Baker-Berry Current Exhibits
The White Mountains from a Hiker's Point of View
Every year, thousands of hikers hike on more than 500 trails that cover over 1,400 miles in the White Mountains. As the tallest mountains in New England, the White Mountains have long appealed to people, from the Paleoindians and Abenaki who lived in the fertile mountain valleys long before Europeans arrived, to the farmers, tourists, hoteliers, and lumbermen of the 19th and 20th centuries. The rich ecological history is equally matched by the rich human history.
No longer the wild, untamed wilderness that attracted artists and tourists in the 19th century, the White Mountains are now surrounded by civilization. Roads are never very far from the hikers on White Mountains trails. Yet, within 20 minutes of hiking, the sounds of cars give way to the rustling of trees in the wind and the crunch of boots on the trail. This combination of proximity and remoteness makes hiking in the White Mountains an experience accessible to millions of people within a day's drive of the region.
Many hikers focus on the crown jewels of the Whites, such as the Presidential Range, known for its above-treeline hiking and striking views. Still, other hikers seek the solitude of the more remote mountains, while a few hardy souls forgo trails altogether to bushwhack wherever they please. This diversity in pursuits highlights the allure of the White Mountains, offering something for every hiker.
The White Mountains offer a landscape of wilderness and civilization, adventure and connection to the vast tapestry of time. These are the White Mountains from a hiker's point of view.
Exhibit curated by Daniel Abosso, Research & Learning Librarian for Humanities and Social Sciences; designed by Dennis Grady.
Baker-Berry Library, Reiss Hall, September 4 – December 1, 2023
Faded Glory: The Decline in American Exceptionalism
"Faded Glory" presents metaphorical photographs that reflect the many issues integral now to American society, with a gradual decline in its exceptionalism. In their subtlety and pervasiveness, these images serve as a call to awareness and action, not to rebuild an empire or recover world power supremacy but to build a better, stronger, and more enduring democracy for all of its citizens.
Photographs and text by Julian Fisher. Exhibit design by Dennis Grady.
Julian Fisher studied with Walker Evans as part of his American Studies major at Yale, photographed for the Yale Daily News, and freelanced while at Yale and after for the New York Times, Time, Newsweek, Life, and The Atlantic.
He pursued a medical degree at Johns Hopkins, becoming a pediatrician and neurologist on the Harvard medical faculty. He returned to photojournalism to produce the projects "Trapped in the Middle: The Effect of Income Inequality on the Middle Class in America" (2014-2016) and "Faded Glory: The Decline of American Exceptionalism" (2020-2022). The projects have toured nationwide to major higher educational institutions, serving as the centerpiece for coursework, panel discussions, and student projects.
He lives and works in Brookline, MA.
Baker-Berry Library, Berry Main Street, September 8 – December 1, 2023
CHILE 1973–2023: Between the Pinochet Machine & Thousands of Imagined Nations
"Between the Pinochet Machine and Thousands of Imagined Nations" is an invitation to explore the 50th anniversary of the Chilean coup d'état and its consequences for contemporary politics and culture in Chile and the Americas.
The first banner offers a brief perspective on Salvador Allende's Government (1970-1973) and the Military Regime (1973-1990), emphasizing the popular engagement in the first case and the human rights violations in the second.
The second banner displays an artistic intervention created by Elías Adasme in 1979-80, titled Corporal Intervention in a Private Space.
The third banner jumps into contemporary issues of the Chilean experience, particularly the recent massive manifestations and conflicts known as "Estallido Social." This recent disruption is understood as part of a citizen reaction against the legacies of the "Pinochet Machine" and in search of "thousands of imagined nations": indigenous rights, feminist protests against inequality and violence, demands for social justice, public and free education, defense of the environment and ecology policies, reform of the pension system, and access to health are some of the issues at stake.
The name of this exhibition is inspired by Diamela Eltit's essay La máquina Pinochet and Patrício Guzmán's movie Mi país imaginario.
Exhibit curated by Mauricio Acuña, Mellon Faculty Fellow of Spanish and Portuguese, and Jill E. Baron, Research & Learning Librarian for Humanities & Social Sciences. Designed by Dennis Grady.
We are thankful to the people in Chile, Brazil, and the Dartmouth community who supported this initiative.
To learn more about this period in Chile’s history, please refer to our research guide for books, articles, and films at dartgo.org/chile.
Baker-Berry Library, Brickway Gallery, September 1 – 30, 2023