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On view from June 11 to October 2, 2005 at The Harvard Museum of Natural History (HMNH)
Thoreau's Walden: A Journey in Photographs by Scot Miller, is a traveling exhibition developed by the Harvard Museum of Natural History (HMNH) in cooperation with Scot Miller and the Walden Woods Project. Featuring the striking photography of Mr. Miller taken over a five-year period in Walden Woods, this exhibition immerses the visitor in the natural beauty that inspired Henry David Thoreau.
The life and writings of Harvard graduate, Henry David Thoreau, have inspired legions of writers, artists, naturalists, and everyday citizens to engage more deeply with the natural world. One such person is Scot Miller, a native Texan whose nature photography has taken him all over the United States and Europe.
In 1999 Miller embarked on a journey to retrace Thoreau's footsteps during his time spent at Walden in the 1840's. Miller spent many hours in every season trekking through Walden Woods with his camera -- fighting off mosquitoes in the summer and feeling the ice of the pond crack beneath his feet in the winter. Scot Miller's personal photographic journey is reminiscent of that taken by Thoreau some one hundred and fifty years ago and carries a consistent message of personal appreciation of nature that in turn encourages stewardship and conservation. The result of Millers photographic journey, and the inspiration for this exhibition, is "Walden: 150th Anniversary Illustrated Edition of the American Classic", a reprint of Thoreau's classic, published in 2004 by Houghton Mifflin. The book has enjoyed popular success and critical acclaim.
In addition to approximately 30 photographs, the exhibition will include rare specimens and artifacts connected to Thoreau, considered by many to be the first environmentalist. A short video presentation will present Thoreau's legacy and how his writings influenced contemporary thinking about the natural world and man's place in it. A hands-on nature station and nature activity cards engage families in local forest ecology.
Through his photography, Scot Miller attempts to inspire an appreciation of places of unique natural interest such as Yosemite, Walden and the Texas Hill Country. Eighty-nine of his photographs illustrate the recently-published "Walden: 150th Anniversary Illustrated Edition of the American Classic' and his photographs have appeared in numerous books and publications. He is currently engaged in a multiyear project photographing Yosemite's expansive backcountry wilderness areas.
The HMNH presents an engaging array of natural history exhibitions and programs for audiences of all ages, drawing on the vast collections and research of the HMNH's partner institutions: the Museum of Comparative Zoology (MCZ), the Harvard University Herbaria (HUH), and the Mineralogical & Geological Museum. Houghton Mifflin is an exhibition sponsor.
For more information call 617 495-3045 or visit www.hmnh.harvard.edu.
Photos: ©Scot Miller
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