An Evening of Arctic Novelty

Arctic Spectacles with Professor Russell A. Potter

Arctic Spectacles: The Frozen North in Visual Culture 1818-1875

An Illustrated Lecture by Dr. Russell A. Potter

January 4th & January 5th 2008
8:00 PM

Tickets $15
{$10 FOR MEMBERS & STUDENTS}

In conjunction with the imminent publication of his newest book, Arctic Spectacles: The Frozen North in Visual Culture 1818-1875, The Velaslavasay Panorama will host two nights of dramaturgic presentations and historical merriment by renowned arctic authority Professor Russell A. Potter. An exploration into 19th century arctic entertainments and representations in popular culture, this wonderfully detailed and handsomely illustrated new work explores the fascination the Frozen North has consistently held upon the public imagination.

Dr. Russell A. Potter has been fascinated with the Arctic for many years, and has written and lectured extensively on many different aspects of its recorded history. In April of 2004 he traveled to the remote corners of the Canadian Arctic to revisit several of the sites where traces of the ill-fated Franklin expedition of 1845 still remain, for the filming of the NOVA program Arctic Passage: Prisoners of the Ice. He lives in Providence, Rhode Island, and is currently Professor of English and Media Studies at Rhode Island College. For more information on his studies, please visit his website which includes this section the Arctic Spectacles book. 

The Velaslavasay Panorama, having recently opened its panoramic meditation on the arctic, the 360-degree exhibit Effulgence of the North, proves a perfect locale for this conversational convergence of modern and historical perspectives on the arctic.  The facts and fictions of the controversial history surrounding these mythical frozen climes will be investigated with wit and the first-hand knowledge of the barren tundra which has been so long the focus of Professor Potter's study.  Join us for these exciting evenings of exploration and adventure, where there will also be provided an array of tasty and appropriate refreshments reminiscent of the time period, including our version of pemmican {a high-energy staple of any intrepid traveler's diet, composed of dried and pressed meat, fruit, and rendered fat}, and delicious warm libations to ward off the chill of the Arctic night.

Kane Magic Lantern Slide from the Collection of Dr. Russell Potter

Kane's Explorations

Magic Lantern Slide from the collection of Dr. Russell Potter