This year the focus is on music, with the artwork and nativity scenes enhanced by Christmas songs and carols from around the world.
We chatted with Bridget Retzloff, the Marian Library’s visual resources librarian and assistant professor, who leads the team responsible for planning and implementing the creative and inspirational project each year.
What are Nativity sets and how are they generally used?
A Nativity set, or crèche, is a three-dimensional representation of the birth of Jesus Christ. Many Christians display Nativity sets in their homes during Christmas and Advent. Churches, schools, and other public places may set up crèches as well. Some celebrate with a live Nativity scene that includes actors and animals playing the parts of the Holy Family and the visitors who came to see Jesus after his birth. St. Francis is credited with enacting the first Nativity scene in 1223.
Credit: Jim Noelker
Credit: Jim Noelker
How did UD start collecting these?
The Marian Library collects artwork related to Mary, the mother of Jesus. As part of the larger artwork collection, I see the crèches as helping to illustrate an important aspect of Mary’s identity and her life. Mary is especially integrated into the faith lives of Catholics as an intercessor and model of faith. The Marianists (the religious order who founded UD) have a special devotion to Mary.
The Marian Library Crèche Collection began in 1984 with the generous contributions of friends and donors. Among about 15,000 pieces of artwork, there are over 3,600 Nativity sets. We have more than 100,000 books related to Mary, from over 150 countries. Archival materials such as holy cards, stamps and sheet music round out the collection which is used by scholars from around the world, UD faculty and students, and local community members.
What is this year’s theme?
This year’s theme is “Joy to the World!” We kept finding lovely examples of musicians and instruments in Nativity sets as well as Nativity sets that reminded us of Christmas songs. Music and art both celebrate and tell the Christmas story so I decided to explore those connections through the exhibit. Familiar songs of the Christmas season, such as “The Little Drummer Boy,” take on new meaning when paired with Nativity sets.
Some of these songs may be familiar to visitors, while others will be brand new. “Jolly Old Saint Nicholas” is paired with a nativity with Santa. A lesser-known piece is “The Cherry Tree Carol.” This medieval carol tells of Mary asking Joseph for a cherry on their journey to Bethlehem. When he refuses, the tree miraculously bends down, allowing Mary to pick cherries herself.
Credit: Jim Noelker
Credit: Jim Noelker
You’ll see musicians in the sets playing instruments ranging from horns and drums to flutes and accordions. And you’ll see unique instruments such as the rondador, a set of chorded cane panpipes.
How do we access the music?
Beginning in 2023 we have provided an audio guide that highlights several of the nativity sets for increased accessibility for our visitors. This year’s audio guide also includes full recordings of several of the Christmas songs featured in the exhibit. Visitors can access the audio guide by scanning a QR code with a mobile device while visiting the exhibit.
The audio guide and a Spotify playlist are also available on the Marian Library’s website so you can listen along all season long: go.udayton.edu/christmas-exhibit.” The link to the audio guide on YouTube can be found in the Plan Your Visit section of the website and in the group of links at the bottom, “Experience More.”
How many Nativity sets are in this year’s exhibit? How many countries are represented? What are the largest and smallest scenes? What materials are used?
There are 56 Nativity sets including 25 snow globes/music boxes. Seventeen countries are represented. The largest is the Mirror of Hope. The smallest is Matchbox melody, a music box that contains a nativity scene. They are made of wood, terracotta, fabric, resin, ceramic, brass, gourds and more.
Credit: Jim Noelker
Credit: Jim Noelker
What are some of the interactive elements of this year’s exhibition?
- The Seek-and-Find activity prompts guests to search for small details in Nativity sets and artwork throughout the two floors of the exhibit.
- On the seventh floor is a special selection of music boxes and snow globes that combine Nativity scenes with music by playing songs. A few of the music boxes and snow globes are digitized and videos of them playing music are available to watch in the gallery.
- The large Courtyard Nativity in the Stuart & Mimi Rose Gallery is hard to miss. It is a 20th-century German Nativity set by the Dammers Family that was placed in a setting by former volunteers to mimic a Medieval mystery play set in the courtyard of a village.
- An ornament craft is available for visitors to create. Coloring sheets made from artwork in the collection can be colored in Rose Gallery and the Marian Library Reading Room where there are also some small nativity sets that the kids can play with and arrange.
Credit: Jim Noelker
Credit: Jim Noelker
Behind the scenes
When did you begin working on this year’s exhibit?
We started getting ideas for this year’s theme as we were planning last year’s exhibit. We brainstormed ideas for themes early in 2024 and I chose the theme around March. We got to work shortly after that with finding ideas of what objects to include in the exhibit in our art database and developing the title and “big idea” of the exhibit.
Where and how are the Nativity sets stored?
The Nativity sets are stored in another building on UD’s campus. Some of the Nativity sets have been placed in permanent “settings” that include decorative elements and help set the scene. They have to be stored in their settings, often in the cases they are displayed in. Others are wrapped as individual pieces and stored in boxes. Those are set up by hand when they are exhibited.
What do you hope visitors will learn from the exhibit?
I hope that visitors to the exhibit will learn something new about Christmas and how it is celebrated around the world with art and music.
HOW TO GO
What: “Joy to the World!” An exhibit of 60 nativity scenes.
Where: University of Dayton Roesch Library building, 300 College Park Drive. The exhibit is on the first floor (Rose Gallery) and seventh (Marian Library Gallery and Crèche Museum) floors.
When: 9 a.m.-4 p.m. Tuesday-Friday; noon-4 p.m. Saturday and Sunday, Dec. 7-8 and Dec. 14-15. Closed Nov. 28-29, Dec. 6, Dec. 24- Jan. 1. Open through January 17. To see all areas of the exhibit, visit between 9 a.m. and 4 p.m. Tuesday through Friday from Nov. 25, 2024 through Jan. 17, 2025 when the Marian Library is open to the public.
Parking: If you are visiting on a weekday, a parking pass is required. For a free parking pass, drive through the main campus entrance on Stewart Street just east of Brown Street and follow the signs to visitor parking. Stop at the visitor center, and an attendant will issue a parking pass. The closest entrance to P Lot is the ground floor (Learning Teaching Center) entrance. B Lot is closest to the main entrance of Roesch Library. Parking passes are not required on weekends.
For more information: go.udayton.edu/christmas-exhibit
Related programming:
From 12:30-1:30 p.m. Dec. 15 there will be a Christmas Carol Sing-along.
Bring along family and friends to sing along to some Christmas favorites while surrounded by Nativities and artwork! Caitlin Cipolla-McCulloch will lead a sing-along of Christmas carols.
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