Past Exhibits
800 Seasons: Change and Continuity in Bloomington, 1818-2018
"800 Seasons: Change and Continuity in Bloomington, 1818-2018" tells the story of Bloomington from the ground up. How do nature and history shape one another in the American Midwest—and how are Bloomington’s possibilities for tomorrow shaped by 200 years of community building in the southern Indiana hill country? The exhibit, sponsored by IU’s Grand Challenges: Prepared for Environmental Change, was on display through March 13, 2020. A virtual walk-through of the exhibit is available at https://my.matterport.com/show/?m=rCoYV5j5PPv
Echoes of the Rainforest: The Visual Arts of the Shipibo Indians
"Echoes of the Rainforest: The Visual Arts of the Shipibo Indians," features ceramics, textiles, and other works created by people living in the Amazon rainforest of Peru. The artifacts were collected by Frédéric and Bernadette Allamel, who worked with Frédéric's high school students at the International School of Indiana (in Indianapolis) to develop and design the exhibit. The exhibit was open through May 10, 2020.
México Indígena
"México Indígena” highlights a few of the artistic traditions and innovations practiced by some of Mexico’s indigenous peoples, including the Isthmus Zapotec of Juchitán, Oaxaca; the Wixáritari (Huichol) who live in the Sierra Madres; the Otomi people from the Altiplano region; and the Purépecha (Tarascan) people of Michoacán. The exhibit is sponsored by Mexico Remixed, a program of IU’s Arts and Humanities Council, and was on display through March 13, 2020.
Migrant Quilts of the Southern Arizona Borderlands
The Migrant Quilt Project is a grassroots, collaborative effort of artists, quiltmakers,and activists to express compassion for migrants from Mexico and Central America who died in the Southern Arizona deserts on their way to create better lives for themselves and their families. The name of each individual who died that year is inscribed on the quilt, with the word “unknown” or “desconocido” used to designate an unidentified person’s remains. Quiltmakers are free to design their quilts however they desire. The exhibit was on display through March 13, 2020.
Sacred Drums, Sacred Trees: Haiti’s Changing Climate
Sacred Drums, Sacred Trees: Haiti’s Changing Climate,” curated by Rebecca Dirksen, Assistant Professor in IU's Department of Folklore and Ethnomusicology, explores how humanity, the divine, and the environment intersect through the sacred Vodou drums and the trees from which they are made. The exhibit was on display through March 13, 2020.
Traditions of the Future: Apprenticeships and Traditional Arts in Indiana
This photographic exhibition explores Indiana University’s work in supporting the continuation and evolution of traditional arts in Indiana across generations. From hoop net making and banjo playing in southern Indiana, to ballet folklórico and Mennonite basketry in the northern part of our state, IU has funded a range of apprenticeships that help to safeguard the traditional practices in diverse communities around the Hoosier State. The exhibit was open through March 13, 2020.
Thoughts, Things, and Theories...What Is Culture?
"Thoughts, Things, and Theories...What Is Culture?" explored the nature of culture. The exhibit was on exhibit until March 13, 2020.
Through the Eyes of Durdy Bayramov: Turkmen Village Life, 1960 – 80s
Durdy Bayramov (1938-2014) grew up in an orphanage in Turkmenistan and overcame the significant challenges of his youth to become an acclaimed Eurasian artist. Through a prolific career as a painter that spanned more than 55 years, Bayramov was best known for his compelling portraits. His tender approach evokes the special character and qualities within each of his subjects, with whom he shared a deep rapport. This exhibit featured photographs selected from Durdy Bayramov’s personal archive. Although he took great pleasure in photography, Bayramov used it primarily as a tool in his artistic process and never expected that others would find them fascinating in their own right. The images provided a rare and intimate glimpse into the customs and material culture of Turkmen villagers during this period, and at the same time reflect the profound human spirit shared by all communities. The exhibit closed July 26, 2019.
Picturing Change, Seeing Continuity: Hmong Story Cloths
“Picturing Change, Seeing Continuity: Hmong Story Cloths” presented textiles created by Hmong Americans, a people of Southeast Asian heritage who largely came to the U.S. during the 1970s and 1980s as refugees, following the wake of the Vietnam War. Before coming to the U.S., some Hmong people lived in refugee camps in Thailand. Developed in these camps, story cloths use older textile decoration techniques in a new way to produce works of fabric art that non-Hmong could buy and that would help convey Hmong experiences to them. Those stories were sometimes old tales of the Hmong people, but artists also used these textiles to help viewers understand Hmong customs and the difficult histories that Hmong refugees endured. “Picturing Change, Seeing Continuity: Hmong Story Cloths,” closed July 26, 2019.
Hungry Planet: What the World Eats
An exhibit exploring community and food—“Hungry Planet: What the World Eats”—was on exhibit at IU’s Mathers Museum of World Cultures. The traveling exhibit is based on the best-selling book by photographer Peter Menzel and writer Faith D’Aluisio, who sat down to dinner with 30 families in 24 different countries to document their meals and lives around food. The exhibit features stories, grocery lists, and photos of each family surrounded by a week's worth of groceries, and gives visitors snapshots to compare these families with their own. Admission to the museum is free, but the museum is encouraging visitors to bring canned goods to the exhibit for donation to the Community Kitchen of Monroe County. The exhibit is toured by COSI, the Center of Science and Industry in Columbus, Ohio. The exhibit closed May 1, 2019.
A Snapshot of Pakistan 1965: The Madge Minton Collection
On her 1965 trip to Pakistan, WASP pilot and herpetologist Madge Minton arrived with funding from the IU Museum (today the Mathers Museum of World Cultures) and a mission to collect objects used in everyday life. "A Snapshot of Pakistan, 1965: The Madge Minton Collection" used the items she collected and the information she recorded about them, to explore the common needs all people share. The exhibit closed January 27,2019.
Transformations: The Isthmus Zapotec of Juchitán, 1967-2018
Anya Peterson Royce, Chancellor's Professor of Anthropology and Comparative Literature at IU, took her first photographs of the Isthmus Zapotec of Juchitán, Oaxaca in July of 1967, when a delegation from that city performed at the Guelaguetza in the outdoor performing space on the outskirts of Oaxaca City. This exhibit featured a selection of some of those images. The exhibit closed December 16, 2018.
Shapes of the Ancestors: Bodies, Animals, Art, and Ghanaian Fantasy Coffins
Curated by Kristin Otto, a MMWC Research Associate and Ph.D student (Anthropology), this research-based exhibit explored the historical development and contemporary usage of Ghanaian figurative coffins, focusing specifically on those carved by master carver Paa Joe. The exhibit explored the ways in which these forms, which are quite often in the shape of animals, communicate familial and personal attributes, values, or identity. The exhibit and related programs were sponsored by Themester 2018, an initiative of the IU College of Arts and Sciences; IU Cinema’s Creative Collaborations Program; and IU’s African Studies Program. "Shapes of the Ancestors: Bodies, Animals, Art, and Ghanaian Fantasy Coffins" closed December 16, 2018.
Playing with Animals: Musical Instruments
Drawing from the museum’s vast collections of musical instruments from around the globe, this exhibit featured instruments crafted to replicate animals, such as horses, hens, and crocodiles, and shed lights on how animal hides, skins, bones, shells, and horns have been used to create music. The exhibit closed December 16, 2018.
Kids Curate, Kids Create
A collaboration between students in the K-6 classroom at Templeton Elementary School and the Mathers Museum of World Cultures, this project explored the ways in which objects could generate interest in learning about other people and their cultures. The exhibit closed December 16, 2018.
Heads and Tales
Produced in conjunction with the Elizabeth Sage Historic Costume Collection, “Heads and Tales” investigates all things worn, styled, and associated with the human head. Looking cross culturally at different topics, including status and religion, the exhibit explores masks to makeup, and mortarboards to motoring veils. The exhibit closed December 16, 2018.
Cameroon Tobacco Pipes: Shared Museum Knowledge
This exhibition presented a collection of carved wood tobacco smoking pipes from the Cameroon Grasslands, produced by the Bamileke peoples and their neighbors, that offered a glimpse into the aesthetics, values, and traditions of the area. The exhibit closed July 27, 2018.
Creative Aging
This exhibition explored the making and use of memory art in the lives of older adults in the U.S. Some elders use their creations to assist in recalling and sharing important life stories. Others use these works to elicit interest, facilitate personal narratives, and share beliefs and values. Whether painting pictures of past events, piecing a quilt with material from family clothing, or woodburning important names onto a walking stick, life-story objects often anticipate social interactions and storytelling events, which is just one aspect of their creative utility and complex role in the lives of elders. The exhibit closed July 27, 2018.
Memories Shared: Photographs of Historic Bloomington
Bloomington has changed significantly in the past 100 years, but many places remain in some shape or form. This photo essay explored a few of these places through historic photos and you're invited to share your memories of them. “Memories Shared: Photographs of Historic Bloomington” closed July 27, 2018.
Show and Tell--Making Craft at the John C. Campbell Folk School
Curated by Kelley D. Totten, a Ph.D. graduate in Folklore at Indiana University, this exhibit looked at contemporary craft through the lens of the John C. Campbell Folk School, located in Brasstown, North Carolina. Each Friday, folk school students gather in the community room to show off their creations from week-long immersion courses in basket making, enameling, blacksmithing, and more. "Show and Tell" highlighted the school's approach to craft and individual creativity by featuring a spectrum of makers (from hobbyists to professionals) and demonstrating a diversity of materials, techniques, and interpretations. The exhibit closed July 27, 2018.
Sisters of the Cloth: This is Our Story
"Sisters of the Cloth: This is Our Story,” an exhibit exploring the lives of African American quilters presented works that are individual reflections on what each member feels portrays her life. “Each one of us has taken different paths to become what we are today,” notes Margarita Jean-Baptiste, president of the guild. “Members will have the opportunity to represent themselves, and the audience that see our pieces will see the many stories of modern African American women.” "Sisters of the Cloth: This is Our Story” closed May 6, 2018.
A Different Look at Syria
Drawing upon the Dee Birnbaum Collection, this exhibit offered a glimpse into the richness and diversity of material culture and deep history of an ancient nation. While acknowledging the tragedy of Syria's present, the exhibit invited visitors to connect or reconnect with Syrian culture by learning about its jewelry and textiles to honor and preserve the work of its craftsmen, its women, and their stories. The exhibit closed January 21, 2018.
A Snapshot of Pakistan 1965: The Madge Minton Collection
On her 1965 trip to Pakistan, WASP pilot and herpetologist Madge Minton arrived with funding from the IU Museum (today the Mathers Museum of World Cultures) and a mission to collect objects used in everyday life. "A Snapshot of Pakistan, 1965: The Madge Minton Collection" used the items she collected and the information she recorded about them, to explore the common needs all people share. The exhibit closed January 27, 2019.
Anya Peterson Royce, Chancellor's Professor of Anthropology and Comparative Literature at IU, took her first photographs of the Isthmus Zapotec of Juchitán, Oaxaca in July of 1967, when a delegation from that city performed at the Guelaguetza in the outdoor performing space on the outskirts of Oaxaca City. This exhibit featured a selection of some of those images. The exhibit closed December 16, 2018.
Shapes of the Ancestors: Bodies, Animals, Art, and Ghanaian Fantasy Coffins
Curated by Kristin Otto, a MMWC Research Associate and Ph.D student (Anthropology), this research-based exhibit explored the historical development and contemporary usage of Ghanaian figurative coffins, focusing specifically on those carved by master carver Paa Joe. The exhibit explored the ways in which these forms, which are quite often in the shape of animals, communicate familial and personal attributes, values, or identity. The exhibit and related programs were sponsored by Themester 2018, an initiative of the IU College of Arts and Sciences; IU Cinema’s Creative Collaborations Program; and IU’s African Studies Program. "Shapes of the Ancestors: Bodies, Animals, Art, and Ghanaian Fantasy Coffins" closed December 16, 2018.
