Starting Tuesday, January 5, 2010, American Presidents: Life Portraits, a presidential portrait exhibit presented by C-SPAN and the White House Historical Association, is on display at the John W. Hicks Undergraduate Library at Purdue University (State and Marsteller Streets). The exhibit will be open to the public through February 21, 2010.
American Presidents: Life Portraits features the only complete collection of American presidential oil portraits by one artist, renowned painter and sculptor Chas Fagan. Accompanying the Fagan portraits are biographical sketches of all 43 presidents, including Indiana’s Benjamin Harrison. In addition to the sketches are photographs contributed by the White House Historical Association that capture each president’s time in the White House, as well as historic front pages of American newspapers announcing presidential election results. The exhibit also features audio of speeches given from every president beginning with Theodore Roosevelt.
Commissioned by C-SPAN in 1999, North Carolina artist Chas Fagan painted the presidential portraits to complement C-SPAN’s Peabody Award-winning television series, American Presidents: Life Portraits. The exhibit has traveled to many presidential homes and libraries, with its most recent display in Washington, DC during the 2009 Presidential Inauguration. This is the American Presidents: Life Portraits first visit to Purdue University.
In Lafayette, C-SPAN programming is carried as a public service by Comcast, a C-SPAN board member company. Comcast’s affiliate fees help support C-SPAN operations, including this exhibit.
ABOUT C-SPAN
C-SPAN was created by America’s cable companies in 1979 as a public service and programs three public affairs television networks; C-SPAN Radio, a Washington, D.C. radio station distributed by XM Satellite Radio; and a video-rich website. Visit www.c-span.org.
ABOUT WHHA
The White House Historical Association, a non-profit organization, was created in 1961 to enhance understanding, appreciation and enjoyment of the White House. The association sponsors lectures, exhibits and other outreach programs. Schools, universities and libraries receive free educational materials about the White House. Traveling exhibits and videos are circulated to the presidential libraries and museums around the country.
ABOUT THE JOHN W. HICKS UNDERGRADUATE LIBRARY
The John W. Hicks Undergraduate Library is one of 12 libraries in the Purdue University Libraries system. Primarily designed as a learning space for students, the Undergraduate Library includes the Undergrounds coffee shop and 24 hour study lounge, the Digital Learning Collaboratory for multimedia project production, and the i-Lab, a classroom specifically designed for library instruction.
C-SPAN news release.
Contact: Tamara L. Robinson, C-SPAN, 202-626-6129