The Haffenreffer Museum of Anthropology will open a new exhibit, "Facing Mesoamerica," on Friday.
The collection on display includes objects originating from ancient Mesoamerica, a region that encompasses much of modern day Central America. The pieces date from 300 B.C. to 900 C.E.
"Facing Mesoamerica" features items that display the human form in various ways, including figurines, sculptures and polychrome depictions. The exhibit will explore the concept of "portraiture" from a non-Western perspective and the state of Mesoamerican archaeological research, as well as invite an ethical discussion of collecting, displaying, and curating these pieces of material culture, according to exhibit curator Cassandra Mesick GS.
"I anticipate it will alert students, local scholars and the general public to the pre-Columbian collections at the Haffenreffer, which seem to be ever-expanding," Mesick said.
The exhibit is the brainchild of Mesick, Haffenreffer Deputy Director and Chief Curator Kevin Smith and Associate Curator Thierry Gentis.
The idea for the display originated from a plan for Mesick, an anthropology student, to guest curate a case of Mesoamerican pieces. However, Mesick found the museum's collection of Mesoamerican pieces to be so large that she worked closely with the museum staff to organize the full exhibit.
The exhibit is being funded by the Haffenreffer Family Fund and the Board of the Friends of the Haffenreffer Museum. These groups were coordinated by Shepard Krech III, a professor of anthropology.
"As Brown looks to develop a focus on Mesoamerican research, I hope 'Facing Mesoamerica' will highlight the museum as another resource at the University available to interested graduate students and interested undergraduate students," Mesick said. "Ideally, the exhibit would encourage interest in this field at Brown, even amongst people with no background or prior interest in pre-Columbian history."
The exhibit will open Friday, September 28th at 5:30 p.m.