Playing with Animals: Musical Instruments
Drawing from the museum’s vast collections of musical instruments from around the globe, this exhibit featured instruments crafted to replicate animals, such as horses, hens, and crocodiles, and shed lights on how animal hides, skins, bones, shells, and horns have been used to create music. The exhibit closed December 16, 2018.
Kids Curate, Kids Create
A collaboration between students in the K-6 classroom at Templeton Elementary School and the Mathers Museum of World Cultures, this project explored the ways in which objects could generate interest in learning about other people and their cultures. The exhibit closed December 16, 2018.
Heads and Tales
Produced in conjunction with the Elizabeth Sage Historic Costume Collection, “Heads and Tales” investigates all things worn, styled, and associated with the human head. Looking cross culturally at different topics, including status and religion, the exhibit explores masks to makeup, and mortarboards to motoring veils. The exhibit closed December 16, 2018.
Cameroon Tobacco Pipes: Shared Museum Knowledge
This exhibition presented a collection of carved wood tobacco smoking pipes from the Cameroon Grasslands, produced by the Bamileke peoples and their neighbors, that offered a glimpse into the aesthetics, values, and traditions of the area. The exhibit closed July 27, 2018.
Creative Aging
This exhibition explored the making and use of memory art in the lives of older adults in the U.S. Some elders use their creations to assist in recalling and sharing important life stories. Others use these works to elicit interest, facilitate personal narratives, and share beliefs and values. Whether painting pictures of past events, piecing a quilt with material from family clothing, or woodburning important names onto a walking stick, life-story objects often anticipate social interactions and storytelling events, which is just one aspect of their creative utility and complex role in the lives of elders. The exhibit closed July 27, 2018.
Memories Shared: Photographs of Historic Bloomington
Bloomington has changed significantly in the past 100 years, but many places remain in some shape or form. This photo essay explored a few of these places through historic photos and you're invited to share your memories of them. “Memories Shared: Photographs of Historic Bloomington” closed July 27, 2018.
Show and Tell--Making Craft at the John C. Campbell Folk School
Curated by Kelley D. Totten, a Ph.D. graduate in Folklore at Indiana University, this exhibit looked at contemporary craft through the lens of the John C. Campbell Folk School, located in Brasstown, North Carolina. Each Friday, folk school students gather in the community room to show off their creations from week-long immersion courses in basket making, enameling, blacksmithing, and more. "Show and Tell" highlighted the school's approach to craft and individual creativity by featuring a spectrum of makers (from hobbyists to professionals) and demonstrating a diversity of materials, techniques, and interpretations. The exhibit closed July 27, 2018.
Sisters of the Cloth: This is Our Story
"Sisters of the Cloth: This is Our Story,” an exhibit exploring the lives of African American quilters presented works that are individual reflections on what each member feels portrays her life. “Each one of us has taken different paths to become what we are today,” notes Margarita Jean-Baptiste, president of the guild. “Members will have the opportunity to represent themselves, and the audience that see our pieces will see the many stories of modern African American women.” "Sisters of the Cloth: This is Our Story” closed May 6, 2018.
A Different Look at Syria
Drawing upon the Dee Birnbaum Collection, this exhibit offered a glimpse into the richness and diversity of material culture and deep history of an ancient nation. While acknowledging the tragedy of Syria's present, the exhibit invited visitors to connect or reconnect with Syrian culture by learning about its jewelry and textiles to honor and preserve the work of its craftsmen, its women, and their stories. The exhibit closed January 21, 2018.
A Snapshot of Pakistan 1965: The Madge Minton Collection
On her 1965 trip to Pakistan, WASP pilot and herpetologist Madge Minton arrived with funding from the IU Museum (today the Mathers Museum of World Cultures) and a mission to collect objects used in everyday life. "A Snapshot of Pakistan, 1965: The Madge Minton Collection" used the items she collected and the information she recorded about them, to explore the common needs all people share. The exhibit closed January 27, 2019.
Tools of Travel
This exhibit featured objects that people in different times and places have used to transport themselves and their belongings, exploring the technology of travel (wagon, saddle, sled, and canoe) and how it is powered (horse, camel, dog, and human). The exhibit closed December 17, 2017.
The High Stakes of Macedonia's "Colorful Revolution"
Several years ago the government of the Republic of Macedonia embarked on an "urban renewal" of the capital city, Skopje. The initiative was seen by many as a highly divisive nationalist project. In 2016, these monuments and buildings came under attack by various groups of citizens. Using paint as ammunition, they defaced the edifices in an expression of revolt against the buildings and the perceived government corruption and disregard for the rule of law. This exhibit brought together the visual testimonies of three photographers: Robert Atanasovski, Vanco Dzambaski, and Kire Galevski. The exhibit was sponsored by IU's Russian and East European Institute; School of Global and International Studies; and the Department of Slavic and East European Languages and Cultures. The exhibit closed December 17, 2017.
A Giving Heritage: Wedding Clothes and the Osage Community
"A Giving Heritage" explored the history of bridal attire among the Osage, a Native American people. The exhibition featured beautiful jackets, based on early 19th century military uniforms that have a special place among the Osage. Once used as gifts from U.S. military personnel to Osage leaders, these coats can be seen as a symbol of the interplay between two cultures, and have also come to symbolize the joining of families through marriage. The exhibition and programs were sponsored by IU's American Indian Studies Research Institute; Committee on Native American and Indigenous Studies; Department of Apparel Merchandising and Design; and Department of Folklore and Ethnomusicology. The exhibit closed December 12, 2017.
Beijing's 798 Art Zone
After the turn of the 21st century, artists and cultural entrepreneurs began colonizing a former military factory complex in northeast Beijing. Taking its name from that numbered factory, the 798 Art Zone is an urban arts colony that now attracts visitors from around China and the world. Offering a glimpse of a compelling place that is both visually saturated and reflective of the state of contemporary arts and society in present-day China, "Beijing's 798 Art Zone" introduced the district and its ever-changing artistic landscape through photographs. The exhibit closed on December 12, 2017.
Dark Water
This exhibit featured a series of works, including large scale embroideries and photographs, created by Jakkai Siributr, an IU alumnus and artist. Siributr explores the lives of migrant workers from Myanmar working in Thailand. Many of them escape religious or ethnic persecution in their own country hoping for a better life in Thailand but often find themselves victims of human trafficking as well as discrimination. Due to the lack of knowledge about regional history, and strong nationalist sentiments in Thailand, the migrant workers have to deal with prejudice on a regular basis from their Thai counterparts. And many of them will try to adapt to its new surroundings and culture to make life easier. The exhibit was sponsored by IU's School of Education. The exhibit closed on October 22, 2017
The Middle East: A Photo Journalists Perspective
February 10, 2017 - March 12, 2017
This exhibit retraced Steve Raymer's travels from the Western Sahara on the Atlantic Ocean coast to Afghanistan during a 40-plus-year career that began at National Geographic Magazine and migrated, at midlife, to the Media School at Indiana University.
Quilts of Southwest China
January 21, 2017 - May 7, 2017
This exhibition presented examples of quilt art, and introduction to the communities and region in which the art is made, and information about this art based on recent research by a bi-national consortium of American and Chinese museums.
This exhibit featured objects that people in different times and places have used to transport themselves and their belongings, exploring the technology of travel (wagon, saddle, sled, and canoe) and how it is powered (horse, camel, dog, and human). The exhibit closed December 17, 2017.
The High Stakes of Macedonia's "Colorful Revolution"
Several years ago the government of the Republic of Macedonia embarked on an "urban renewal" of the capital city, Skopje. The initiative was seen by many as a highly divisive nationalist project. In 2016, these monuments and buildings came under attack by various groups of citizens. Using paint as ammunition, they defaced the edifices in an expression of revolt against the buildings and the perceived government corruption and disregard for the rule of law. This exhibit brought together the visual testimonies of three photographers: Robert Atanasovski, Vanco Dzambaski, and Kire Galevski. The exhibit was sponsored by IU's Russian and East European Institute; School of Global and International Studies; and the Department of Slavic and East European Languages and Cultures. The exhibit closed December 17, 2017.
A Giving Heritage: Wedding Clothes and the Osage Community
"A Giving Heritage" explored the history of bridal attire among the Osage, a Native American people. The exhibition featured beautiful jackets, based on early 19th century military uniforms that have a special place among the Osage. Once used as gifts from U.S. military personnel to Osage leaders, these coats can be seen as a symbol of the interplay between two cultures, and have also come to symbolize the joining of families through marriage. The exhibition and programs were sponsored by IU's American Indian Studies Research Institute; Committee on Native American and Indigenous Studies; Department of Apparel Merchandising and Design; and Department of Folklore and Ethnomusicology. The exhibit closed December 12, 2017.
Beijing's 798 Art Zone
After the turn of the 21st century, artists and cultural entrepreneurs began colonizing a former military factory complex in northeast Beijing. Taking its name from that numbered factory, the 798 Art Zone is an urban arts colony that now attracts visitors from around China and the world. Offering a glimpse of a compelling place that is both visually saturated and reflective of the state of contemporary arts and society in present-day China, "Beijing's 798 Art Zone" introduced the district and its ever-changing artistic landscape through photographs. The exhibit closed on December 12, 2017.
Dark Water
This exhibit featured a series of works, including large scale embroideries and photographs, created by Jakkai Siributr, an IU alumnus and artist. Siributr explores the lives of migrant workers from Myanmar working in Thailand. Many of them escape religious or ethnic persecution in their own country hoping for a better life in Thailand but often find themselves victims of human trafficking as well as discrimination. Due to the lack of knowledge about regional history, and strong nationalist sentiments in Thailand, the migrant workers have to deal with prejudice on a regular basis from their Thai counterparts. And many of them will try to adapt to its new surroundings and culture to make life easier. The exhibit was sponsored by IU's School of Education. The exhibit closed on October 22, 2017
The Middle East: A Photo Journalists Perspective
February 10, 2017 - March 12, 2017
This exhibit retraced Steve Raymer's travels from the Western Sahara on the Atlantic Ocean coast to Afghanistan during a 40-plus-year career that began at National Geographic Magazine and migrated, at midlife, to the Media School at Indiana University.
Quilts of Southwest China
January 21, 2017 - May 7, 2017
This exhibition presented examples of quilt art, and introduction to the communities and region in which the art is made, and information about this art based on recent research by a bi-national consortium of American and Chinese museums.
Costume, Beauty, Meaning and Identity in Dress
August 23, 2016 - January 29, 2017
An exploration of costume as personal expression.
Navajo Beauty, Navajo Weavings
August 16, 2016 - May 05, 2017
A display of MMWC Navajo rugs in conjunction with the Themester topic of Beauty.
Siyazama: Traditional Arts, Education and AIDS in South Africa
August 16, 2016 - December 18, 2016
This exhibit was a special traveling exhibition exploring how traditional arts, knowledge, and skills are used to address HIV/AIDS in South Africa. The exhibition showcased the Siyazama (Zulu for "we are trying") Project, an arts education project based in KwaZulu-Natal, which uses traditional crafts to raise awareness about HIV/AIDS.
200 Years of Living and Thriving in the Hoosier State
June 7, 2016 - December 18, 2016
An exhibition looking at 200 years of Indiana history.
