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New & Upcoming Exhibitions
Exhibitions
New: Black Gold I (2006)
November 1, 2008 - Indefinitely
In Black Gold I -- a large-scale, mixed media piece -- artist Yinka Shonibare (b. 1962, England) returns to the technique of painting on fabrics, commonly referred to as Dutch wax cloth, that are sold widely in Africa but were originally manufactured in Holland and England, and are based on patterns originating from Indonesia. To Shonibare, they represent the complexity of identity and cross-cultural interdependence. Likewise, oil -- "black gold" -- is a multicultural enterprise, and one that is of profound importance in his former home of Nigeria. The bold outlines and grand scale of this work also recall the vivid canvases of the abstract expressionists and pop artists, and reflect Shonibare's talent for creating work in response to pivotal moments in the history of art. At once visually and intellectually compelling, this work invites contemplation on such topics as imperialism, the environment, war, aesthetic movements, art, and cultural identity.
New: Desert Jewels: North African Jewelry and Photography from the Xavier Guerrand-Hermes Collection
October 8, 2008 - January 11, 2009
For 30 years, Xavier Guerrand-Hermes of the renowned Paris-based fashion empire collected both stunning North African jewelry and historic late 19th- and early 20th-century photographs by some of the region's most prominent photographers. Highlights from the collection are on view.

Related brochure and catalogue

New: TxtStyles: Fashioning Identity
June 11, 2008 - December 28, 2008 (new closing date)
Textiles are powerful communicators of status, gender, and accomplishments in Africa. Featured in this exhibition are never before or rarely seen African costumes and textiles -- from ensembles to wrappers to wall hangings to chain mail and accessories and hats -- drawn from the National Museum of African Art's collection.

web Web: africa.si.edu/exhibits/styles

New: El Anatsui's Nukae-1 (2006)
March 12, 2008 - Indefinitely
While the artist El Anatsui addresses global ideas about the environment, consumerism, and the social history and memory of the "stuff" of our lives, his use of recycled materials also recognizes that human creativity and ingenuity are employed in creating something from available resources, including items that are discarded. This piece -- El Anatsui's Nukae-1 -- along with his other "cloth" works (see separate exhibition) celebrate the woven and stamped textile traditions that remain vibrant in Ghana and Nigeria today.

web Web: africa.si.edu/exhibits/nukae

New: African Vision: The Walt Disney-Tishman African Art Collection
February 15, 2007 - March 22, 2009
On view are 88 pieces from this comprehensive 525-piece collection of African art representing 20 African countries and 75 peoples and covers 5 centuries of African art, including most major styles ranging from a highly abstract Cameroon mask to a naturalistic carved wooden male figure from Madagascar. Many of the works inspired such 20th-century artists as Picasso and Juan Gris.

Catalogue: $39.95 (paper)

web Web: africa.si.edu/exhibits/africanvision

Ceramics at the National Museum of African Art
- Indefinitely
Drawn from the museum's extensive collection of 140 ceramic works, on view are 14 vessels representing various regions of the African continent, including five objects that have never been exhibited in the museum. The vessels are representative of master potters, primarily women who display their dexterity by hand-building a variety of vessels. A few pieces from an important group of 85 vessels from Central Africa are on display, along with a beer container from the Chewa of Malawi, a water vessel from the Yoruba of Nigeria, and water and oil containers from the Berber of Algeria.

web Web: africa.si.edu/exhibits/ceramics.htm

Last update: January 13, 2009, 19:24

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African Art Museum
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