthusiastic and encouraging throughout the planning process and execution of the installation,” Ford said.
The exhibit, on the third floor of the J.D. Williams Library, is open to the public 8 a.m.-5 p.m. Mondays through Fridays, excluding university holidays. For more information, contact Ford at jwford@olemiss.edu or call 662-915-7408.