Exhibitions
Adornment, Ritual, Power: The Arts of West Africa
& The African Spirit in Contemporary Art
Susquehanna Art Museum
301 Market Street
Harrisburg, Pennsylvania
December 10, 2002 through February 28, 2003
Adornment, Ritual, Power: The Arts of West Africa
The African Spirit in Contemporary Art
Exhibition's background and Dr. Lori's comments
About the curator, Dr. Lori
Interested in hosting this exhibit?
Contact Dr. Lori
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| Art historian and
Masterpiece Technologies Inc.'s director Dr. Lori guest curated the exhibitions
Adornment, Ritual, Power: The Arts of West Africa and its companion show,
The African Spirit in Contemporary Art, which are hosted by the Susquehanna Art Museum in Harrisburg, PA from December 10, 2002 through February 28, 2003.
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Dan (West African)
Personal Passport Mask
circa 1960
Raffia and carved wood
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Adornment, Ritual, Power: The Arts of West Africa
Adornment, Ritual, Power: The Arts of West Africa focuses on the influential nature of African art and culture. The exhibition features authentic, museum-quality African art and art objects made by various groups of West African peoples including the
Dan, Mossi, Dogon, Ashanti, Akan, Benin, Yoruba, and
Senufo.
The African Spirit in Contemporary Art
Juxtaposed with works of art produced by contemporary artists such as Faith Ringgold,
Romare
Bearden, Keith Haring, Jeanne
Wilkinson, and other contemporary artists in the companion
exhibition, The African Spirit in Contemporary Art, these exhibitions
demonstrate the rich traditions of West Africa and show the
influence of African art forms on the work of numerous artists in Africa and far beyond its borders. Historically, African art inspired a generation of modern artists in the early decades of the 20th century including
Pablo
Picasso, Henri Matisse, Ludwig Kirschner, Jacques Lipchitz and many others. This show also demonstrates the artistic heritage of Africa as it relates to the work of modern masters and contemporary artists making art today.
Exhibition's background
and Dr. Lori's comments
Curated by art historian and author, Dr. Lori, the companion exhibits feature authentic West African works of art made during the 20th century. Many of the African pieces derive from West African cultures and were made from 1940 to 1970. These works of African art will be displayed with the recent work of contemporary artists who address African or African American issues in their work. The works of art, both African and Contemporary are on loan courtesy of
Masterpiece Technologies Inc. from public and private collections. The exhibitions highlight functional, ceremonial, and aesthetic objects with examples of fine art from both western and non-western cultures. Works on display include traditional objects including African carvings, ceremonial textiles, and ritual objects as well as works of Contemporary art including paintings, sculptures and works on paper.
"While this show, in a curatorial method, presents the objects of Africa's rich artistic and cultural history, it further demonstrates the far-reaching impact of African art on contemporary society as we all gingerly step forward further into the 21st century" states curator
Dr. Lori. "I hope visitors will agree that the exhibition considered how African art informs the work of contemporary artists and demonstrates a mainstay within the visual arts -- the notion that art brings people together. I am impressed by the Museum's foresight and interest in offering the galleries of the Susquehanna Art Museum as a venue to spark a dialogue about African art with their community."
About the Curator,
Dr. Lori
Dr. Lori is the director of the fine art resource
www.DrLoriV.com and Masterpiece Technologies Inc.
in Bucks County, PA. She is a graduate of the University of Michigan and Wesleyan University and earned her Ph.D. in art history from The Pennsylvania State University. She has taught art history at the Penn State University,
the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts, and at the Yale University Art Gallery. Dr. Lori has held museum positions at the Allentown Art Museum, Muhlenberg College, and the Palmer Museum of Art, Penn State. Additionally, she has trained museum docents at the James A. Michener Art Museum as well as curated exhibitions at Colgate University, the University of Wisconsin, and the University of Iowa.
She recently authored a book titled, Seymour Lipton: An American Sculptor in conjunction with the exhibition
of the same name which
traveled to college galleries and museums throughout the country. Her most recent article titled,
"Women Artists: Past & Present" was published by the art journal
American Art Review in December 2002. Dr. Lori also appears on
several TV programs including CBS KYW-TV 3's Trash or Treasure?, NBC
10's 10!, and Comcast Cable CN 8's "Real Life with Mary
Amoroso" providing appraisal and collecting tips to their viewers.
Please feel free to contact
me with your questions and comments concerning this exhibit.
Dr. Lori
Director, Masterpiece Technologies Inc.
