BELOVED ANNE
If Bram Stoker is the father of vampire literature, then Anne Rice certainly would be the mother. Our "Beloved Anne", as her fans have named her, is known for more than her famed The Vampire Chronicles (soon to be a tv series, Interview with the Vampire), but also for: Sleeping Beauty saga (much more explicit, and decades before the mommy porn known as 50 Shades- era), The Mayfair Witch trilogy (forthcoming AMC tv series), Exit to Eden (BDSM) and Belinda (underage romance), The Mummy series, Violin (ghosts), The Feast of All Saints (free people of color), Christ the Lord: Out of Egypt and its sequel (Jesus as a child), Songs of the Seraphim (assassin), The Wolf Gift Chronicles (werewolves), Cry to Heaven (historical fiction/opera), Servant of the Bones (historical fiction, genie), and Called out of Darkness (nonfiction/spiritual life).
In all, Rice wrote nearly 40 books in her lifetime (38 in total). A lifetime that she amassed a loyal following in practically every country across the globe. While Anne's work was certainly controversial with certain religious sects, and societal norms, they also helped many of us navigate our own lives and helped us to know we matter and we do belong despite mainstream society telling us otherwise.
ANNE RICE, ABSOLUTELY UNPREDICTABLE
Howard Allen Frances O'Brien (Anne's birth name) was born October 4, 1941 in New Orleans, LA, and entered into mortality on December 11, 2021, due to complications from a previous stroke. So how does a city give back to Anne, who made New Orleans a major focal point for film and literature?
One way is in the forthcoming Absolutely Unpredictable: Anne Rice in the City of Transgression exhibit. Tulane University Special Collections will be opening this new exhibition from October 27, 2022-February 17, 2023. Visitors can find the exhibit at the Tulane University Special Collections Second Floor Gallery at 6801 Freret Street in Jones Hall. The exhibit hours will be from 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Mondays through Fridays, and is free and open to the public.
Thanks to Stuart A. Rose and the Stuart A. Rose Family Foundation, their financial contributions have made this exhibit possible in acquiring the artifacts of Anne Rice. As stated above, Anne's work has been controversial, and she tackles the mainstream heteronormative, and religious expectations across religious, familial, gender and sexuality norms. The items in this exhibit were collected back in 2019, and has been a journey due to COVID and other obstacles. Artifacts in this exhibit are rare and archived content that help examine Rice's work as well as her influence on the city's depiction in popular literary fiction.
On opening day, October 27, there will be a reception from 5:30-7:30 p.m., and is free for all to enjoy. Refreshments will be available, and costumes are encouraged. The exhibit and the reception will be provided by the Marjorie Pierce Geiser and John Geiser, Jr. Fund, and is in memory of Mr. John Geiser III.
For more information: Kevin Williams 504-247-1836 kevinw@tulane.edu
