exhibition (Long)

[Osunmilaya]

Here is an exhibition in Madison Wisc USA. I only just now found out
about it; don't know why they waited so long to post it.
Sue
The Exhibition
> Organized and produced by the UCLA Fowler Museum of Cultural History
in
Los
>Angeles, with support from the National Endowment for the Arts, Beads,
Body,
>and Soul is the result of more than twenty-five years of fieldwork in
>Africa and
>the Americas by Henry Drewal, Evjue-Bascom Professor of Art History and
>Afro-American Studies at UWMadison, and John Mason, founder and
director
>of the Yor˜b· Theological Archministry, New York. Beads, Body, and Soul
>features
>vibrant, multicolored examples of Yor˜b· beadwork from Africa and the
diaspora,
>with the exhibition as a whole divided between these two major regions
of
the
>Yor˜b·-speaking world. These two divisions are further organized into
secular
>and sacred realms. The exhibition illustrates the interrelationship of
>these realms
>by focusing on four significant areas of Yor˜b· lifethe sources in
Africa
and
>their reflection, reclamation, and evolution in the Americas. Sections
of
the
>exhibition are devoted to such topics as the Úrà sý (the gods and
goddesses
>of the
>Yor˜b· spiritual world), ancestors, royalty, initiation, and
contemporary,
>nonliturgical beaded arts. Throughout the display, text panels and
field
>photography
>place the objects in context and invite the visitor to explore how
beaded
>works of
>art actively function in Yor˜b· life and thought.
>
> The Yor˜b·
> Yor˜b·-speaking peoples are among the most numerous in Africa, with an
>estimated
>population of more than 25 million. Their arts and religion have also
>flourished in the
>diaspora and are at the heart of African traditions in Cuba, Brazil,
and
>the United
>States. Much of the Yor˜b· fabric of lifesocial, political, and
religiousis
>revealed
>through their beaded arts. The exhibition Beads, Body, and Soul: Art
and
>Light in the
>Yor˜b· Universe is the first to focus on a wide range of Yor˜b· beaded
>traditions in
>West Africa and the Americas, both past and present.
>
> What is a Bead?
> The spectacular array of beaded objects found in the exhibition
speaks to
>an evolving
>artistic tradition and considers the web of ideas and images that
shape the
>Yor˜b·
>universe. Beaded works are not just about luster and luminosity, they
are
>also about
>illumination and transformation. Yor˜b· concepts of color, light,
>spirituality, and
>identity are embedded in the art of beads. The significance of the bead
>extends beyond
>the physical object to include a variety of cultural meanings.
>
> Colors are symbolic; they express ideas about the nature, character,
or
>personality
>of spiritual forces as well as humans. The Yor˜b· see and understand
colors
>in terms
>of temperature and temperament. Each value can be classified within
three
>categories:
>cold or white, hot or red, and a more moderate cool or
>
> dark. Cold/white (funfun)
>suggests composure and serenity and is also associated with age or
wisdom.
>Hot/red (pupa) signals aggression or strong action. Dark (dâ„¢dâ„¢) may lie
>between these
>extremes and implies mediation or moderation. Furthermore, the
shininess
>and reflective
>light found in colored beads suggest "completeness", the idea that
>something has been
>fully and properly realized, ready for use.
>
> In terms of spirituality, distinctive beaded forms celebrate the
spirits
>of ancestors
>and a host of divinities known as Úrà sý. "rà sý are often associated
with
>natural forces
>or sacred sites and embody specific attributes. Richly decorated dance
>wands, staffs,
>and ceremonial objects specify deities in colors and symbols. Thus
SýngÛ,
>the Úrà sý of
>thunder and lightning, is represented by the ìhotî color red and the
>thunder ax, while
>Yemoia, "Mother of the Waters," is associated with the "cool" color
blue
>and aquatic
>motifs. The Yor˜b· believe "rà sý and other forces in the world act
upon a
>personís
>well-being, and they call upon them for assistance with many kinds of
problems,
>often using divination. Employing a rich variety of beaded objects, the
>al·ýsË rulers,
>priests, diviners, elders, and maskersbridge spiritual and worldly
realms,
>seeking
>resolution for a person's needs.
