Voyages by Road and Sea explores the legacies of Walt Whitman and Herman Melville through contemporary voices and art in Parkway Central Library's West Gallery. Marking the bicentennial years for both Whitman and Melville, Voyages examines the personal and literary journeys of these two American authors, both born in 1819. Archival images and documents are showcased alongside artwork from contemporary Philadelphia-area artists. Including comics, sculpture, painting, and poetry, among other mediums, the art enters into dialogue with the legacies of Whitman and Melville on critical present-day issues like immigration, sexuality, and conservation. Visitors are invited to consider how Whitman and Melville have inspired subsequent generations of artists and writers, and how their writings speak to us and challenge us today.

Voyages by Road and Sea runs from November 13, 2019 to August 31, 2020.