Perpetuating the Culture; African Images of Mother and Child
to be exhibited at Hillwood Art Museum

August 26 – October 6, 2002

Opening Reception: Tuesday, September 10, 5 – 8 p.m.

August 5, 2002 -- This fall, Hillwood Art Museum will present an original exhibition on the theme of mother and child in African art. (See sample images) A universal theme, images of mother and child are powerful. In African agrarian societies the survival of the family group relies on parenting many children to increase the labor pool. These sculptural images are the pleas to the spirit world of those who are barren and the thanksgiving of those who are blessed with a healthy infant. However, the common stereotypes of mother and child images, especially the interpretation of the image as an adoring mother embracing her child or the mother as a fertility figure, are only partially correct and will be addressed through this exhibition.

The exhibition will include more than thirty works of art. They come from diverse African societies including Ancient Egypt, the Igbo, Bamana, Djenne, Bankoni and Dogon of Mali, the Senufo and Lobi of the Ivory Coast, the Yoruba of Nigeria, and Fanti of Ghana. Many of the works will be drawn from private collections including the Graham Collection based here on Long Island. Never before have this many African works of art in the theme of mother and child been exhibited on Long Island.

A catalogue featuring an essay by Dr. Herbert M. Cole of the University of California at Santa Barbara will accompany the exhibition. The exhibition will also include a Tuesday evening lecture series and a special day for families. Family Day (October 5) will encourage families to discuss the concept that large families provide hope for continued survival and continuation of traditions based exploration of the exhibition as well as their own family traditions.

Hillwood Art Museum is located on the C.W. Post campus of Error! Bookmark not defined., at 720 Northern Boulevard (Route 25A) in Brookville. For more information about Hillwood Art Museum or its events, please visit the Museum’s web site at www.liu.edu/museum or phone (516) 299-4073. Hours of operation for Summer 2002 (August 26 – 30) are Monday through Friday 9:30 a.m. – 4:30 p.m. Hours during Fall 2002 are Monday, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday 9:30 a.m. – 4:30 p.m., Tuesday: 9:30 a.m. – 7:30 p.m., and Saturday 11 a.m. – 3 p.m.

Tuesday Evening Lecture Series (Free; all lectures begin at 7 p.m.):
September 17, Dr. Gilbert Graham, Guest Curator Lecturing on the Exhibition
September 24, Dr. Herbert M. Cole, University of California Santa Barbara, "African
Images of Mother and Child"
October 1, Dr. William Siegmann, Brooklyn Museum of Art, "Rites of Initiation in African
Societies"

Family Day (Fee):
October 5. Call (516) 299-4073 for information.

All events take place in Hillwood Art Museum and are open to the public.

This program is supported by the New York Council for the Humanities and the National Endowment for the Humanities and is part of the 2002 State Humanities Month, a celebration sponsored each October by the New York Council for the Humanities.