>
> The identity of Yor˜b·-speaking peoples in Africa and the African
diaspora
>is also
>constructed through beadwork. Beads can express good fortune and
prosperity
>as well
>as physical or spiritual health. Initiates of Úrà sý religion
demonstrate
>their allegiance to
>particular Úrà sý through beads displaying that Úrà sýís colors, or wear
>elaborate
>beaded costumes as part of sacred ceremonies. The status of rulers and
>priests is
>revealed through beaded regalia, including crowns, jewelry, vestments,
and
>staffs.
>Beadwork serves as a rich and colorful way to express identity for
those
>who, by
>blood or belonging, consider themselves part of Yor˜b· culture.
>
>
> PROGRAMS
> Museum gallery hours will be extended to 8 p.m. on Thursdays during
the
>exhibition.
> All events and activities free of charge unless otherwise noted.
>
> Opening Weekend Festivities
>
> Friday, January 28, 68 p.m.
> Elvehjem's Paige Court and exhibition galleries
> Free Public Opening Celebration
> Exhibition cocurators Professor Henry Drewal and Yoruba priest-scholar
>John Mason
>open the event with an invocation and blessing (ijuba). Festive music
by
>the Tony
>Castaneda Latin Jazz Trio and drumming and dancing by Kweku Ananse and
the
>Sweet
>Vibrations.
>
> Saturday, January 29, Performances at 10:30 a.m. and 1:30 p.m.
> Children of the Rainforest: Ton Ko-Thi, Children's African Dance
Company
> Olbrich Botanical Gardens, 3330 Atwood Ave., Madison
> Suggested admission: $2 adults, $1 children ages 312.
> Milwaukeeís Ton Ko-Thi Children's African Dance Company performs West
African
>dance with live drummers and traditional African costumes. Olbrich's
>Children of
>the Rainforest series teaches children about the cultures of people who
live in
>rainforest areas. The series is sponsored by William and Joyce
Wartmann.
>For more information about the Children of the Rainforest series, call
Olbrich
>Gardens at 608 246-4550.
>
> Saturday, January 29, 2:305 p.m.
> Elvehjemís Whyte Gallery
> Artistís bead demonstration by Olabayo Olaniyi
>
> Sunday, January 30, 2:30 p.m.
> Elvehjem Room L140
> Henry Drewal on "Beads, Body, and Soul: Yor˜b· Beaded Art Colors and
Cosmos"
>and John Mason on "Their Beads Talk: Beads for Hunters, Herbalists,
and
>Grumps"
> Exhibition cocurators provide an introduction to some major themes in
the
>exhibition.
>
>
> LECTURES TO ACCOMPANY EXHIBITION
>
> Lectures are on Thursdays at the Elvehjem, except for January 30 and
>March 2 lectures. The lecture series is funded in part by the Wisconsin
>Humanities Council and the National Endowment for the Humanities.
>
> February 10, 5:30 p.m. Elvehjem Room L160
> Keynote to exhibition lecture series: Robert Farris Thompson, "Black
>Saints Come Marching In: The Yor˜b· Worldwide Impact"
> Identifies, explores, and celebrates the influence that Yor˜b·
cultural
and
>artistic forms have had in the black Atlantic world and beyond.
>
> Saturday, February 12, 1:30 p.m. Elvehjem Gallery VII
> Gallery tour of Beads, Body, and Soul by Robert Farris Thompson,
> Also funded by the Brittingham Visiting Scholar program
>
> February 17, 5:30 p.m. Elvehjem Room L140
> Moyo Okediji, "Yor˜b· Art and Philosophy in Diaspora"
> A discussion of the impact of Yor˜b· images and ideas in the work of
>several African-American artists.
