The County Library

Edmonia Lewis, Carving Her Future

Monday, January 8, 7 pm

Presented virtually by the County Library's Taylorville branch 

Charlie Farrell will discuss Afro-Ojibwe sculptor Edmonia Lewis, who, with remarkable determination, became the first woman of Black and Indigenous heritage to reach international acclaim as an artist.

Farrell received a bachelor’s degree in anthropology and a master’s degree in History and Criticism of Art with a focus on museum and cultural heritage studies from Florida State University. She has contributed research and installation assistance at several museums including Gadsden Arts Center and Museum, Miami Museum of Contemporary Art of the African Diaspora, and John and Mable Ringling Museum of Art. She is currently the 2022–2024 Romare Bearden Fellow at the Saint Louis Art Museum. In this position, Farrell works cross-departmentally with museum staff on development, educational, and curatorial projects. She most recently curated “Wangechi Mutu: My Cave Call” with Simon Kelly, the museum’s curator of modern and contemporary art.

You must register for this event to receive a link to the WebEx virtual lecture.

A Tale of Marco Polo and Some Mysterious Maps

Tuesday, January 23, 7 pm

Presented virtually by the County Library's Taylorville branch 

Researcher, author, artist, consultant, and historian of cartography Benjamin B. Olshin will offer a leading analysis of a newly discovered collection of 14 maps and related documents said to have belonged to the family of Italian merchant and explorer Marco Polo.

In the 13th century, Marco Polo traveled from Venice to the far reaches of Asia, a journey he chronicled in a narrative known as The Travels of Marco Polo. The veracity of these writings has long been subject of scholastic debate, some arguing Polo never even reached China, and others believing that he travelled as far as the Americas. The little-known collection of maps and documents is an exciting new piece of evidence for this historical enigma. In his book, Benjamin B. Olshin takes readers on a fascinating journey to trace the course of these artifacts, offering insights into Italian history and the age of exploration.

You must register for this event to receive a link to the WebEx virtual lecture.