Material Culture: Quilts Inspired by Mathers Museum Artifacts
February 16, 2016 - May 22, 2016
This exhibit featured works by local quilters drawing their inspiration from objects in the MMWC collection.
Beyond Bollywood: Indian Americans Shape the Nation
January 30, 2016 - April 10, 2016
This exhibit explored the Indian American experience and the community's political, and cultural contributions to American life and history. The exhibition used photography, narrative, multimedia, and interactive stations to tell a uniquely American story, while conveying the texture, vibrancy, and vitality of Indian American communities.
Stirring the Pot: Taking the Wanamaker Photos Home
January 12, 2016 - May 27, 2016
A photo-documentary of the descendants of the six known Tuscarora Nation members featured in the Wanamaker Collection.
Cherokee Craft, 1973
June 19, 2015 - July 1, 2016
"Cherokee Craft, 1973" offered a snapshot of craft production among the Eastern Band Cherokee at a key moment in both an ongoing Appalachian craft revival and the specific cultural and economic life of the Cherokee people in western North Carolina.
MONSTERS!
October 27, 2015 - December 18, 2016
A look at monsters from around the world, discovering who they are and what purposes they serve in various cultures.
Working Wood: Oak-Rod Baskets in Indiana
September 8, 2015 - February 7, 2016
Presented the work of the Hovis and Bohall families of Brown County, Indiana, who made distinctive white-oak baskets.
Putting Baskets to Work in Southwest China
September 1, 2015 - February 7, 2016
This exhibit explored the use of basketry in urban and rural labor in contemporary China.
Willow Work: Viki Graber, Basketmaker
August 18, 2015 - December 20, 2015
An exhibit focusing on the work of Viki Graber, a weaver of willow baskets from the Mennonite community of Goshen, Indiana.
Cherokee Craft, 1973
June 19, 2015 - July 1, 2016
"Cherokee Craft, 1973" offered a snapshot of craft production among the Eastern Band Cherokee at a key moment in both an ongoing Appalachian craft revival and the specific cultural and economic life of the Cherokee people in western North Carolina.
Work Exposed: Photographs from the Early 20th Century
June 9, 2015 - December 20, 2015
"Work Exposed: Photographs from the Early 20th Century" presented images of people at work and workplaces photographed by Joseph K. Dixon during his travels across the U.S., Europe, and China during the past century.
The Collector's Eye: Photographs from the Mathers Museum Archives
June 9, 2015 - December 20, 2015
"The Collector's Eye: Photographs from the Mathers Museum Archives" featured selections from the MMWC photography collections documenting the people and places of the world.
Tell People the Story: The Art of Gustav Potthoff
May 5, 2015 - July 31, 2015
The exhibit shared the life and work of Gustav Potthoff, a memory painter who paints to remember his fellow prisoners of war who built the Burma Thailand Railway during World War II.
Photography from the Forest: Images by William Siegmann
March 7, 2015 - December 20, 2015
Featured photographs taken by an IU alumnus and leading scholar on the arts of Liberia. The range of subjects and perspectives photographed by Siegmann reveal the depth of his engagement with the country and its people, including abiding interests in both daily life and ceremonial occasions, and their side-by-side existence.
Ralli Quilting from Pakistan
January 27, 2015 - March 5, 2015
A display of Pakistani quilts from the Mathers collection.
Graces Received: Painted and Metal Ex-Votos From Italy
January 13, 2015 - May 2, 2015
"Painted and Metal Ex-Votos" from Italy explored votive objects offered to a saint or divinity, in gratitude for a favor, blessing, or healing.
October 27, 2015 - December 18, 2016
A look at monsters from around the world, discovering who they are and what purposes they serve in various cultures.
Working Wood: Oak-Rod Baskets in Indiana
September 8, 2015 - February 7, 2016
Presented the work of the Hovis and Bohall families of Brown County, Indiana, who made distinctive white-oak baskets.
Putting Baskets to Work in Southwest China
September 1, 2015 - February 7, 2016
This exhibit explored the use of basketry in urban and rural labor in contemporary China.
Willow Work: Viki Graber, Basketmaker
August 18, 2015 - December 20, 2015
An exhibit focusing on the work of Viki Graber, a weaver of willow baskets from the Mennonite community of Goshen, Indiana.
Cherokee Craft, 1973
June 19, 2015 - July 1, 2016
"Cherokee Craft, 1973" offered a snapshot of craft production among the Eastern Band Cherokee at a key moment in both an ongoing Appalachian craft revival and the specific cultural and economic life of the Cherokee people in western North Carolina.
Work Exposed: Photographs from the Early 20th Century
June 9, 2015 - December 20, 2015
"Work Exposed: Photographs from the Early 20th Century" presented images of people at work and workplaces photographed by Joseph K. Dixon during his travels across the U.S., Europe, and China during the past century.
The Collector's Eye: Photographs from the Mathers Museum Archives
June 9, 2015 - December 20, 2015
"The Collector's Eye: Photographs from the Mathers Museum Archives" featured selections from the MMWC photography collections documenting the people and places of the world.
Tell People the Story: The Art of Gustav Potthoff
May 5, 2015 - July 31, 2015
The exhibit shared the life and work of Gustav Potthoff, a memory painter who paints to remember his fellow prisoners of war who built the Burma Thailand Railway during World War II.
Photography from the Forest: Images by William Siegmann
March 7, 2015 - December 20, 2015
Featured photographs taken by an IU alumnus and leading scholar on the arts of Liberia. The range of subjects and perspectives photographed by Siegmann reveal the depth of his engagement with the country and its people, including abiding interests in both daily life and ceremonial occasions, and their side-by-side existence.
Ralli Quilting from Pakistan
January 27, 2015 - March 5, 2015
A display of Pakistani quilts from the Mathers collection.
Graces Received: Painted and Metal Ex-Votos From Italy
January 13, 2015 - May 2, 2015
"Painted and Metal Ex-Votos" from Italy explored votive objects offered to a saint or divinity, in gratitude for a favor, blessing, or healing.
Still/Moving: Puppets and Indonesia
December 12, 2014 - June 7, 2015
This exhibit used puppets, one of the oldest types of Indonesian performing arts which still persists today in many forms, as a way to better understand the dynamic peoples and places of Indonesia—focusing on Javanese, Sundanese, and Balinese cultures.
After A Miracle: Coptic Ex-Votos from the Birnbaum Collection
December 12, 2014 - May 22, 2015
These ex-votos from Egypt were displayed in conjunction with the traveling exhibit "Graces Received - Painted and Metal Ex- Votos From Italy."
State of an Art: Women's Wall Painting in Ghana
September 2, 2014 - May 22, 2015
"State of an Art: Women's Wall Painting in Ghana" presented tradition and innovation in wall paintings by women in Ghana's Upper East Region, as documented by photographer and curator Brittany Sheldon.
People of the Coffee Highlands of Nicaragua
August 19, 2014 - December 12, 2014
A photo essay documenting the work of coffee producers in Nicaragua.
Instruments of Culture
August 19, 2014 - July 12, 2015
This exhibit introduced audiences to the Hornbostel-Sachs classification system used by ethnomusicologists, and presented an overview of IU’s legacy in the field.
Food Is Work: Tools and Traditions
August 19, 2014 - July 31, 2015
"Food is Work" examined food processing through the examination of material culture used in the processing of foods like manioc and rice.
Acai: From Local to Global
August 19, 2014 - May 22, 2015
An examination of the growth of Acai from a local to regional, national, and global product and the effect on the marketplace at each level.
In Their Own Words: Native Americans in World War I
June 27, 2014 - March 6, 2015
Combining veterans' stories and photographs in the Wanamaker Collection, this exhibit illustrated the experiences of Native Americans in World War I.
Ojibwe Public Art, Ostrom Private Lives
January 10, 2014 - June 22, 2014
An exhibit curated by a team of graduate students featuring artifacts created by Ojibwe artists of Manitoulin Island, Canada, that were collected by Elinor and Vincent Ostrom.
50 Years of the Elysee Treaty: Germany and France
September 7, 2013 - September 29, 2013
A traveling exhibit of 26 posters, the exhibit spotlighted half a century of friendship and cooperation between Germany and France as a result of the Elysee Treaty of 1963.
Operation AB-Katyn: The Destruction of the Polish Elite at the Beginning of World War II
September 6, 2013 - 22, 2013
A traveling panel exhibit that commemorated the 70th anniversary of the Katyn massacre after the partition of Poland by Nazi Germany and the Soviet Union in 1939.
Measuring Meaning: Akan Gold Weights
August 27, 2013 - December 20, 2013
A display of primarily lost wax-cast gold weights from West Africa.
Photos in Black and White: Margaret Bourke-White and the Dawn of Apartheid in South Africa
August 27, 2013 - December 20, 2013
An exhibit of Margaret Bourke-White's rarely shown photos of South Africa in the early days of apartheid (1949).
Melted Ash: Michiana Wood Fired Pottery
August 27, 2013 - December 20, 2013
This exhibit featured wood-fired pottery from Michigan/Indiana artists, as well as recreations of a studio, featuring various tools and materials used in the creation of wood-fired pottery.
Limestone Traditions: Stoneworking in South-Central Indiana
June 1, 2013 - June 14, 2013
A traveling banner exhibit from Traditional Arts Indiana, documenting and presenting the history, traditions, and culture of stone workers in south-central Indiana.
Treasures of the Mathers Museum
April 28, 2013 - December 20, 2013
This exhibit presented an array of objects spanning the history of the museum. Selected by museum staff, the artifacts illustrated the diverse purposes for which the museum actively collects objects."
Time as We Keep It
April 28, 2013 - April 16, 2014
An exhibit on the concept of time and the different devices that humans have used to measure time through the years.
Footsteps of a Stranger: Shoes from Cultures around the World
April 28, 2013 - December 20, 2013
The exhibit displayed footwear from various cultures and explained their relevance to the cultures they represent by describing their specific functions as well as where they come from, when they were worn, and who wore them.
Unfinished Business: One Hundred Years of Quilt Blocks
February 26, 2013 - May 24, 2013
A display of quilt blocks representing that unfinished project that all quilters seem to have.
In the Kitchen around the World
February 1, 2013 - December 20, 2013
A display of items used in preparing and serving food. The items tems were chosen from different cultures and time periods to demonstrate differences and similarities of cooking and serving utensils around the world.
September 7, 2013 - September 29, 2013
A traveling exhibit of 26 posters, the exhibit spotlighted half a century of friendship and cooperation between Germany and France as a result of the Elysee Treaty of 1963.
Operation AB-Katyn: The Destruction of the Polish Elite at the Beginning of World War II
September 6, 2013 - 22, 2013
A traveling panel exhibit that commemorated the 70th anniversary of the Katyn massacre after the partition of Poland by Nazi Germany and the Soviet Union in 1939.
Measuring Meaning: Akan Gold Weights
August 27, 2013 - December 20, 2013
A display of primarily lost wax-cast gold weights from West Africa.
Photos in Black and White: Margaret Bourke-White and the Dawn of Apartheid in South Africa
August 27, 2013 - December 20, 2013
An exhibit of Margaret Bourke-White's rarely shown photos of South Africa in the early days of apartheid (1949).
Melted Ash: Michiana Wood Fired Pottery
August 27, 2013 - December 20, 2013
This exhibit featured wood-fired pottery from Michigan/Indiana artists, as well as recreations of a studio, featuring various tools and materials used in the creation of wood-fired pottery.
Limestone Traditions: Stoneworking in South-Central Indiana
June 1, 2013 - June 14, 2013
A traveling banner exhibit from Traditional Arts Indiana, documenting and presenting the history, traditions, and culture of stone workers in south-central Indiana.
