Exhibition To Celebrate ‘Ulysses’ In WCSU Archives Dept.

DANBURY — Whether you’ve been too intimidated by the bulk of James Joyce’s Ulysses to even open it or you’re among those who call it a masterpiece, Western Connecticut State University is offering a summer exhibition sure to interest anyone who has been enthralled by Joyce at some point in their life.

“On Day/One Book,” an exhibition celebrating Joyce’s most acclaimed work, will be on view through Friday, September 19, in the Archives and Special Collections Department of Ruth Haas Library on the university’s midtown campus, 181 White Street. Highlighting editions of the novel that are rare and treasured for their beautiful design, the exhibit is free and open to the public.

The display features items from the Joyce collection of WestConn Vice President for Institutional Advancement Richard Gerber, as well as commemorative stamps on loan from the National Postal Museum, a museum of the Smithsonian Institution.

In its only exhibition in the United States this year, the Joyce death mask is also being displayed during the WestConn presentation. On loan from an anonymous donor, the mask is made of bronze and cast from the plaster mold taken at Joyce’s death.

Other highlights of the exhibition include a rare first-edition volume of Ulysses, one of only 1,000 printed in Paris in 1922. Additionally, a 1934 volume from the first illustrated edition of the novel, illustrated and signed by the renowned painter and sculptor Henri Matisse, are being displayed.

Ulysses recounts a day in the life – June 16, 1904 – of the fictional character Leopold Bloom. Through the course of the epic, Bloom deals with a variety of vivid Irish characters at sites throughout the city of Dublin, beginning and ending his day at home with his wife, Molly.

Contemporary editions of the novel are comprised of more than 750 pages. While it was barred from the United States as obscene for 15 years and seized by US postal authorities, the Modern Library recently selected it as the best novel of the 20th Century.

Mr Gerber, whose collection includes more than 1,500 pieces related to Joyce, says he understands that many people are put off by the sheer heft of the novel or its reputation.

“My goal is to get more people to read and enjoy the book,” he said. “This is a novel that anyone can read and understand. It’s fun, educational, and easy for the average person to get something out of.”

June 16 – the day the exhibition opened – marked the 99th anniversary celebration of “Bloomsday,” so named to honor the novel’s main character. Joyce fans celebrate Bloomsday to mark the date in 1904 when Ulysses takes place. Dublin is the center of the celebration with events in many other cities around the world.

For viewing hours and other information about the exhibition at WestConn, call 837-8992 or check events on the library’s website at www.wcsu.edu/library.