The Yager Museum of Art & Culture will open the exhibit "Containers of Belief: Selected Native American Works from the Yager Museum" on September 27, 2007. The show contains more than 50 objects, and is part of the museum's plan to include native voices in the museum's interpretation of its substantial North and South American Indian collections.
Exhibit curator Richard W. Hill Jr. (Tuscarora) was invited to visit the museum to survey its collections and create an exhibition that would add a new perspective on the artifacts. He developed the central concept of "Containers of Belief: Selected Native American Works from the Yager Museum," focusing on the spiritual meaning of the artifacts as seen by the American Indians who created and used these extraordinary objects. His work was supplemented by the museum's Collections Manager, Gary Norman, and curator of Hartwick's anthropology collections, Professor of Anthropology David Anthony, who refined the checklist and added interpretive information drawn from the museum's cataloging data and archival sources.
The pieces in the exhibition, some collected a century ago, are not simply relics but instead, they link viewers to ancient ideas, values and beliefs that can retain meaning in modern times. The people who made these objects were raised within cultures that have changed drastically through the years or have disappeared completely. Yet in these tangible products of their activity--these "containers of belief"--their intangible cultures live on.
In the context of a museum, the study and interpretation of these objects is more likely to reflect our own faces than impart any deep meaning form the context in which they were created.
This exhibit is made possible with public funds from the New York State Council on the Arts, as well as additional funding from the Foreman Creative Performing Arts Series. Design of the catalogue and partial support for its production has been provided by David Hayes.
The Yager Museum of Art & Culture is a multidisciplinary teaching museum that enhances the education of students and community members by collecting, preserving, and researching our artistic, archaeological, ethnographic, and historical heritage. Through its collections and exhibitions the museum presents works that interpret stories of human creativity and activity, as seen through study of material culture. Students from all disciplines are encouraged to work with the museum, using our collections and resources, to develop new projects for the museum's diverse audiences. The museum connects Hartwick's classrooms to the world and the world to Hartwick's community.
"Containers of Belief" will be on view September 27, 2007 at The Yager Museum of Art & Culture on the Hartwick College campus. The Yager Museum is open to the public from Tuesday to Saturday from noon to 4:30 p.m. Admission is free.
For additional information, call the museum at 607-431-4480.
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Hartwick College is a private liberal arts and sciences college of 1,480 students, located in Oneonta, NY in the northern foothills of the Catskill Mountains. Hartwick's expansive curriculum emphasizes connecting the classroom to the world. Through personalized teaching, collaborative research, a unique January Term, a wide range of internships, and limitless study-abroad opportunities, Hartwick ensures that students are prepared for the world ahead. Strong financial aid and scholarship programs keep a Hartwick education affordable.
Contact: Christopher Lott
E-mail: lottc@hartwick.edu
Phone: 607-431-4030
