Bangor Fund supports online exhibition showcasing rare Arthurian books
The Bangor Fund, made up of donations from our generous alumni, administered by the Development and Alumni Relations Office has enabled postgraduate masters and PhD students in medieval Arthurian studies to launch the online exhibition 'Home is where the legends start'. This exhibition showcases a curated selection of iconic rare Arthurian books from the Centre for Arthurian Studies’ collections.
The exhibition forms part of a larger project with the same title, which celebrates VRƵ's collections in its 140th anniversary year. It also marks the 10th anniversary of the Flintshire Harries Arthurian collection’s donation to the University. PhD students Claire Lober and Aude Martin, along with MA student Joel Meredith produced the exhibition with guidance from Shan Robinson, Special Collections Manager. They received expert advice on the Mabinogion from Emerita Professor Sioned Davies, a member of the Centre’s external board, and worked under the overall supervision of Professor Raluca Radulescu and Dr Aled Llion Jones, co-directors of the Centre.
Raluca Radulescu, professor of Medieval Literature, said: “We are very grateful for the alumni who made this project possible. This exhibition marks a significant step in bringing the Centre’s collections to the attention of the international community, particularly since it was conceived at the invitation of our international partner, the Rossell Hope Robbins Library at the University of Rochester, the largest North American repository of modern Arthuriana.
“We hope that this exhibition, along with the broader project that includes bringing these legends into the classroom and in wellbeing workshops for the community, will inspire further research and interest in Arthurian studies. Digital and online exhibitions serve as an ideal portal for showcasing local collections like ours, playing a key role in the future of academic research and public engagement.”
Aude Martin, postgraduate student in School of Arts, Culture and Languages, said: “Taking part in the exhibition project 'Home is Where the Legends Are' was a great academic experience in many ways. Working on this project helped me think about new ways of making medieval and Arthurian literature available and accessible to the public. This collaborative project was also a great opportunity to work together as a team with other PhD students, and our respective approaches to the material complemented each other very well.”
Persida Chung, Development Officer, said, “We're delighted to support initiatives like these, and we extend our gratitude to our generous alumni. Thank you! With your donations, the Bangor Fund can continually support our students in enhancing their student experience.”
The launch event featured presentations by MA and PhD students in Celtic and Arthurian Studies, who shared insights from their current research projects, further enriching the celebration of these legendary narratives. The project’s next milestone will be celebrated at a University event on Wednesday, 23 October in Pontio.