Ka Wai Ola - Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Volume 5, Number 12, 1 December 1988 — Folk Art Focus Of New Museum Exhibit [ARTICLE]

Folk Art Focus Of New Museum Exhibit

Bishop Museum announces the opening of a new exhibition, "The Grand Generation: Memory, Mastery, Legacy." It explores the preservation and transmission of traditional cultures through the artistry of older Americans. The exhibition runs December 10through January 7 in the Jabulka Pavilion Gallery, Kahili Room and Vestibule Gallery . (There is no charge for entry into the Jabulka Pavilian Gallery, but admission must be paid to gain access to the Kahili Room and the Vestibule Gallery.) The exhibition con%ists of photographs, narrative texts, and objects that range from woodcarvings and whittled miniatures to pottery and baskets to embroideries and quilts. They are all made by older people of different ethnicities from Sifferent parts of the U.S. Many of the handcrafted objects are autobiographical, and share their creators' memories and life experiences. "This exhibition makes a powerful and educational statement about the importance of the creative expressions of older people in our country," says curator and folklorist Marjorie Hunt of the Smithsonian lnstitution. "The elderly play a vital role in American culture by providing us with a sense of continuity and an essential link to the past — and that role is made visible in this exhibition by displaying the knowledge, skills and artistry of our elders that are so important to our

history, our families and our communities." Among the most memorable objects in the exhibition are: • intricate and brightly colored embroideries by Ethel Mohamed, an 80-year-old grandmother from Belzoni, Mississippi, whieh are visual diaries of her life, marriages, births of children and the Great Depression; . • miniature lumberjacks and old-fashioned logging tools carved by logger Rodney Richard of Rangely, Maine, • miniature wire sculptures of multicolored telephone wire by 72-year-old Vincenzo Aneona, of Brooklyn, New York, showing scenes of the agrarian lifestyle he knew as a child in his Sicilian homeland, and • an elaborately carved walking stick of the late Elijah Pierce, son of an ex-slave, whieh depicts his family history as well as images of everyday life during his long career as a barber and preacher in Mississippi. "Grand Generation" also presents selected works of master craftspeople such as saddlemaker Duff Severe of Pendleton, Oregon, and 86-year-old Pueblo Indian potter Margaret Tafoya of Santa Clara, New Mexico. Other items, such as photo albums and personal memorabilia that carry special meanings, will complement the handmade objects in the exhibition.