The Huntington Museum of Art presents Native American Weavings and Jewelry from the Kennedy Museum of Art, Ohio University, Athens from July 2 through October 30, 2011.
An opening reception for the exhibit takes place from 2 to 4 p.m. July 17, 2011. Artist D.Y. Begay, whose work is included in the exhibit, will present The Dr. Lawrence B. & Shirley Gang Memorial Lecture at 2 p.m. A reception follows. Admission to the opening lecture and reception is free.
Ohio University possesses a unique and culturally significant collection of southwest Native American art thanks to the generosity of Ohio University alumnus and museum namesake Edwin L. Kennedy. This collection, known as the Edwin L. and Ruth E. Kennedy Southwest Native American Collection, includes nearly 700 textiles and more than 2,400 jewelry items of predominantly Navajo, Hopi, and Zuni origin. HMA’s Senior Curator Jenine Culligan worked with the Kennedy Museum’s Curator Petra Kralickova and other staff to select 40 weavings and approximately 45 jewelry pieces to bring to Huntington for the exhibit. The collection includes both historic and contemporary weaving and jewelry pieces.
Navajo weaving has a rich history encompassing more than 500 years. The Kennedy collection spans the three major periods of Navajo weaving from Classic and Late Classic wearing blankets, 1650-1865, through the Transitional period, 1865-1895, with some stunning Germantown pieces, to the Contemporary, 1895-1990. The Kennedy Museum’s collection contains the largest single collection of Navajo sand painting textiles in existence. The collection includes the sand painting designs used in six traditional ceremonial healing practices: the Beautyway, Waterway, Bead Chant, Great Star Chant, Hailway, and Coyoteway.
This exhibit is sponsored by the West Virginia Division of Culture and History, West Virginia Commission on the Arts, and the Isabelle Gwynn and Robert Daine Exhibition Endowment.
For more information on events at HMA, visit www.hmoa.org