UA News

Approximately 170 extraordinary objects of pre-Columbian origin will be on display at the exhibit, which opens Dec. 4.

The University of Arizona Museum of Art invites the public to see the exhibition "Ritual Beauty: Art of the Ancient Americas" before its official opening. The event will take place on Thursday, Dec., 4 at 4 p.m.

Exhibit curator Joanne Stuhr will lead visitors on a gallery walk through the exhibit. Stuhr also will provide a brief overview of life in the Americas before contact with Europeans and discuss aesthetic and cultural significance of selected pieces in the exhibition.

The exhibition features approximately 170 extraordinary objects of pre-Columbian origin.

"Ritual Beauty: Art of the Ancient Americas" includes ancient vessels, effigy jars, textiles and adornments, clay figures, stone sculptures, and implements fashioned from copper, silver and gold – all offering a window on the aesthetic worlds of Mesoamerica and the Andean region prior to European contact.

The exhibition aims to provide a better understanding of the aesthetic, social, political and religious life of the pre-Columbian world in which these exceptional objects were created, as well as an occasion to study, appreciate and enjoy the artistic achievements of these rich cultures through their material past.

The public also is invited on Dec. 6 from 12:30 to 3:30 p.m. for an afternoon of music and adventure exploring the art of the ancient Americas. Gallery guides will be provided to guest touring the exhibit to discover the purpose and meaning of its artifacts.

On Saturday at 1 p.m. the museum will host Mayan and Aztec creation stories with educator and storyteller Angela Bennett-Castle. Clay will be provided for those who wish to create a mythical character or design a cylinder vessel.

At 2 p.m. traditional Andean music will be performed by Bwiya-Toli.

Public events continue on into the New Year. On Jan. 22 at 2:30 p.m. the UA Museum of Art will host a panel discussion titled: "Deciphering Ritual, Cultural and Beautiful Artifacts from the I. Michael Kasser Collection."

The discussion will be a lively interpretation of objects from the I. Michael Kasser Collection with pre-Columbian scholars Peter Furst, Keith McElroy, Marta Turok and Margaret Young-Sanchez. Each scholar will discuss a collection favorite, sharing anecdotes about the object's historical context and artistic virtue.

"Ritual Beauty: Art of the Ancient Americas" was made possible through the support of I. Michael and Beth Kasser.