“Welcome to Aegina” Exhibit
September 25, 2022
Wishing you had traveled more this summer? Perhaps you need to take a moment to escape to the Mediterranean. If so, the Terrell Library has the perfect solution for you!
"Welcome to Aegina," a collaborative, multimedia, and interactive exhibit will be on display in Terrell Library's First Floor Gallery from September 1 - October 15, 2022. The exhibition includes artifacts, rare books, and interactive experiences and complements Professor Drew Wilburn's class on Greek Art and Architecture. A collaboration among the Classics department, the Libraries' Digital Imaging Lab (DigiLab), and the Paul and Edith Cooper International Learning Center (CILC), this exhibit exposes the viewer to this important archeological site. This beautiful exhibition showcases the Libraries' central role in research, curriculum support, and student success.
Working since last spring semester, Professor of Classics Chris Trinacty, Heath Patten, Curator of Visual Resources and Supervisor of the Digital Imaging Lab, Abe Reshad, Director of Language and Integrative Teaching and Learning Technologies and Administrator of Academic Support, Megan Mitchell, Academic Engagement & Digital Initiatives Coordinator for the college's libraries, and Ed Vermue, Terrell Library's Special Collections and Preservation Librarian have created and assembled both physical and digital exhibits that will illustrate the power and value of experiential learning.
But why Aegina? Professor Trinacty shares the answer:
I have been fascinated by the island of Aegina since I first visited it in 1994. I remember walking from the big church of Agios Nektarios to the Temple of Aphaia and being struck by the beauty of the environment and the people's good vibes. It was serendipitous when I arrived at Oberlin and saw the wooden model of the Temple of Aphaia by Jeanne Quinn. I thought that it would be great if I could find a way to do something to contextualize the model and inform students about the island, its mythology, its history, and its art and architecture. I found willing collaborators in [the Libraries and CILC, with individuals who] have helped to create a holistic picture of the island of Aegina. We have been interested in considering the representation of the island's sculptures, temples, and architecture. There are many different ways in which museums and galleries present ancient material, and we have tried to find informative (and fun!) ways to expose the public to the ancient world of Aegina.From virtual tour videos that Heath and I produced to finding rare volumes of Ovid with Ed to creating 3D models of the pedimental sculpture with Abe, this project has brought together various parts of the campus community to shed light on the island. We want students to learn through doing; thus, we have created various hands-on projects to help them recognize that the temples were painted in antiquity and to think about how sculptures were made to fit in the triangular space of the pediment. Students helped to read Greek poems related to famous athletes of Aegina and designed buttons and postcards to advertise the exhibition. The collaboration with students and staff has allowed us to create an exhibition that reflects the interdisciplinary spirit that helps to make Oberlin a great place to teach and learn.
Καλό ταξίδι!