This event is a supportive program for the Driftwood
exhibit, which will be open for 30 minutes prior to the lecture. The University Press of Kentucky will be sponsoring a reception from 5:00-5:55 pm.
Author Jessica K. Whitehead offers remarks on her
comprehensive biography of the writer, artist, and sustainability pioneer
Harlan Hubbard (1900-1988) and the deep impact Harlan and his wife, Anna,
have had on Kentucky’s culture. Whitehead's book, Driftwood: The Life of
Harlan Hubbard, delves into Hubbard’s family background, education,
and relationships, and into his theories on art, writing, music, and
philosophy. Using journals, letters, paintings, manuscripts, and sketches,
Whitehead pieces together the distinct phases of Hubbard’s life, providing new
insights into his character and legacy.
Following the remarks, members of the NouLou Chamber
Players, Heather Thomas (violin) and Cecilia Huerta-Lauf (cello), will join
with pianist Sebastian Chang in the world premiere of composer Daniel
Gilliam’s “Piano Trio No. 2: Payne Hollow.” This exciting new piece of
music, written by Gilliam in conjunction with the launch of Whitehead's Driftwood:
The Life of Harlan Hubbard, celebrates the Hubbards’ vision of living and
working on their own terms. The trio also honors the Harlan and Anna Hubbards’
deep love of classical music performance—showcasing the instruments they once
played: piano, cello, and violin.
Jessica K. Whitehead, writer and curator of collections at the
Kentucky Derby Museum in Louisville, Kentucky, is author of The History of
the Kentucky Derby in 75 Objects and a contributor to The Watercolors of
Harlan Hubbard: From the Collection of Bill and Flo Caddell.
Daniel Gilliam is a
composer from Louisville, KY. He is also the program director, and an
announcer, on 90.5 WUOL Classical Louisville.