Monday, September 21, 2009

Crafting Maya Identity






An exhibition of carvings by the Maya artisans Miguel Uc Delgado, Jesus Marcos Delgado Ku, Angel Ruiz Novelo, and Wilbert Vasquez, guest curated by Mary-Katherine Scott and Jeff Kowalski.

Although the technically refined and visually complex carvings of the Puuk region of Yucatan are often described as handicraft or "tourist art", it no longer seems appropriate to tag them pejorative connotations associated with such terms. Rather, they provide important information regarding how a relatively recent artistic "tradition" emerged in and responded to a particular context, and communicates significant messages about the changing nature of Maya cultural identity, and how such identity is constructed, represented, and understood by both the artisans themselves and tourist visitors in the context of cross-cultural contact and global interconnections. 

Crafting Maya Identity Sept. 19 reception




After a day-long symposium on Globalization, Tourism, Cultural Identity, Authenticity, and Art, attendees enjoy a private reception in the "Crafting Maya Identity" exhibition at the Olson Gallery.

Crafting Maya Identity DeKalb High School Tour






DeKalb High School students tour Crafting Maya Identity and meet the exhibition curators and Maya artisans

Crafting Maya Identity exhibition tour with School of Art Director Doug Boughton




The NIU School of Art Director Doug Boughton enjoys a tour of the exhibition with guest curators Mary-Katherine Scott and Jeff Kowalski, and Maya artisans Miguel Uc Delgado, Jesus Marcos Delgado Ku, Angel Ruiz Novelo, and Wilbert Vasquez

Hooray! Our new office enclosure for receptions is finished






We were finally able to finish the enclosure for the office to be used during receptions. This comes in rather handy to hide office clutter from sight. The enclosure was inaugurated during the reception for "Crafting Maya Identity" on Thursday September 17. Thanks to Kim and Jacob for their help on the project, and to Dean Holly for providing the $$$.