“As stuff of memory and culture becomes more ephemeral, small acts of rebellion proliferate. People cling to the tangible object, material matter that can be held in the hand, labored over and preserved,” began reporter Philip Kennicott of The Washington Post in his review of the Library’s “Voices From Afghanistan” exhibition. (See story on page 55.)
“We see this history in letters written by Afghans to Radio Azadi,” Kennicott continued. “[They] are fascinating for their simple, basic humanity of their requests, complaints and greetings. As you emerge from the exhibition with your BlackBerry buzzing in your pocket, it’s hard not to want to live in a world that might reasonably be limned by hand.”
Opened on Feb. 24 and on view through May 8, the “Voices from Afghanistan” exhibition received a variety of press attention following its debut. PBS NewsHour spoke with Mary-Jane Deeb, head of the Library’s African and Middle Eastern Division, who said, “In the future when researchers want to do research, they will have this material in the voices of the people themselves.”
Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, who donated the letters to the Library, conducted interviews with visitors to the exhibition and posted them on their website at www.rferl.org .
Other outlets that covered the exhibit were DCist, Roll Call, The News Journal (Delaware), Pajhwok Afghan News and the BBC.
“While Nashville’s troubadours come to Washington to croon for the powers that be, you occasionally hear nerves fluttering through the drawl. That wasn’t the case Tuesday, though, at the Library of Congress’ Coolidge Auditorium, where there was confident stage swagger to spare,” wrote Chris Richards of The Washington Post.
“That’s the key to what we’re trying to do here,” said Sue Vita, chief of the Library’s Music Division. “[We want] to get more of this information out there so more people will use it.”
During a tour of the Library earlier that day, Kix Brooks of Brooks & Dunn fame remarked, “It’s nice to see the Europeans don’t have all the cool [stuff].”
The “Heard on the Hill” column of Roll Call made sure to call attention to the Librarian of Congress James H. Billington’s impromptu performance during the CMA event. “The octogenarian librarian surprised everyone” by performing a number himself—”There Stands the Glass,” a song he had heard on the radio during his youthful days in the military. He was rewarded with a "standing ovation by the charmed audience," a witness said.
First Lady Michelle Obama and her friend the Cat in the Hat came to the Library to promote reading. - Abby Brack