Treasures of the Mathers Museum
April 28, 2013 - December 20, 2013
This exhibit presented an array of objects spanning the history of the museum. Selected by museum staff, the artifacts illustrated the diverse purposes for which the museum actively collects objects."
Time as We Keep It
April 28, 2013 - April 16, 2014
An exhibit on the concept of time and the different devices that humans have used to measure time through the years.
Footsteps of a Stranger: Shoes from Cultures around the World
April 28, 2013 - December 20, 2013
The exhibit displayed footwear from various cultures and explained their relevance to the cultures they represent by describing their specific functions as well as where they come from, when they were worn, and who wore them.
Unfinished Business: One Hundred Years of Quilt Blocks
February 26, 2013 - May 24, 2013
A display of quilt blocks representing that unfinished project that all quilters seem to have.
In the Kitchen around the World
February 1, 2013 - December 20, 2013
A display of items used in preparing and serving food. The items tems were chosen from different cultures and time periods to demonstrate differences and similarities of cooking and serving utensils around the world.
¡Cuba Sí! Posters from the Revolution: 1964 - 1979
September 4, 2012 - February 21, 2013
An exhibit of 10 Cuban art posters from the collection of Gerrie Casey and Paul Mischler.
The Day in Its Color: A Hoosier Photographer's Journey through Midcentury America
July 17, 2012 - December 21, 2012
IU graduate (class of 1917) Charles Cushman was one of the earliest amateur practitioners of color photography as well as a traveler and record-keeper. This exhibit drew on those combined traits, selecting from the best of the 14,000 Kodachrome images (dated 1938 to 1968) that Cushman left to his alma mater, and using them to show a portrait of a midcentury American landscape that we have previously known primarily in shades of gray.
On a Wing and a Prayer
April 27, 2012 - 2012
As a retirement tribute to Geoffrey Conrad, Director of the Mathers Museum for 29 years, this was based on two of Geoff's passions--birds/bird watching and WWII planes.
Living Heritage: The Performing Arts of Southeast Asia
April 27, 2012 - November 11, 2012
The exhibit focused on three artforms: the Thai Manohra dance; Vietnamese folk music performed on the lute; and the Indonesian puppet theater, wayang golek.
TOYing with Ideas
April 13, 2012 - April 7, 2013
The exhibit examined toys from multiple perspectives: history, marketing, child psychology/development, creativity, and cultural comparisons.
Of Material Importance: Quilt Research
February 7, 2012 - March 9, 2012
A selection of quilts and textiles from the Mathers collections displayed in conjunction with the annual Indiana Heritage Quilt Show. The exhibit included sections on dating fabrics, the Greist Eskimo quilt, Ralli quilts from Pakistan, t-shirt quilts, and Seminole traditional pieced and appliqued clothing.
Care for a Cuppa?
January 17, 2012 - March 9, 2012
This exhibit focused on sharing beverages as part of social exchange.
ESSE QUAM VIDERI muslim self portraits
January 17, 2012 - June 17, 2012
A photo essay by artist Todd Drake who worked with Muslims in North Carolina to create self-portraits that shared real, rather than seeming, reflections of self to a wider audience. Muslims from a variety of backgrounds and living in a variety of communities participated in this series by working collaboratively with Drake to realize their own vision.
Quilts and Human Rights
September 13, 2011 - December 21, 2011
This exhibition examined the ways in which textiles—especially quilts—have been made and used to demonstrate solidarity with movements dedicated to advancing international human rights, to mark important events related to human rights violations, to pay tribute to those individuals who have played roles in human rights activism, to provide vehicles for the expression of feelings and memories about human rights violations, and to engage individuals in actions that will solve human rights issues.
Faces of Fieldwork
September 13, 2011 - December 21, 2011
An exhibit of photographs that highlighted the human side of fieldwork – that of people (scholars) studying other people (informants) by having portraits of individual informants – the most human way to give a face, a name, a personal biography and identity to an informant who is often treated as a composite, anonymous,
Changing Sounds: Latin American Music
August 30, 2011 - December 21, 2011
This exhibit focused on Latin American music and musical instruments.
Socialist Visions: Mongolian Propaganda Photos, 1939-1989
June 8, 2011 - August 12, 2011
A selection of photos and prints provided by the Mongolia Society. The images date from the beginning of the communist regime to the country's transition to democracy.
Blended Harmonies: Music and Religion in Nepal
April 29, 2011 - January 20, 2012
This exhibit explored the vibrant culture of Nepal.
Take a Hike! The Subculture of Long-Distance Hiking on the Appalachian Trail
March 22, 2011 - May 8, 2011
A six-banner exhibit funded by a Quimby Family Foundation grant to the Appalachian Trail Museum Society. A graphics-based display, the exhibit focuses on how hikers deal with the universal needs for food, shelter, clothing, and the issues of health and safety, social organization, and personal expression.
Layers of Meaning: Quilts from the Mathers Museum
February 22, 2011 - March 11, 2011
A selection of quilts, quilt tops, and quilt blocks from the Mathers collections.
The Wanamaker Collection: A Tribute to Susan Applegate Krouse
February, 2011 - May 27, 2011
Susan Applegate Krouse was instrumental in conserving and cataloging the Wanamaker Collection when it first arrived at the Indiana University Museum (later to become the Mathers Museum) in the 1970s. Susan died in July of 2010. In the spring of 2011 the Mathers Museum mounted a memorial exhibit.
Fractional Currency from a Factional Time
January 18 - May 8, 2011
An exhibit of the fractional currency notes that replaced coins during and after the American Civil War. Student John Paunicka based the exhibit on artifacts borrowed from his family's collectable currency business.
September 13, 2011 - December 21, 2011
This exhibition examined the ways in which textiles—especially quilts—have been made and used to demonstrate solidarity with movements dedicated to advancing international human rights, to mark important events related to human rights violations, to pay tribute to those individuals who have played roles in human rights activism, to provide vehicles for the expression of feelings and memories about human rights violations, and to engage individuals in actions that will solve human rights issues.
Faces of Fieldwork
September 13, 2011 - December 21, 2011
An exhibit of photographs that highlighted the human side of fieldwork – that of people (scholars) studying other people (informants) by having portraits of individual informants – the most human way to give a face, a name, a personal biography and identity to an informant who is often treated as a composite, anonymous,
Changing Sounds: Latin American Music
August 30, 2011 - December 21, 2011
This exhibit focused on Latin American music and musical instruments.
Socialist Visions: Mongolian Propaganda Photos, 1939-1989
June 8, 2011 - August 12, 2011
A selection of photos and prints provided by the Mongolia Society. The images date from the beginning of the communist regime to the country's transition to democracy.
Blended Harmonies: Music and Religion in Nepal
April 29, 2011 - January 20, 2012
This exhibit explored the vibrant culture of Nepal.
Take a Hike! The Subculture of Long-Distance Hiking on the Appalachian Trail
March 22, 2011 - May 8, 2011
A six-banner exhibit funded by a Quimby Family Foundation grant to the Appalachian Trail Museum Society. A graphics-based display, the exhibit focuses on how hikers deal with the universal needs for food, shelter, clothing, and the issues of health and safety, social organization, and personal expression.
Layers of Meaning: Quilts from the Mathers Museum
February 22, 2011 - March 11, 2011
A selection of quilts, quilt tops, and quilt blocks from the Mathers collections.
The Wanamaker Collection: A Tribute to Susan Applegate Krouse
February, 2011 - May 27, 2011
Susan Applegate Krouse was instrumental in conserving and cataloging the Wanamaker Collection when it first arrived at the Indiana University Museum (later to become the Mathers Museum) in the 1970s. Susan died in July of 2010. In the spring of 2011 the Mathers Museum mounted a memorial exhibit.
Fractional Currency from a Factional Time
January 18 - May 8, 2011
An exhibit of the fractional currency notes that replaced coins during and after the American Civil War. Student John Paunicka based the exhibit on artifacts borrowed from his family's collectable currency business.
From the Big Bang to the World Wide Web: The Origins of Everything
October 13, 2010 - July 14, 2015
Starting at 10 billion years ago, this exhibit presented an introduction to "Big History"--an overview of how a series of events has led us to the place we are today, and how we can utilize sciences and the humanities to better understand this context and the connections we have to each other and our world.
Spinning a Yarn: Tales of Baskets and Threads
August 31, 2010 - April 2012
An exhibit on how natural fibers are used to create functional objects.
A Facebook Abroad: The People of Uzbekistan
July 6 - December 19, 2010
An exhibit of 25 black and white photos documenting traditional life in Uzbekistan. Nine of the photos were taken by Shavkat Boltaev and 16 by Zilola Saidova.
Money Is An Object: African Currency
April 15, 2010 - November 13, 2011
An exhibit of many different forms of African currency, including cloth, beads, cowrie shells, gold, and iron forms such as hoes, throwing knives, and kissi pennies.
Wrapped in Paisley: The Story of the Kashmir Shawl
January 26, 2010 - May 9, 2010
An exhibit of paisley shawls that traced the history of the shawl from its origins/uses in India to its adoption as a fashion accessory by 19th century European women.
Contemporary by Design: The Works of Linda Gray
January 26, 2010 - March 12, 2010
The exhibit featured the work of Linda Gray, a nationally recognized quilter.
Guardians of the Soul
January 26, 2010 - June 13, 2010
A exhibit of 25 photographs of cemetery sculptures (grave markers) by photographer John Bower.
Pretty Deadly: Decorative Weapons
December 11, 2009 - March 23, 2011
A cross-cultural exploration of aesthetic forms and ornamentation found on weapons used for war, hunting, and personal protection.
In the Shadow of Cortés: From Vera Cruz to Mexico City
October 2, 2009 - December 20, 2009
This exhibit featured photographs of the peoples and cultures that live along Cortés's route of conquest in Mexico today.
A World of His Own: The Uncommon Artistry of Chester Cornett
April 17, 2009 - December 20, 2009
This exhibit featured the museum's collection of items related to Appalachian chairmaker Chester Cornett (1913-1981), exploring the connections between Cornett’s life and his distinctive folk aesthetic, and addressing the nature of Cornett's interactions with folklorist Michael Owen Jones. while encouraging thought about the nature of American folk art.
Clothes, Collections, and Culture...What Is a Curator?
April 17, 2009 - December 20, 2009
This exhibit presented an insider’s perspective on how the ethnographic curators create exhibitions.
The Colorful Canes of John Schoolman: Politics, Patriotism and Paint
February 17, 2009 - March 8, 2009
A traveling exhibit put together by Traditional Arts Indiana with assistance from the Mathers Museum. The exhibit featured folk art canes and walking sticks created by John Schoolman, a centenarian WWII veteran and resident of North Webster, Indiana.
Bee-town Quilts: The Charm Club Retrospective
January 27, 2009 - March 15, 2009
The exhibit featured quilts representing the work of the Charm Club quilting bee over the course of their 20 years as a group.
Our Culture is Our Resistance: Repression, Refuge, and Healing in Guatemala
January 23, 2009 - August 14, 2009
A traveling exhibit of photos by Jonathon Moller of Mayan refugees in Gautemala.
December 11, 2009 - March 23, 2011
A cross-cultural exploration of aesthetic forms and ornamentation found on weapons used for war, hunting, and personal protection.
In the Shadow of Cortés: From Vera Cruz to Mexico City
October 2, 2009 - December 20, 2009
This exhibit featured photographs of the peoples and cultures that live along Cortés's route of conquest in Mexico today.
