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Jack Kerouac exhibit goes on display

Among the items retrieved were one of Kerouac’s typewriters. (Photo courtesy of Michael Calamonici)

Taylor Carito
Connector Staff

The Jack Kerouac Exhibit opened Thursday, Oct. 8, and it was no small event. The room, just to the left of the entrance with an enriching blue color, brightens and accentuates the many pieces of history that came all the way from St. Petersburg, Fla., the final home of Jack Kerouac.

The items carefully mimic their original positions; even a section of the floor was thoughtfully designed to match that of the original house. The lay out of the exhibit itself was specifically intended to match not only Kerouac’s final home where his belongings were retrieved from, but also his personality as a whole.

Chris Danemayer, the principal exhibit design consultant from Porunn and one of the many people involved in the design of the exhibit, stated that the color pallet itself was carefully planned. He said that Paul Marion, the director of communications for UMass Lowell, suggested it be bold and bright, to showcase Jack Kerouac’s personality in a subtle way. Hence the bright and bold blue color that makes everything in the room stand out.

Years prior to the exhibit opening, Dr. Michael Millner, the director of The Jack and Stella Kerouac Center for the Public Humanities, and Dr. Todd Tietchen, Kerouac scholar and editor of several of his works, traveled to St. Petersburg to visit the Kerouac home and were able to retrieve the belongings in the exhibit by the discretion of John Sampas, the executor of Jack and Stella Kerouac’s estate, and Stella’s brother, who accompanied them on the trip. Although Sampas was unable to attend the event, Millner and Tietchen were joined by the Dean of Fine Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences, Dr. Luis Falcón; Associate Dean of Undergraduate Programs, Dr. Julie Nash; Vice Chancellor Joanne Yestramski and Chancellor Jacquie Moloney. They all participated in the ceremonial ribbon cutting, officially opening the exhibit to the public.

Once the ceremony officially began, everyone hustled into the next room to hear speeches from Moloney and Millner, two extreme contributors to the exhibit.

“This exhibit contributes to our understanding of Jack Kerouac by allowing us to glimpse into his domestic space, and the objects that remained important to him, in spite of the unsettled nature of his life,” said Moloney in her speech. Throughout her speech, the chancellor thanked many of the contributors who made the exhibit possible. These people included Celeste Bernardo, the Superintendent for Lowell National Parks; Dr. Tony Szczesiul, Chair of the English Department; Falcón;  Millner; Tietchen; Nash; and V Yestramski, who strongly advocated for more exhibits to be put on display, according to the chancellor’s speech. Following Moloney, Millner spoke of his personal accounts in Kerouac’s old house. He described in great detail everything he saw as he walked through the “neatly kept ranch house.” He claimed the inside was neat and orderly, commenting that Kerouac’s desk was neater than his own. He later moves on to talk about the discovery of the cat carriers; Kerouac loved his cats very dearly. According to Millner, he had a certain awareness about him as he carried the cat carriers from the garage.

He said, “I carried them as carefully and gently as I possibly could. I realized something in that moment carrying those cat carriers from the garage to the living room. Part of it was that Jack had carried these cat carriers in his own hands, the same way I was carrying them now, and certainly he was taking the same steps I was taking now.”

Following the grand opening was a panel discussion called “Race, Ethnicity and the American Hipster.” Moderated by Prof. Keith Mitchell, the panel discussed works of authors from the Beat Generation and shed light on Kerouac’s background. The event attracted a diverse group of people, ranging from faculty members to students to community members, all curious and excited to view belongings of a man who came from Lowell himself.   

Through the tremendous efforts of so many departments and people, this exhibit is here to stay. Thanks is owed to the English Department and the College of Fine Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences, who sponsored the event.  Others who made it possible include Chris Danemayer, Barbara Gilbert and student interns who lead the design and arrangement of the exhibit, Moloney, Yestremski, Falcón, and several others who dedicated so much time and pride into making the exhibit what it is. A special thanks is due to Sampas, Tietchen and Millner who made the exhibit possible.

“They [Tietchen and Millner] definitely were the ones, I think, that helped us to convince John [Sampas] that we were serious, especially when we had scholars who were focused on Kerouac.

“I think that’s what gave John Sampas the confidence that this university was committed in the long-term to make sure that the heritage of Jack Kerouac was kept alive, especially through the next generation of scholars,” said Moloney in an afterwards discussion about the involvement in convincing Sampas that UMass Lowell was the right place for the exhibit.

Students are welcome to get involved in the exhibit through The Jack and Stella Kerouac Center for the Public Humanities. Contact Michael Millner at Michael_Millner@uml.edu for more information.

The exhibit is now open to the public on weekdays from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.

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