>
> March 2, 5:30 p.m. Memorial Union, see "Today in the Union" for
location
> Pravina Shukla, "Dancing with Gandhi: The Mahatma in the
Afro-Carnival of
>Brazil"
> A talk on the Afro-Carnival of Brazil and use of carnival beads, white
cloth,
>turbans, and perfumes to evoke the cool peacefulness of the African
deity
> Oxala (and his avatar Gandhi) and the African goddess Oxum, whose
feminine
>powers of seduction they emulate.
> Sponsored by the Wisconsin Union Directorate
>
> March 9, 5:30 p.m. Elvehjem Room L140
> Margaret T. Drewal, "Yor˜b· Ritual: Performers, Play, Agency"
> A discussion of cultural performance in the Yor˜b· world, and the
issues
of
>improvisation in the arts and social practice.
>
> March 23, 5:30 p.m., Elvehjem Room L140
> Manuel Vega, bead artist discussing his work
>
> March 30, 5:30 p.m. Elvehjem Room L140
> Roslyn Adele Walker, "Anonymous has a Name: Olowe of Ise, Yor˜b·
Sculptor
>to Kings"
> A critique of the notion of anonymity in African art based on her
extensive
>research into the life and work of this century's most famous Yor˜b·
sculptor.
>
> April 6, 5:30 p.m., Elvehjem Room L140
> Felipe Garcia Villamil, bead artist discussing his work
>
> April 13, 5:30 p.m. Elvehjem Room L140
> Marilyn Houlberg, "Beaded Art of the African Diaspora: Haiti"
> A comparative study of Yor˜b· and Haitian beading traditions, the
>multicultural
>aspects of Haitian art and the Vodou religion and how this is
expressed in
>beaded religious regalia. Additional remarks by Haitian bead artist
Gerthie
>David.
>
> April 27, 5:30 p.m. Elvehjem Room L140
> Rowland Abiodun, "Beads: The Ultimate Yor˜b· Adornment"
> A talk on the aesthetic and philosophical significance of beads in
Yor˜b·
>thought and political leadership.
>
> May 4, 5:30 p.m. Elvehjem Room L140
> Michael Harris, "Transformations and Continuums: Contemporary Artists
>in Ile-Ife"
> A discussion of the migration of artists to Ife, Nigeria, including
several
>African-American artists, and the resulting continuities and
transformations
>of Yor˜b· artistic traditions.
> and
> dele jegede on "Yor˜b· Contemporary Art and Politics"
> A talk on the role of contemporary Yor˜b· and African artists as
political
>satirists, critics, and theorists.
> Followed by panel discussion with Freida High Tesfagiorgis and Bolaji
Campbell
>
>
> ARTISTSí BEADING DEMONSTRATIONS Playing Color, Light, and Pattern
>
> Bead artists show and demonstrate their beadwork. Six artists,
representing
>many techniques and traditions of beadwork (from Nigeria, Haiti, Cuba,
>the United States), share their work. All ages are welcome. All take
place
>in Whyte Gallery of the Elvehjem except as noted on April 7. All
beadwork
>demonstrations are funded by the UW Arts Institute.
>
> Saturday, January 29, 2:305 p.m.
> Elvehjem's Whyte Gallery
> Olabayo Olaniyi
>
> Thursday, February 24, 34:15 p.m.
> Elvehjemís Whyte Gallery
> Sonya Clark (offered as part of the Wisconsin Alliance for Arts
Education
>conference; open to the public)
>
> Saturday, February 26, 2:305 p.m.
> Elvehjemís Whyte Gallery
> Sonya Clark
>
> Saturday, March 25, 2:305 p.m.
> Elvehjem's Whyte Gallery
> Manuel Vega
>
> Friday, April 7, 1:00 p.m.
> Madison Children's Museum (100 State Street)
> For more information call 608 256-6445
> Felipe Garcia Villamil
>
> Saturday, April 8, 2:305 p.m.
