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April 2004
The end of the
academic year brings with it time to reflect on our past years
accomplishments and plan for next year's exhibitions. The Museum
was delighted to host three exhibitions in its Focus Gallery: Korean
Dolls: A Celebration of Life featuring the art of Korean doll
making,
The American Indian Center Celebrates 50 Years of Powwow,
and Luxurious Layers:
Kimonos of the Heian Court.
In addition to introducing new subjects to Museum visitors, these
exhibitions successfully promoted a variety of cross-cultural explorations.
Eighty members of the Hakubi Kyoto School and the Cultural Foundation
for the Promotion of the Costumes of Japan traveled to our museum
for the opening of the Kimono exhibit. At their request, we simultaneously
sponsored an American Indian Dance performance. The cultural groups
in full regalia intermingled throughout the evening, both learning
from the other. Our greatest compliment came from Larry Lockwood,
Northern Cheyenne cultural instructor and performer, "this
museum and what it does is what we are all about... celebrating
our diversity of cultures."
The success
of the exhibitions was in large part due to our collaborations
with UIUC Japan House, the Hakubi Kyoto School, Tokyo and the
Verde Gallery.
Next year we
are planning exhibitions on the southern Mexican Day of the Dead
celebration (fall), loaned from the Field Museum and augmented
with local community involvement, and on the history of Chinese
paper in cooperation with the Center for East Asian and Pacific
Studies's "Year of Asia." Although both exhibitions
are still in the planning stages, we feel confident their success
will emulate that
of last
year's programs.
We hope that
you will visit the Museum to participate in our Focus Gallery
and our other programs and performances. |
