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This is Our Land:
Discovering America and the World
Through Original Illustrations from Children’s Books
Meridian International Center, in partnership with the Library of
Congress Center for the Book, presents the fourth in its widely
acclaimed series of exhibitions drawn from children’s picture books
beginning February 18, 2006. This is Our Land: Discovering America
and the World through Original Illustrations from Children’s Books
includes 80 original artworks by 80 well-known illustrators
depicting pastimes and natural wonders from all 50 U.S. states,
together with images of life in 20 countries around the world. Its
theme is “exploration of place”, whether discovering a neighborhood,
learning about nature, exploring one’s roots locally, or finding
America and the world through travel.
This is our Land will be on view at Meridian’s Cafritz Galleries
until late April. School groups and organizations devoted to
geography or reading and literacy are encouraged to schedule tours
of this unique exhibition. Books from which illustrations were
chosen will be available and special group readings are planned. See
below for information.
Following the Meridian venue, This is Our Land will visit museums
and art centers throughout the country, on a tour organized by
Meridian's Traveling Exhibition Service. The exhibit will aid museum
directors and educators in promoting the value of geographical
knowledge, while encouraging a lifelong love of reading. Accompanied
by the books for which the artworks were created, This is Our Land
will include an Education Guide that provides information about
geography and culture, museum activities for visiting school groups,
materials intended to teach visual literacy (all available on-line
to students around the world), and a full-color catalogue and
poster.
Past Meridian exhibits in this series have involved state arts
councils, members of Congress, school and library districts, and
hundreds of thousands of children, parents and teachers in 40 host
communities. One of the first in this series, A Carnival of Animals,
was awarded White House Millennium status in 2000, and in 2002 Mrs.
Laura Bush wrote the introductory statement for Exploring the Great
Outdoors, an exhibition focusing on children’s health through the
active pursuit of physical activities. Meridian collaborated with
Leonard S. Marcus, a widely respected national expert in children’s
literature, on This is Our Land with assistance from state
librarians, representatives of the Library of Congress Center for
the Book, publishing houses, literacy societies and individual
artists. An international tour of a version of this exhibit is being
considered.
This is Our Land, on view February 18, 2006 – late April 2006 at
Meridian’s White-Meyer Galleries, 1624 Crescent Pl., NW Washington,
DC
Gallery Hours: Wednesdays - Sundays, 2:00pm - 5:00pm; Closed
National Holidays.
School and other special tours may be arranged by calling Meridian’s
Arts and Cultural Affairs Office at (202) 939-5568.
For general information on the exhibition, call (202) 939-5568 or
check Meridian’s web site at
www.meridian.org.
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