EUGENE, Ore. -- (June 15, 2011) - The University of Oregon Museum of Natural and Cultural History will showcase a selection of work this summer from Pulitzer Prize-winning photographer Brian Lanker of Eugene, who died in March of pancreatic cancer. Signed copies of the photographs on display will be available for purchase, with all proceeds donated toward the museum's new exhibit hall "Explore Oregon!" in the name of Brian and Lynda Lanker.
The show, "A Tribute Exhibition: Shall We Dance? Photographs by Brian Lanker," will open on Wednesday, June 22, and be on display through Sunday, Sept. 4.
From the controlled beauty of classical ballet to the vivacious salsa, dance can be found in nearly every culture on Earth. Lanker's "Shall We Dance?" exhibit is the result of his year-long trip across the United States, documenting the huge variety of styles (from tap to tango, salsa to swing) and dancers he encountered. Lanker's photographs feature both professional and amateur dancers, reflecting a variety of personalities, emotions and dance styles.
The Jordan Schnitzer Museum of Art on campus will also present selections from Lanker's "I Dream a World: Portraits of Black Women Who Changed America," from June 21 to Sept. 11 in the Focus Gallery.
The Schnitzer exhibit's 28 portraits feature women from the fields of entertainment, literature, sports, politics and the civil rights movement. They include Rosa Parks, Toni Morrison, Coretta Scott King, Ruby Dee, Maya Angelou, Septima Poinsette Clark and Althea Gibson. The book and original exhibition focused on the lives of 75 women.
Lanker long felt the contributions of black women to society and history were unnoticed. He began his two-year "I Dream a World" project after being influenced by Barbara Jordan's speech at the 1976 Democratic National Convention and by the life of Alice Walker, author of "The Color Purple."
About the UO Museum of Natural and Cultural History
The UO Museum of Natural and Cultural History protects significant collections, enhances knowledge and encourages stewardship of human and natural history through research, preservation and education. Oregon's primary repository for anthropological and paleontological collections was created in 1935-36 as the Oregon State Museum of Anthropology and UO Museum of Natural History, and is celebrating its 75th birthday this year.
Public hours are Wednesday through Sunday, 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Admission is $3 for adults, $2 for seniors and youths ages 17 and under, and $8 for families (two adults and up to four youths). Museum members and UO faculty, staff and students are admitted free. Guided tours are offered each Friday at 1 p.m.
About the University of Oregon
The University of Oregon is among the 108 institutions chosen from 4,633 U.S. universities for top-tier designation of "Very High Research Activity" in the 2010 Carnegie Classification of Institutions of Higher Education. The UO also is one of two Pacific Northwest members of the Association of American Universities.
MEDIA CONTACT: Joe Mosley, UO media relations, 541-346-3606, jmosley@uoregon.edu
SOURCE: Judi Pruitt, MNCH assistant director of visitor services, 541-346-1671, judip@uoregon.edu
LINKS: Museum of Natural and Cultural History, natural-history.uoregon.edu and Facebook.com/oregonnaturalhistory