> Elvehjem's Whyte Gallery
> Felipe Garcia Villamil
>
> Saturday, April 15, 2:305 p.m.
> Elvehjem's Whyte Gallery
> Gerthie David
>
> Wednesday, April 19, 9:3012 noon (during Madison schoolsí vacation)
> Elvehjem's Whyte Gallery
> Gerald Duane Coleman
> Join artist for fun with beads. For young people accompanied by an
adult,
the
>activity will be most appropriate for first grade and older students.
>
>
> PERFORMANCES
> Funded in part by the Kemper K. Knapp Bequest Committee
>
> Friday, February 25, 7 p.m. and 9 p.m.
> Music Hall (925 Bascom Mall, University of Wisconsin)
> Tickets $10 general public, $5 students with valid identification
> From MesoAmerica to Brazil: Sin Fronteras Multicultural Winter
Extravaganza
>
> Clyde Alafiju Morgan will premier an Afro-Brazilian dance piece
featuring
UW
>and community dancers and Honduran music-sensation Guillermo Anderson.
In
>addition, the event will include special miniperformances by three Sin
>Fronteras barrio schools. Cosponsored by Elvehjem Museum of Art; the
>UW Latin American and Iberian Studies Program, School of Music, and
Dance
>Department; and the Madison Metropolitan School District. For
information
>about tickets call 608 262-2811.
>
> Friday, May 5, 7:00 p.m.
> Elvehjem Museum of Art
> Carlos Eguis-Aguila, Afro-Cuban percussionist
>
> Carlos Eguis-Aguila plays conga drums and sings from the various
African
>traditions brought to Cuba such as music of the Yor˜b· people and the
Carabali
>from southeastern Nigeria. He also plays rumbas, some of his own
composition.
>The performance is narrated by E. Anne Bennison and opens with a
Madison
>performance group.
>
> Saturday, May 6, 2:303:30 p.m.
> Elvehjem Museum of Art
> Carlos Eguis-Aguila, Afro-Cuban percussionist
>
> Carlos Eguis-Aguila demonstrates rhythms from Cuba and the Caribbean,
>with commentary by E. Anne Bennison. Participants are invited to bring
a
>shekere (beaded gourd rattle) to play and share.
>
> Funding for Carlos Eguis-Aguilaís visit provided by the NAVE Fund.
>
>
> STORYTELLING
>
> Saturday, February 19, 2:30 p.m.
> Elvehjem Room L140
> Nigerian storyteller Dr. Ademola Iyi-Eweka tells Nigerian stories
appropriate
>for children and adults.
>
>
> FILM SERIES
>
> Thursdays, February 3 and 24, 5:30 p.m.
> Elvehjem Room L140
> Each evening a feature film and several short films will highlight the
>Yor˜b· and
>their diaspora, including Nigerian, Brazilian, Cuban, and American
films on
>Yor˜b·
>history, music, myth, religion, and the arts.
>
> Funded in part by the Wisconsin Humanities Council and the National
Endowment
>for the Humanities
>
> TOURS
>
> Group guided tours, by appointment, are available for adults and
students
of
>all ages. Call at least three weeks in advance for an appointment and
>information
>about teacher materials and workshop, 608 263-4421.
>
> Beginning February 6, 3040-minute tours will be held on Sundays at 2
p.m.,
>Tuesdays at 4 p.m. and Thursdays at 12:30 p.m. They begin in Paige
Court,
>Elvehjem
>
> OTHER EXHIBITIONS
>
> February 18March 19
> Reception: February 18, 7 p.m.
> Porter Butts and Class of 1925 Galleries
> Wisconsin Union (800 Langdon Street)
>
> Common Ties: Dots and Dashes, Beads and Beauty, painter and scholar
Bolaji
>Campbell and bead and textile artist Sonya Clark explore the connection
between
>their shared African heritage. Both artists draw from Yor˜b· culture
as a
>source of inspiration.