A World of His Own: The Uncommon Artistry of Chester Cornett
April 17, 2009 - December 20, 2009
This exhibit featured the museum's collection of items related to Appalachian chairmaker Chester Cornett (1913-1981), exploring the connections between Cornett’s life and his distinctive folk aesthetic, and addressing the nature of Cornett's interactions with folklorist Michael Owen Jones. while encouraging thought about the nature of American folk art.
Clothes, Collections, and Culture...What Is a Curator?
April 17, 2009 - December 20, 2009
This exhibit presented an insider’s perspective on how the ethnographic curators create exhibitions.
The Colorful Canes of John Schoolman: Politics, Patriotism and Paint
February 17, 2009 - March 8, 2009
A traveling exhibit put together by Traditional Arts Indiana with assistance from the Mathers Museum. The exhibit featured folk art canes and walking sticks created by John Schoolman, a centenarian WWII veteran and resident of North Webster, Indiana.
Bee-town Quilts: The Charm Club Retrospective
January 27, 2009 - March 15, 2009
The exhibit featured quilts representing the work of the Charm Club quilting bee over the course of their 20 years as a group.
Our Culture is Our Resistance: Repression, Refuge, and Healing in Guatemala
January 23, 2009 - August 14, 2009
A traveling exhibit of photos by Jonathon Moller of Mayan refugees in Gautemala.
Safe and Sound: Protective Devices from around the World
December 6, 2008 - August 30, 2009
This exhibit explored the various ways that people around the world seek spiritual protection from potentially harmful forces that may be seen or unseen, known or unknown.
Functional Faces: Pottery with Personality
December 6, 2008 - April 5, 2009
The exhibit featured a selection of pottery--predominantly from Mathers Museum collections--showing anthropomorphic sculptural elements, with the emphasis on faces.
Find a Fable, Tell a Tale: A Story of Storytelling
December 6, 2008 - December 20, 2009
The exhibit focused on the idea that all objects tell a story, but not all stories are as obvious as the words in a book or the image in a painting.
pushmepullyou: Art Across the Abyss
September 8, 2008 - December 19, 2008
Arising from a collaboration between artist Karen Baldner and religious studies scholar Björn Krondorfer, the exhibit presented a body of art work dealing with issues on the Holocaust.
Sunken Cities and Shipwrecks: The Growing World of Underwater Museums
April 18, 2008 - December 19, 2008
Based on his work in underwater archaeology and with loans from Charles Beeker, the Office of Underwater Science, the Dive Shop, the IU Biology Department, and the Dominican Republic, Isaac Simonelli, undergraduate in the Individualized Majors Program, presented display of photographs, props, and artifacts that explained the nature of and the issues surrounding underwater museums.
Botánica: A Pharmacy for the Soul
March 21, 2008 - December 20, 2009
This exhibit featured a recreation of a Botánica in the Bronx (NY), and introduced visitors to what a botánica is, who uses it, and where botánicas are located.
The Ones That Got Away: Victorian Women Travel Writers
February 29, 2008 - August 8, 2008
In conjunction with a conference being hosted by graduate students in the English Department, the Mathers Museum presented an exhibit based on travel literature of 19th century.
A Change Is Gonna Come: Black Music and Political Activism
February 22, 2008 - April 27, 2008
This exhibit explored the role of music as a tool in African American political struggle from the 1950s to the present.
Bee-town Quilts: A Common Thread
January 26, 2008 - March 7, 2008
A quilt exhibit featuring the work of A Common Thread, local Bloomington quilting bee, to celebrate their 20th anniversary as a bee.
December 6, 2008 - August 30, 2009
This exhibit explored the various ways that people around the world seek spiritual protection from potentially harmful forces that may be seen or unseen, known or unknown.
Functional Faces: Pottery with Personality
December 6, 2008 - April 5, 2009
The exhibit featured a selection of pottery--predominantly from Mathers Museum collections--showing anthropomorphic sculptural elements, with the emphasis on faces.
Find a Fable, Tell a Tale: A Story of Storytelling
December 6, 2008 - December 20, 2009
The exhibit focused on the idea that all objects tell a story, but not all stories are as obvious as the words in a book or the image in a painting.
pushmepullyou: Art Across the Abyss
September 8, 2008 - December 19, 2008
Arising from a collaboration between artist Karen Baldner and religious studies scholar Björn Krondorfer, the exhibit presented a body of art work dealing with issues on the Holocaust.
Sunken Cities and Shipwrecks: The Growing World of Underwater Museums
April 18, 2008 - December 19, 2008
Based on his work in underwater archaeology and with loans from Charles Beeker, the Office of Underwater Science, the Dive Shop, the IU Biology Department, and the Dominican Republic, Isaac Simonelli, undergraduate in the Individualized Majors Program, presented display of photographs, props, and artifacts that explained the nature of and the issues surrounding underwater museums.
Botánica: A Pharmacy for the Soul
March 21, 2008 - December 20, 2009
This exhibit featured a recreation of a Botánica in the Bronx (NY), and introduced visitors to what a botánica is, who uses it, and where botánicas are located.
The Ones That Got Away: Victorian Women Travel Writers
February 29, 2008 - August 8, 2008
In conjunction with a conference being hosted by graduate students in the English Department, the Mathers Museum presented an exhibit based on travel literature of 19th century.
A Change Is Gonna Come: Black Music and Political Activism
February 22, 2008 - April 27, 2008
This exhibit explored the role of music as a tool in African American political struggle from the 1950s to the present.
Bee-town Quilts: A Common Thread
January 26, 2008 - March 7, 2008
A quilt exhibit featuring the work of A Common Thread, local Bloomington quilting bee, to celebrate their 20th anniversary as a bee.
Hindustani Raga Music: Tradition, Evolution, and the Individual
December 1, 2007 - November 16, 2008
A student-curated exhibit briefly describing the origins and development of raga and illustrated by two mannequins, one positioned to play the tabla and one positioned to play the sitar.
Box It Up!
December 1, 2007 - November 16, 2008
A student-curated exhibit on the many forms and uses of boxes.
Afghanistan: A Doctor Returns from Exile
September 28, 2007 - December 21, 2007
In 2006, photographer Pierluigi Rossi documented the political and social situation in Afghanistan after five years of American and European military intervention. Rossi traveled with Arif Oryakhail, an Afghani doctor returning after 23 years in exile.
Wanamakers at the World's Fair
May 31, 2007 - September 2007
An exhibit of the large framed Wanamaker photographs once displayed at the 1915 Panama-Pacific International Exposition.
Sit on It
April 28, 2007 - November 2007
An exploration of the universality of chairs and stools (they’re made and used all over the world) and their diversity (they are made in different ways and mean different things in different cultures).
Images of Native Americans: The Wanamaker Collection at Indiana University
April 28, 2007 - December 20, 2009
"To acquaint our audience with one of our most important collections and to publicize the concurrent traveling exhibit of the same name, we presented a full-scale exhibit of approximately 150 Wanamaker images in large, medium, and small formats, as well as six life-size, free-standing cutouts. This exhibit introduced the collection, its history/origins, Joseph Dixon and the other photographers, the various expeditions, and a selection of images grouped by subject matter."
The Liberian Collections Project: Preserving the Past for Building the Future
March 22, 2007 - December 21, 2007
This exhibit provided an overview of the Liberian Collections Project, including its mission, history, associated scholars, collections, and archives.
Mongolian Calligraphy: Old Tradition Revived
February 15, 2007 - May 6, 2007
An exhibition of works by Jalair Dovdon Batbayar, a renowned Mongolian calligrapher and artist, in commemoration of the 20th anniversary of the establishment of the diplomatic relations between Mongolia and the USA. The exhibit was sponsored by the Embassy of Mongolia and the Mongolia Society.
Bee-town Quilts Featherweight Bee
January 26, 2007 - March 5, 2007
A quilt exhibit featuring works by The Featherweight Bee, a local organization named for their ownership of/preference for Singer Featherweight sewing machines.
December 1, 2007 - November 16, 2008
A student-curated exhibit briefly describing the origins and development of raga and illustrated by two mannequins, one positioned to play the tabla and one positioned to play the sitar.
Box It Up!
December 1, 2007 - November 16, 2008
A student-curated exhibit on the many forms and uses of boxes.
Afghanistan: A Doctor Returns from Exile
September 28, 2007 - December 21, 2007
In 2006, photographer Pierluigi Rossi documented the political and social situation in Afghanistan after five years of American and European military intervention. Rossi traveled with Arif Oryakhail, an Afghani doctor returning after 23 years in exile.
Wanamakers at the World's Fair
May 31, 2007 - September 2007
An exhibit of the large framed Wanamaker photographs once displayed at the 1915 Panama-Pacific International Exposition.
Sit on It
April 28, 2007 - November 2007
An exploration of the universality of chairs and stools (they’re made and used all over the world) and their diversity (they are made in different ways and mean different things in different cultures).
Images of Native Americans: The Wanamaker Collection at Indiana University
April 28, 2007 - December 20, 2009
"To acquaint our audience with one of our most important collections and to publicize the concurrent traveling exhibit of the same name, we presented a full-scale exhibit of approximately 150 Wanamaker images in large, medium, and small formats, as well as six life-size, free-standing cutouts. This exhibit introduced the collection, its history/origins, Joseph Dixon and the other photographers, the various expeditions, and a selection of images grouped by subject matter."
The Liberian Collections Project: Preserving the Past for Building the Future
March 22, 2007 - December 21, 2007
This exhibit provided an overview of the Liberian Collections Project, including its mission, history, associated scholars, collections, and archives.
Mongolian Calligraphy: Old Tradition Revived
February 15, 2007 - May 6, 2007
An exhibition of works by Jalair Dovdon Batbayar, a renowned Mongolian calligrapher and artist, in commemoration of the 20th anniversary of the establishment of the diplomatic relations between Mongolia and the USA. The exhibit was sponsored by the Embassy of Mongolia and the Mongolia Society.
Bee-town Quilts Featherweight Bee
January 26, 2007 - March 5, 2007
A quilt exhibit featuring works by The Featherweight Bee, a local organization named for their ownership of/preference for Singer Featherweight sewing machines.
Laughter on a Stick: Turkish Shadow Theater
September 17, 2006 - November 18, 2007
This exhibit displayed traditional and modern puppets, featuring four puppets made by the famous puppeteer, Hayali Küçük Ali, in addition to new acquisitions to the Mathers Museum Collections. The exhibit described the Karagoz and Hacivat puppet tradition, its origins, its struggle to comply with Islamic Law, its change through the centuries, and its modern state.
Lost and Found: Art through Recycled Objects
September 17, 2006 - November 4, 2007
The exhibit examined how people around the world use recycled and raw materials to create whimsical art works, musical instruments, and toys.
Behind the Wall
August 1, 2006 - December 22, 2006
A traveling photo documentary exhibit focused on Tunisian and Moroccan women. Produced by Dr. Jane D. Tchaïcha with photographs by Lindsey Holt.
To Have and to Hold: African Containers
May 10, 2006 - December 21, 2007
A display of traditional African containers both old and recent.
Japan-in-America
April 2, 2006 - December 22, 2006
The exhibit presented an overview of the vast number of images, stories, performances, and accounts of Japan that publicly circulated in the United States at the turn of the 20th century.
Siliva the Zulu
February 15, 2006 - July 16, 2006
A traveling exhibit of photographs taken during the filming of Siliva the Zulu in South Africa in 1927.
African and Asian Influenced Quilts by Dallas Reed
February 4, 2006 - March 5, 2006
A selection of Dallas Reed's quilts, displayed in conjunction with the annual Indiana Heritage Quilt Show.
