American Indian clothing was designed to serve a function, but students can also view the artistic value of the patterns and shapes at a new exhibit at the Utah Museum of Fine Arts.
In an effort to give the U and Salt Lake City a taste of that art, the museum has organized an exhibit featuring 145 American Indian artifacts.
The UMFA will open the exhibit, “Splendid Heritage: Perspectives on American Indian Art,” to the public Feb. 10.
The exhibit will include cradles, bear claw necklaces, clothing and toys.
UMFA curator Bernadette Brown and senior curator Emma Hansen of the Plains Indian Museum led the yearlong project, organized the exhibit and placed artifacts in certain parts of the museum.
“Our goal was to combine art and history equally so visitors could see both sides and how both (art and history) resulted in the certain object,” Brown said.
The exhibit will be divided into four rooms, each containing items of a certain theme: warriors, celebrating life, women’s domain and artistic identity. At the entrance of the exhibit, one side will have facts and history of the people and the opposite side will show clothing and other commodities.
Brown said certain artifacts also denoted position in a tribe. Tribes admired grizzly bears for their strength, power and fighting abilities. It was seen as a prestigious honor for tribe members to wear the bear claw necklace, she said.
The museum is also offering hands-on activities such as interactive lift panels, a computer that shows visitors a special look at the collection and activity stations allowing visitors to learn more about artistic techniques behind the designs. Visitors will be able to create their own parfleche case, a large flat envelope-shaped container used to transport food, clothing and other belongings at a “make-and-take” table.
“We used technique, design and imagination,” Brown said. “The quality will blow people’s socks off.”
Throughout the exhibit, public programs including lectures, films and art classes will be available.
The artifacts are from the private collection of John and Marva Warnock. Last year, the Warnocks donated more than $1 million to the College of Fine Arts for a new artist residency program. They also donated $7 million to the College of Engineering. The new engineering building was named after them.
The exhibit begins Feb. 10 and will run until Jan. 3, 2010. The exhibit will then be on a two-year national tour. For more information, visit the museum’s Web site at www.umfa.utah.edu or call 801-581-7322.
UMFAAmerican Indian clothing is one of the various artifacts that the UMFA will display in its upcoming exhibit.
UMFAUMFAExhibit- The UMFA will host an exhibit displaying American Indian artifacts starting Feb. 10. The exhibit is free to students.