>
> Dancing with Gandhi, scholar/photographer Pravina Shukla presents a
series
of
>vibrant color photographs of Filhos de Gandhy, an all-male Carnival
group
that
>parades each year dressed in long white tunics, terry-cloth turbans,
multiple
>strands of beads, and bathed in sweet perfume.
> Sponsored by the Wisconsin Union Directorate Art Committee. For more
>information
>call 608 262-2214
>
> January 28March 9
> Joyful Blues: Pattern in Yor˜b· adire Cloth
> Gallery of Design, 1300 Linden Drive
> Sunday, February 6, Gallery talk at 1:30 p.m., reception follows until
>4:00 p.m.
>For hours and other information call 608 262-8815
>
> March 4April 2
> Whyte Gallery, Elvehjem
> Children Are Beads, exhibition of beadwork by Madison elementary art
students
>
>
> OTHER EVENTS
>
> Thursdays, February 3, 10, and 17, 6:309:30 p.m.
> Elvehjem Room L166
> Fee: $36 (students supply their art supplies).
> Minicourse, "Exploring the Yor˜b· Universe Through the Visual Arts, "
>taught by
>Bolaji Campbell, painter and scholar specializing in Yor˜b· color
theory.
He
>examines the visual arts of the Yor˜b· of southwestern Nigeria through
gallery
>tours, slide and video-illustrated lectures, and drawing and painting
>activities.
>For registration information call the Division of Continuing Studies,
Liberal
>Studies and the Arts, 608 263-6322.
>
> Saturday, March 4, 13 p.m.
> Childrenís Carnival: To celebrate the opening of an exhibition of
beadwork
by
>Madison elementary school art students, Children Are Beads, students,
>teachers, and their families are invited to the museum for
refreshments and
>a show of beads. All visitors are invited to wear beaded clothing
from any
>culture, try "Beads and Braids," hair adornment with beads, by local
>hairdressers,
>and enjoy local performance groups. For more information call 608
263-4421.
>
> Saturday, March 4, evening
> Paige Court, exhibition galleries
> Admission fee
> The Elvehjemís festive gala fundraiser will include music,
refreshments,
and
>other entertainment in celebration of the exhibition Beads, Body, and
Soul:
>Art and Light in the Yor˜b· Universe. Invitations will be mailed in
January.
>For information call 608 263-2495.
>
> Friday, May 19, 58 p.m.
> Downtown Gallery Night
> Paige Court and exhibition galleries
> The Elvehjem galleries and Museum Shop will be open late during this
>semiannual
>event. Music and refreshments will be provided.
>
> Saturday, May 20
> Sin Fronteras project parade, beginning at the Madison Childrenís
Museum
>and concluding at the Memorial Union Terrace, features floats and
dancing,
>"Beads and Braids," and music will be presented at the Elvehjem. For
more
>information call 608 256-6445. Cosponsored by Madison Children's Museum
>and UW-Madison Latin and American Iberian Studies program.
>
> Beads, Body, and Soul: Art and Light in the Yor˜b· Universe was
organized
>and produced by the UCLA Fowler Museum of Cultural History, Los
Angeles;
>with support from the National Endowment for the Arts.
>
>
> Local presentation was made possible by funds from the Madison
Community
>Foundation, Wisconsin Humanities Council and the National Endowment
for the
>Humanities, UW Arts Institute, Anonymous Fund, Brittingham Fund, Evjue
>Foundation, Inc./The Capital Times, Dane County Cultural Affairs
Commission
>with funds from the Madison Community Foundation and the Overture
Foundation,
>Kemper K. Knapp Committee, Humanistic Fund, UW-Madison African Studies
>program, the Brittingham Visiting Scholars Program, and the NAVE Fund.
>
> All images photographed by Don Cole, courtesy of the UCLA Fowler
Museum
>of Cultural History.
>
> Patricia Powell Elvehjem Museum of Art 800 University Avenue Madison,
WI
>53706-1479 608 263-2068
>
>--- end forwarded text
>
>
>
>
>

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