Emerald, Ruby, and Gold: Contemporary Paintings of an Andean Indigenous Culture
January 22, 2006 - May 7, 2006
An exhibit of Ecuadorian naive art from the Tigua area.
September 17, 2006 - November 18, 2007
This exhibit displayed traditional and modern puppets, featuring four puppets made by the famous puppeteer, Hayali Küçük Ali, in addition to new acquisitions to the Mathers Museum Collections. The exhibit described the Karagoz and Hacivat puppet tradition, its origins, its struggle to comply with Islamic Law, its change through the centuries, and its modern state.
Lost and Found: Art through Recycled Objects
September 17, 2006 - November 4, 2007
The exhibit examined how people around the world use recycled and raw materials to create whimsical art works, musical instruments, and toys.
Behind the Wall
August 1, 2006 - December 22, 2006
A traveling photo documentary exhibit focused on Tunisian and Moroccan women. Produced by Dr. Jane D. Tchaïcha with photographs by Lindsey Holt.
To Have and to Hold: African Containers
May 10, 2006 - December 21, 2007
A display of traditional African containers both old and recent.
Japan-in-America
April 2, 2006 - December 22, 2006
The exhibit presented an overview of the vast number of images, stories, performances, and accounts of Japan that publicly circulated in the United States at the turn of the 20th century.
Siliva the Zulu
February 15, 2006 - July 16, 2006
A traveling exhibit of photographs taken during the filming of Siliva the Zulu in South Africa in 1927.
African and Asian Influenced Quilts by Dallas Reed
February 4, 2006 - March 5, 2006
A selection of Dallas Reed's quilts, displayed in conjunction with the annual Indiana Heritage Quilt Show.
Emerald, Ruby, and Gold: Contemporary Paintings of an Andean Indigenous Culture
January 22, 2006 - May 7, 2006
An exhibit of Ecuadorian naive art from the Tigua area.
What Is a Truck?
December 9, 2005 - May 7, 2006
An exhibit on the functions and uses of trucks using toys as illustration.
Mandara Margi: A Society Living on the Verge, The
September 16, 2005 - January 29, 2006
A display of Dr. James Vaughan's photographs taken during his field work among the Margi.
Bloomington, Indiana, and the World
June 16, 2005 - August 7, 2005
This exhibit used photographs to place familiar locales in ever-widening contexts.
Talking Shoes
April 29, 2005 - August 6, 2006
Students from A403/Introduction to Museum Studies presented an exhibit of footwear from the museum's collections.
Preserving Liberia: the IU Connection
April 29, 2005 - November, 2005
Students from A403/Introduction to Museum Studies presented an exhibit of artifacts from the museum's recently acquired Liberian collections, donated by William Siegmann and Svend Holsoe.
Blithe Spirits: Fiber Art by Tactile Expressions
February 16, 2005 - March 13, 2005
A traveling exhibit of quilts featuring works that express the mirth, joy, and light-hearted spirits associated with sharing meals with family and friends.
The People of the Coffee Highlands of Nicaragua
January 18, 2005 - May 28, 2005
This exhibit explored the role of the indigenous people of Nicaragua in the coffee production industry through photographs taken by Claudia Gordillo. The exhibit was sponsored by The Center for Latin American and Caribbean Studies, the Office of Global Educational Programs, U.S. Department of State, and the Mathers Museum of World Cultures.
December 9, 2005 - May 7, 2006
An exhibit on the functions and uses of trucks using toys as illustration.
Mandara Margi: A Society Living on the Verge, The
September 16, 2005 - January 29, 2006
A display of Dr. James Vaughan's photographs taken during his field work among the Margi.
Bloomington, Indiana, and the World
June 16, 2005 - August 7, 2005
This exhibit used photographs to place familiar locales in ever-widening contexts.
Talking Shoes
April 29, 2005 - August 6, 2006
Students from A403/Introduction to Museum Studies presented an exhibit of footwear from the museum's collections.
Preserving Liberia: the IU Connection
April 29, 2005 - November, 2005
Students from A403/Introduction to Museum Studies presented an exhibit of artifacts from the museum's recently acquired Liberian collections, donated by William Siegmann and Svend Holsoe.
Blithe Spirits: Fiber Art by Tactile Expressions
February 16, 2005 - March 13, 2005
A traveling exhibit of quilts featuring works that express the mirth, joy, and light-hearted spirits associated with sharing meals with family and friends.
The People of the Coffee Highlands of Nicaragua
January 18, 2005 - May 28, 2005
This exhibit explored the role of the indigenous people of Nicaragua in the coffee production industry through photographs taken by Claudia Gordillo. The exhibit was sponsored by The Center for Latin American and Caribbean Studies, the Office of Global Educational Programs, U.S. Department of State, and the Mathers Museum of World Cultures.
Modern Mongolian Art
October 15, 2004 - January 2005
An exhibit of modern Mongolian art, some of which was based in traditional materials and techniques.
The Allure of Clothing
September 10, 2004 - December 23, 2005
The Kinsey Institute, the Elizabeth Sage Historic Costume Collection, and the Mathers Museum collaborated to produce an exhibit that traced the evolution of clothing from the functional, through fantasy and fetish adaptations, to mainstream fashion.
Threads of Resistance: Women's Textiles, Identity, and Social Change
April 16, 2004 - December 2004
The exhibit displayed textiles by women who have used traditional needlework skills to cope with war, violence, and other rapid or threatening social/political changes. Objects included Hmong story cloths of the Vietnam War, Chilean arpilleras (burlap tapestries) created during or about the Pinochet dictatorship, and Kuna molas (blouses or panels) from Panama.
Culture for Sale: Tourism, Material Culture and Change
April 16, 2004 - December 2004
A brief overview of the effects of tourism on material culture.
Quilting in the Morning Calm
February 26, 2004 - March 21, 2004
This traveling exhibit from Carriage Trade Press presented quilts by 17 textile artists from several countries who used the works of Sim Saimdang as the basis for their quilt designs. Sim Saimdang was a woman noted for her accomplishments as an artist and poet in an age where such pursuits were forbidden to women of her class.
Art between Cultures
January 27, 2004 - February 22, 2004
An exhibit of artwork selected by curator Lea-Ann Bigelow (Indiana Review), to explore "multi-cultural and cross-cultural realities, immigrant, migrant, and refugee experiences, trans-nationalism, marginal identities and cultural hybridity."
Pattern and Purpose: Decorative Qualities of Functional Objects
January 20, 2004 - June 27, 2004
Members of the IU Ceramics faculty created a small exhibit presented in conjunction with the National Council on Education for the Ceramic Arts conference, held in Indianapolis from March 17-20, 2004.
October 15, 2004 - January 2005
An exhibit of modern Mongolian art, some of which was based in traditional materials and techniques.
The Allure of Clothing
September 10, 2004 - December 23, 2005
The Kinsey Institute, the Elizabeth Sage Historic Costume Collection, and the Mathers Museum collaborated to produce an exhibit that traced the evolution of clothing from the functional, through fantasy and fetish adaptations, to mainstream fashion.
Threads of Resistance: Women's Textiles, Identity, and Social Change
April 16, 2004 - December 2004
The exhibit displayed textiles by women who have used traditional needlework skills to cope with war, violence, and other rapid or threatening social/political changes. Objects included Hmong story cloths of the Vietnam War, Chilean arpilleras (burlap tapestries) created during or about the Pinochet dictatorship, and Kuna molas (blouses or panels) from Panama.
Culture for Sale: Tourism, Material Culture and Change
April 16, 2004 - December 2004
A brief overview of the effects of tourism on material culture.
Quilting in the Morning Calm
February 26, 2004 - March 21, 2004
This traveling exhibit from Carriage Trade Press presented quilts by 17 textile artists from several countries who used the works of Sim Saimdang as the basis for their quilt designs. Sim Saimdang was a woman noted for her accomplishments as an artist and poet in an age where such pursuits were forbidden to women of her class.
Art between Cultures
January 27, 2004 - February 22, 2004
An exhibit of artwork selected by curator Lea-Ann Bigelow (Indiana Review), to explore "multi-cultural and cross-cultural realities, immigrant, migrant, and refugee experiences, trans-nationalism, marginal identities and cultural hybridity."
Pattern and Purpose: Decorative Qualities of Functional Objects
January 20, 2004 - June 27, 2004
Members of the IU Ceramics faculty created a small exhibit presented in conjunction with the National Council on Education for the Ceramic Arts conference, held in Indianapolis from March 17-20, 2004.
Behind the Mask: Materials and Meaning
December 12, 2003 - December 15, 2004
A display of masks from various world cultures with an emphasis on mask-making materials and the the uses of various masks in their respective cultures.
Miracles on the Border Retablos of Mexican Migrants to the United States
September 12, 2003 - December 21, 2003
A traveling exhibit of 60 retablos with text in Spanish and English.
HablARTE
September 12, 2003 - December 21, 2003
A exhibit of retablos created by local Latino students through a program sponsored by the City of Bloomington's Community and Family Resources Department.
Devotional Aids: Icons of Belief
September 12, 2003 - February 2004
This exhibit examined material reminders of religious beliefs or practices.
Cultural Resonance: Interpreting Musical Instruments
September 12, 2003 - December 21, 2003
A selection of musical instruments from around the world, with an emphasis on how musical instruments can offer cultural information beyond that related to sound or sound-production.
Forest Farmers of the Amazon Estuary
April 26, 2003 - May 21, 2006
The exhibit introduced cultural traditions and practices of Caboclos ("peasants") of the Brazilian Amazon by recreating parts of a Caboclo home, village, and marketplace. The material culture presented included home furnishings and decorative items; food preparation and service; general use tools; fishing, hunting, and agricultural tools; and toys and other recreational items.
A View of Bukhara
March 25, 2003 - August 15, 2003
An exhibit of photographs depicting life--including religious and cultural celebrations--in the Bukhara region of Uzbekistan. Photographer Zilola Saidova produced these images for the Inner Asian and Uralic National Resource Center at Indiana University.
Manhole Covers 2001 - A Quilt Oddity
February 7, 2003 - March 9, 2003
While living in Zushi City, Japan, Shirley MacGregor discovered that the city's manhole covers were designed to represent significant events in the town's history, local products and industries, and plants and animals. MacGregor, a quilter, made patterns of these designs to share with her fellow quilters. The resulting quilts were displayed in this exhibit.
December 12, 2003 - December 15, 2004
A display of masks from various world cultures with an emphasis on mask-making materials and the the uses of various masks in their respective cultures.
Miracles on the Border Retablos of Mexican Migrants to the United States
September 12, 2003 - December 21, 2003
A traveling exhibit of 60 retablos with text in Spanish and English.
HablARTE
September 12, 2003 - December 21, 2003
A exhibit of retablos created by local Latino students through a program sponsored by the City of Bloomington's Community and Family Resources Department.
Devotional Aids: Icons of Belief
September 12, 2003 - February 2004
This exhibit examined material reminders of religious beliefs or practices.
Cultural Resonance: Interpreting Musical Instruments
September 12, 2003 - December 21, 2003
A selection of musical instruments from around the world, with an emphasis on how musical instruments can offer cultural information beyond that related to sound or sound-production.
Forest Farmers of the Amazon Estuary
April 26, 2003 - May 21, 2006
The exhibit introduced cultural traditions and practices of Caboclos ("peasants") of the Brazilian Amazon by recreating parts of a Caboclo home, village, and marketplace. The material culture presented included home furnishings and decorative items; food preparation and service; general use tools; fishing, hunting, and agricultural tools; and toys and other recreational items.
