Posted by jessia on February 15, 2007 at 9:31 am
“The future of some of Oxford’s most popular artefacts - the shrunken heads at the Pitt Rivers Museum - could be in doubt,” writes the
Oxford Mail. The museum curator’s Laura Peers has begun a review of the heads, questioning the ethics of keeping and displaying them. She says, “I personally would like to know more what the communities in Ecuador and Peru feel. Philip Pullman has weighed in on the argument, saying that “I think the shrunken heads should stay”.
“The value of the shrunken heads is that they are real - you could replace them with plastic models but that would not be the same. It would be very hard to find the living relatives. I can understand the complexity of feeling about this, and we could be on the cusp of a cultural change regarding this kind of exhibit. The great value of the Pitt Rivers is the higgledy-piggledy nature of the displays, which itself is a window into the past, and the shrunken heads are part of that.”
Read more.
The Pitt Rivers museum is featured in The Subtle Knife - it’s where Lyra examines the trepanned heads and meets Lord Boreal. On display at the museum in our Oxford are also the Samoyed furs and sledge Lyra recognises, plus several examples of circular Chinese artefacts that resemble the alethiometer.
Posted by Will on February 9, 2007 at 12:54 pm
The Museum of Oxford's exhibition entitled the 'A-Z of Literary Oxford' opens tomorrow and will run until July. It's a hands-on exhibition aimed particularly at local families and visitors to the City, with free entry. “This special new exhibition will take visitors on an alphabetical journey through Oxford�s literary past and present and discover famous authors, popular books, bookshops, poets and artists. Philip Pullman features under N for Northern Lights.” The exhibition will be using some of BridgeToTheStars' images from the recent location filming and auditioning in Oxford. The images will be included on graphic panels, eventually forming part of the museum's permanent display. Philip Pullman will be on hand to open the exhibition and sign books afterwards.
Read more.
Posted by Will on January 23, 2007 at 12:38 pm
BBC Radio Oxford spoke to Philip Pullman on the occasion of him receiving the
Freedom of the City of Oxford. He speaks a little on the medieval origins of the award and quite a lot on the ongoing film production - again very enthusiastically. He confirms that the title of the first film will indeed by The Golden Compass in all territories - voicing a little disappointment, but acknowledging that TGC is the most common title on the continent, as well as in America.
Listen to the interview.
Posted by Will on January 11, 2007 at 5:52 pm
Philip Pullman has been
awarded the Freedom of Oxford. Mr Pullman said: “I am delighted and honoured to receive the Freedom of Oxford, the city which has been the inspiration for a great deal of my work. Oxford is a city that is steeped in storytelling.” Mr Pullman is one of only five recipients of the honour in the modern-age.
Read more with the full story in the Oxford Mail tomorrow.
Philip Pullman has been awarded the Freedom of Oxford. Mr Pullman said: “I am delighted and honoured to receive the Freedom of Oxford, the city which has been the inspiration for a great deal of my work. Oxford is a city that is steeped in storytelling.” Mr Pullman is one of only five recipients of the honour in the modern-age. Read more with the full story in the Oxford Mail tomorrow.