A View of Bukhara
March 25, 2003 - August 15, 2003
An exhibit of photographs depicting life--including religious and cultural celebrations--in the Bukhara region of Uzbekistan. Photographer Zilola Saidova produced these images for the Inner Asian and Uralic National Resource Center at Indiana University.
Manhole Covers 2001 - A Quilt Oddity
February 7, 2003 - March 9, 2003
While living in Zushi City, Japan, Shirley MacGregor discovered that the city's manhole covers were designed to represent significant events in the town's history, local products and industries, and plants and animals. MacGregor, a quilter, made patterns of these designs to share with her fellow quilters. The resulting quilts were displayed in this exhibit.
La Cara Latina de Bloomington (The Latin Face of Bloomington)
September 15 - December 2002
The exhibit was designed to introduce museum audiences to Bloomington's Latin community. Tyagan Miller photographed and Angela Castenada interviewed twenty subjects. Each subject was then represented in the exhibit by three or four 10" x 10" framed photos and a group of labels consisting of personal history text and several direct quotes taken from the interviews. Labels were presented in Spanish, Portuguese, and English.
Dress Codes: Wearing Identity
August 2002 - December 21, 2003
The exhibit used photographs and artifacts (clothing and adornment) from various regions to explore the idea that clothing communicates culture-specific information about the various aspects of the wearer's social identity.
Kachinas
May 21, 2002 - May 18, 2003
Through a discussion of kachinas and kachina dolls this exhibit explored Hopi cultural values and practices, and the clashes evoked by the continuing intrusion of the market economy into Hopi traditional life.
Anthropology of the Body
April 6, 2002 - December 22, 2004
This exhibit explored and celebrated the human body including: physiology; concepts of beauty; gender, age, and identity; modes of dress and adornment; bodies at work; bodies at play; and the body and spirit connection.
Miniatures from the Heart
February 19 - March 2, 2002
A display of miniature quilts.
September 15 - December 2002
The exhibit was designed to introduce museum audiences to Bloomington's Latin community. Tyagan Miller photographed and Angela Castenada interviewed twenty subjects. Each subject was then represented in the exhibit by three or four 10" x 10" framed photos and a group of labels consisting of personal history text and several direct quotes taken from the interviews. Labels were presented in Spanish, Portuguese, and English.
Dress Codes: Wearing Identity
August 2002 - December 21, 2003
The exhibit used photographs and artifacts (clothing and adornment) from various regions to explore the idea that clothing communicates culture-specific information about the various aspects of the wearer's social identity.
Kachinas
May 21, 2002 - May 18, 2003
Through a discussion of kachinas and kachina dolls this exhibit explored Hopi cultural values and practices, and the clashes evoked by the continuing intrusion of the market economy into Hopi traditional life.
Anthropology of the Body
April 6, 2002 - December 22, 2004
This exhibit explored and celebrated the human body including: physiology; concepts of beauty; gender, age, and identity; modes of dress and adornment; bodies at work; bodies at play; and the body and spirit connection.
Miniatures from the Heart
February 19 - March 2, 2002
A display of miniature quilts.
The Warrior: Armament and Amulet
December 2001
A display of the weapons and trappings of warriors from many cultures.
Island Connections: Cultures of the Pacific
October 24, 2001 - June 29, 2003
This exhibit highlighted the Mathers Museum Oceania collections and provided an introduction to the area and peoples of Oceania.
Exposing the Mount, Preserving the Artifact
April 18, 2001 - December 14, 2001
The exhibit focused on mounts used to present artifacts in a typical exhibit setting. Duplicate mounts were used to show a mount both with and without the artifact it supports. The exhibit presented a behind-the-scenes glimpse at the steps taken to display artifacts attractively while protecting them from stress or damage for the duration of the exhibit.
Dancing the Ancestors: Two Carnivals in Latin America
February 24, 2001 - December 21, 2001
Two separate exhibits worked together to create a picture of carnival in South America: Pravina Shukla's photo exhibit "The Mahatma's Samba" focused on the Filhos de Gandhy (Sons of Gandhi) parading group of Salvador de Bahia, Brazil; John McDowell's photo and artifact exhibit, "Return of the First People: Kamsa Carnival in Sibundoy, Colombia," centered on the Indian carnival in the Sibundoy Valley.
Miniatures from the Heart
February 24, 2001 - March 9, 2001
A exhibit of 33 miniature quilts including the winners of the "Miniatures from the Heart" annual contest sponsored by Chitra Publications, publisher of Miniature Quilt Magazine.
December 2001
A display of the weapons and trappings of warriors from many cultures.
Island Connections: Cultures of the Pacific
October 24, 2001 - June 29, 2003
This exhibit highlighted the Mathers Museum Oceania collections and provided an introduction to the area and peoples of Oceania.
Exposing the Mount, Preserving the Artifact
April 18, 2001 - December 14, 2001
The exhibit focused on mounts used to present artifacts in a typical exhibit setting. Duplicate mounts were used to show a mount both with and without the artifact it supports. The exhibit presented a behind-the-scenes glimpse at the steps taken to display artifacts attractively while protecting them from stress or damage for the duration of the exhibit.
Dancing the Ancestors: Two Carnivals in Latin America
February 24, 2001 - December 21, 2001
Two separate exhibits worked together to create a picture of carnival in South America: Pravina Shukla's photo exhibit "The Mahatma's Samba" focused on the Filhos de Gandhy (Sons of Gandhi) parading group of Salvador de Bahia, Brazil; John McDowell's photo and artifact exhibit, "Return of the First People: Kamsa Carnival in Sibundoy, Colombia," centered on the Indian carnival in the Sibundoy Valley.
Miniatures from the Heart
February 24, 2001 - March 9, 2001
A exhibit of 33 miniature quilts including the winners of the "Miniatures from the Heart" annual contest sponsored by Chitra Publications, publisher of Miniature Quilt Magazine.
Everyday Things from South America
December 1, 2000 - August 5, 2002
An exhibit of household items and children's clothing to encourage children to explore the differences between typical North and South American styles of dress and housewares.
Bungalows: Bengal to Bloomington
April 22, 2000 - May 29, 2000
This exhibit presented related the history of the bungalow, beginning in India in the 1600s and following through to Bloomington in the early 20th century.
Sculpture
April 2000 - April 2001
An exhibit on variations in sculptural forms and media.
Stop and Smell the Roses
February 26, 2000 - March 7, 2000
A traveling exhibit arranged by the Indiana Heritage Quilt Show organizers. The exhibit displayed the winners of the Kentucky Heritage Quilt Society 1998 Quilt Challenge.
Mongolian Nomads
February 11, 2000 - December 23, 2002
A Mongolian ger with typical furniture was the basis of an interactive display in the Children's Gallery. A photo exhibit of Mongolia's land and people was mounted in the hallway. The ger was lent by Bill Franklin (Iowa State University) ; the images were lent by photographer Liz Carter.
Instrumental Artifacts: Exploring Science as a Culture at Indiana University
January 15, 2000 - July 2, 2001
A collaborative effort between the Mathers Museum and Domenico Bertoloni-Meli of the History and Philosophy of Science Department to present a selection of historical scientific instruments from various departments at IU.
December 1, 2000 - August 5, 2002
An exhibit of household items and children's clothing to encourage children to explore the differences between typical North and South American styles of dress and housewares.
Bungalows: Bengal to Bloomington
April 22, 2000 - May 29, 2000
This exhibit presented related the history of the bungalow, beginning in India in the 1600s and following through to Bloomington in the early 20th century.
Sculpture
April 2000 - April 2001
An exhibit on variations in sculptural forms and media.
Stop and Smell the Roses
February 26, 2000 - March 7, 2000
A traveling exhibit arranged by the Indiana Heritage Quilt Show organizers. The exhibit displayed the winners of the Kentucky Heritage Quilt Society 1998 Quilt Challenge.
Mongolian Nomads
February 11, 2000 - December 23, 2002
A Mongolian ger with typical furniture was the basis of an interactive display in the Children's Gallery. A photo exhibit of Mongolia's land and people was mounted in the hallway. The ger was lent by Bill Franklin (Iowa State University) ; the images were lent by photographer Liz Carter.
Instrumental Artifacts: Exploring Science as a Culture at Indiana University
January 15, 2000 - July 2, 2001
A collaborative effort between the Mathers Museum and Domenico Bertoloni-Meli of the History and Philosophy of Science Department to present a selection of historical scientific instruments from various departments at IU.
Holidays and Celebrations
November 1999 - April 2000
An overview of various holidays around the world.
Photographic Resources at the Mathers Museum
October 1999 - March 2000
An exhibit highlighting several of the Museum's important photographic collections: Wanamaker, Greist, Minton, Shaw, Bridgwaters, Drake, Belanus, and Bedell.
Tibet
August 1999 - October 1999
A small display of Tibetan items from the Mathers collection. The exhibit was mounted to coincide with the Dali Lama's visit to Bloomington.
Meaningful Masks
August 1999 - November 2000
Featured masks from around the world.
Woven Textiles from Peru: Ancient and Modern
June 5, 1999 - August 1, 1999
A display of ancient and modern Peruvian textiles.
Comparative Technology A-Z
April 6, 1999 - December 15, 2002
Presented an overview of a range of material culture.
Chau Hiix: A Maya Site in Belize
January 10, 1999 - February 6, 2000
The exhibit focused on describing Mayan culture in Belize with an emphasis on archaeological artifacts discovered in Chau Hiix and the cultural importance of those artifacts.
November 1999 - April 2000
An overview of various holidays around the world.
Photographic Resources at the Mathers Museum
October 1999 - March 2000
An exhibit highlighting several of the Museum's important photographic collections: Wanamaker, Greist, Minton, Shaw, Bridgwaters, Drake, Belanus, and Bedell.
Tibet
August 1999 - October 1999
A small display of Tibetan items from the Mathers collection. The exhibit was mounted to coincide with the Dali Lama's visit to Bloomington.
Meaningful Masks
August 1999 - November 2000
Featured masks from around the world.
Woven Textiles from Peru: Ancient and Modern
June 5, 1999 - August 1, 1999
A display of ancient and modern Peruvian textiles.
Comparative Technology A-Z
April 6, 1999 - December 15, 2002
Presented an overview of a range of material culture.
Chau Hiix: A Maya Site in Belize
January 10, 1999 - February 6, 2000
The exhibit focused on describing Mayan culture in Belize with an emphasis on archaeological artifacts discovered in Chau Hiix and the cultural importance of those artifacts.
Hats
September 29, 1998 - October 31, 1999
A comprehensive presentation of hats and headwear in the museum's collections.
Artifacts from the History of Science at IU
September 1, 1998 - December 23, 1998
An exhibit displaying some older scientific instruments from various science departments at IU.
Memories: Historical Bloomington Photographs
August 15, 1998 - December 1999
An exhibit featuring the Shaw/Starks photo collections of the museum.
Been There, Used That
August 20, 1998 - November 5, 2000
A display of "reused" artifacts from around the world.
American Indian Portraits from the Wanamaker Expeditions, 1908-1913
May 15, 1998 - December 23, 1998
A display of Wanamaker framed portraits.
World Music: Themes and Variations
April 21, 1998 - April 29, 2001
The exhibit presented a range of musical instruments from around the world.
The Four Seasons: Contemporary Trends in Japanese Needlework
February 16, 1998 - April 13, 1998
An exhibit of contemporary Japanese fiber art, organized by the Asian Art Coordinating Council of Denver, CO, and brought to Bloomington by the Indiana Heritage Quilt Show.
September 29, 1998 - October 31, 1999
A comprehensive presentation of hats and headwear in the museum's collections.
Artifacts from the History of Science at IU
September 1, 1998 - December 23, 1998
An exhibit displaying some older scientific instruments from various science departments at IU.
Memories: Historical Bloomington Photographs
August 15, 1998 - December 1999
An exhibit featuring the Shaw/Starks photo collections of the museum.
Been There, Used That
August 20, 1998 - November 5, 2000
A display of "reused" artifacts from around the world.
American Indian Portraits from the Wanamaker Expeditions, 1908-1913
May 15, 1998 - December 23, 1998
A display of Wanamaker framed portraits.
World Music: Themes and Variations
April 21, 1998 - April 29, 2001
The exhibit presented a range of musical instruments from around the world.
The Four Seasons: Contemporary Trends in Japanese Needlework
February 16, 1998 - April 13, 1998
An exhibit of contemporary Japanese fiber art, organized by the Asian Art Coordinating Council of Denver, CO, and brought to Bloomington by the Indiana Heritage Quilt Show.
Dressed to Dance: Festival Costumes of the Totenac Indians
December 11, 1997 - February 8, 1998
A display of the dance costumes of the Totenac people--an indigenous culture group in east and central Mexico.
Asian Crossroads
September 21,1997 - July 12, 1998
The exhibit was designed as an overview of the people and cultures of Asia with an emphasis on the material and cultural exchanges between Asia and the West.
All Creatures Bright and Beautiful
September 1997 - July 1998
An exhibit of various animal ornaments and figurines.
What Is It?
September 1997 - July 1998
A display of vintage items not readily identifiable. Visitors were encouraged to guess at the use of each item before finding the answer in the labels.
Plato to Play-Doh: A Celebration of Play
May 1, 1997 - November 23, 1997
The exhibit showed how play cuts across the lines of culture, generation, and gender,
Honoring Ancestors
October 29, 1996 - June 15, 1997
An overview of the many ways in which human groups have remembered and honored ancestors, with emphasis on continuing, long-term rituals of remembrance, rather than single-time funerary rites. The main body of the exhibit was a sampler of artifacts and supporting materials connected with the commemoration of the ancestors in various cultures, including our own.
Pottery Making in West Africa
September 28, 1996 - June 15, 1997
No description available.
Voladores: The Flying Men
September 28, 1996 - June 15, 1997
A display of the costume and equipment of Voladores performers, collected by Raymond Hall
Local Collectors: Modern Hunters and Gatherers
September 28, 1996 - December 23, 1998
An overview of what and why people and museums collect. The main body of the exhibit featured local, private collections and discussed what these collections mean to the individual collectors.
Kids Collect Too
September 28, 1996 - June 15, 1997
The Children's Gallery answer to "Local Collectors: Modern Hunters and Gatherers."
Benedicte Wrensted: An Idaho Photographer in Focus
September 3 - October 13, 1996
A Mid-America Arts Alliance, ExhibitsUSA traveling exhibit of the photographs of Benedicte Wrensted, a late 19th/early 20th century photographer.
The Global Village
September 7, 1996 - April 4, 1998
Child-sized hands-on play-houses, representing dwellings from around the world, including dwellings from Colombia and the Ndebele People of South Africa.
Folk Art or Fake Art? The Adelino Colchas
May 12, 1996 - April 12, 1997
This exhibit explored the possibility that a certain collection of items held by the museum might be faked folk art. The exhibit traced the history of folk art and explored issues of authenticity and value.
Concerning Islam: Pakistani Religious Posters
February 8, 1996 - May 1996
An exhibit of colored lithographed religious posters--a popular art form in Pakistan. The exhibit explored Islam as a culture system through its symbols and artifacts.
BEAD
January 15, 1996 - December 21, 1996
The theme of this exhibit was the cross-cultural uses of beads. The exhibit explored the different materials and various bead-making techniques.
October 29, 1996 - June 15, 1997
An overview of the many ways in which human groups have remembered and honored ancestors, with emphasis on continuing, long-term rituals of remembrance, rather than single-time funerary rites. The main body of the exhibit was a sampler of artifacts and supporting materials connected with the commemoration of the ancestors in various cultures, including our own.
Pottery Making in West Africa
September 28, 1996 - June 15, 1997
No description available.
Voladores: The Flying Men
September 28, 1996 - June 15, 1997
A display of the costume and equipment of Voladores performers, collected by Raymond Hall
Local Collectors: Modern Hunters and Gatherers
September 28, 1996 - December 23, 1998
An overview of what and why people and museums collect. The main body of the exhibit featured local, private collections and discussed what these collections mean to the individual collectors.
Kids Collect Too
September 28, 1996 - June 15, 1997
The Children's Gallery answer to "Local Collectors: Modern Hunters and Gatherers."
Benedicte Wrensted: An Idaho Photographer in Focus
September 3 - October 13, 1996
A Mid-America Arts Alliance, ExhibitsUSA traveling exhibit of the photographs of Benedicte Wrensted, a late 19th/early 20th century photographer.
The Global Village
September 7, 1996 - April 4, 1998
Child-sized hands-on play-houses, representing dwellings from around the world, including dwellings from Colombia and the Ndebele People of South Africa.
Folk Art or Fake Art? The Adelino Colchas
May 12, 1996 - April 12, 1997
This exhibit explored the possibility that a certain collection of items held by the museum might be faked folk art. The exhibit traced the history of folk art and explored issues of authenticity and value.
Concerning Islam: Pakistani Religious Posters
February 8, 1996 - May 1996
An exhibit of colored lithographed religious posters--a popular art form in Pakistan. The exhibit explored Islam as a culture system through its symbols and artifacts.
BEAD
January 15, 1996 - December 21, 1996
The theme of this exhibit was the cross-cultural uses of beads. The exhibit explored the different materials and various bead-making techniques.
Contrastes de Mexico
November 1995 - June, 1996
A traveling exhibit of photographs by Mexican photographers Adalberto Rios Szalay and Maria de Lourdes Alonso Castillo.
Quentin Lotus Dickey (1911-1989)
October 1995 - December 1995
A photo-biography of musician, Lotus Dickey.
Mexico's Many Faces
August 1, 1995 - August 15, 1996
An overview of Mexico's environmental, ethnic, and cultural diversity.
Amoxtli: Pages from the Aztec Universe
July 18, 1995 - December 1995
A display of prints from a limited edition artist's book based on Nahuatl texts transcribed during and after the conquest of Mexico.
Outraged!
June 13, 1995 - July 9, 1995
A traveling exhibit of anti-discrimination posters created by IU Graphic Design students.
For the Duration American Women at War
March 28, 1995 - July 16, 1995
This exhibit was a brief overview of women's roles during World War II. It introduced the museum audience to the variety of women's work inside and outside the home during the second World War and discussed the social implications therein.
Festival's Many Faces: A Look at Fiesta Santo Tomas
July 26, 1994 - May 28, 1995
Designed to explore the elements of celebration using a fiesta in Chichicastenango, Guatemala as an example. The exhibit introduced the visitor to both the concept of festival and the culture of the area.
More than Meets the Eye: Photographs as Research Documents
June 14, 1994 - September 11, 1994
An exploration of certain Wanamaker photographs as research documents.
An Ethnographer's View of Casamance, Senegal
April 18, 1994 - July 11, 1994
A traveling exhibit of photos and text by David Sapir
Aspects of Black Community Life in Bloomington, 1900-1970: Photographs from the Elizabeth Bridgwaters' Collection
February 6, 1994 - April 11, 1994
A selection of photographs from the Bridgwaters' collection.
July 26, 1994 - May 28, 1995
Designed to explore the elements of celebration using a fiesta in Chichicastenango, Guatemala as an example. The exhibit introduced the visitor to both the concept of festival and the culture of the area.
More than Meets the Eye: Photographs as Research Documents
June 14, 1994 - September 11, 1994
An exploration of certain Wanamaker photographs as research documents.
An Ethnographer's View of Casamance, Senegal
April 18, 1994 - July 11, 1994
A traveling exhibit of photos and text by David Sapir
Aspects of Black Community Life in Bloomington, 1900-1970: Photographs from the Elizabeth Bridgwaters' Collection
February 6, 1994 - April 11, 1994
A selection of photographs from the Bridgwaters' collection.
Pawnee Images
November 5, 1993 - June 17, 1996
Guest curated by Ray DeMallie, the exhibit highlighted the Mathers Museum Pawnee collection.
Celebrating Nyangabo: the Interment of a Kom Elder
September 14, 1993 - December 14, 1993
Nineteen photographs by Gilbert D. Schneider, documenting the death celebration of a Kom Elder, Bobong, Cameroon.
Changing Florida Seminole Life, 1930-1960
August 31, 1993 - May 2, 1994
An exhibit exploring traditional Florida Seminole culture and the factors that shaped change.
Views of a (Non-) Vanishing Race: Selections from the Indian Photographs of Joseph K. Dixon, 1908-1913
June 6, 1993 - September 12, 1993
A selection of photographs from the Wanamaker collection.
Folk Art Paintings from the Collett Collection
June 5, 1993 - September 1993
No information is available.
Three Portraits of Guatemala
March 23, 1993 - August 10, 1993
A display of photographs by Bruce Tambarelli showing the environment and the people of Guatemala. Additional displays included artifacts from the museum collections of Guatemalan textiles and artwork.
Maps and the Columbian Encounter
March 2, 1993 - April 15, 1993
In conjunction with the Columbian Quincentenary (1992-1993), the Indiana Humanities Council sponsored a traveling exhibit of rare, historic maps produced by the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee.
November 5, 1993 - June 17, 1996
Guest curated by Ray DeMallie, the exhibit highlighted the Mathers Museum Pawnee collection.
Celebrating Nyangabo: the Interment of a Kom Elder
September 14, 1993 - December 14, 1993
Nineteen photographs by Gilbert D. Schneider, documenting the death celebration of a Kom Elder, Bobong, Cameroon.
Changing Florida Seminole Life, 1930-1960
August 31, 1993 - May 2, 1994
An exhibit exploring traditional Florida Seminole culture and the factors that shaped change.
Views of a (Non-) Vanishing Race: Selections from the Indian Photographs of Joseph K. Dixon, 1908-1913
June 6, 1993 - September 12, 1993
A selection of photographs from the Wanamaker collection.
Folk Art Paintings from the Collett Collection
June 5, 1993 - September 1993
No information is available.
Three Portraits of Guatemala
March 23, 1993 - August 10, 1993
A display of photographs by Bruce Tambarelli showing the environment and the people of Guatemala. Additional displays included artifacts from the museum collections of Guatemalan textiles and artwork.
Maps and the Columbian Encounter
March 2, 1993 - April 15, 1993
In conjunction with the Columbian Quincentenary (1992-1993), the Indiana Humanities Council sponsored a traveling exhibit of rare, historic maps produced by the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee.
New Views of Tradition: Contemporary American Indian Art
August 22, 1992 - January 4, 1993
An exhibit of contemporary American Indian Art meant to explore a) the history and philosophy of contemporary Indian art, b) the different schools/workshops that have produced/cultivated contemporary Indian art, and c) the artists.
Doing Their Part: Posters from World War I
May 19. 1992 - August 16, 1992
An exhibit of original posters from WW I.
Embellishing the Everyday: Native American Costumes
March 24, 1992 - January 1993
A brief survey of five groups of native costumes from the Americas--Plains beadwork, Seminole patchwork, Zapotec embroidery, Tarascan needlework, and Andean weaving. These were chosen as examples of creativity in the design and manufacture of everyday clothing.
Joseph Dixon and the Vanishing Race: Photographs from the Wanamaker Collection
January 13, 1992 - June 15, 1992
A selection of images from the Wanamaker collection first mounted in the hallway and then moved to the Behind-the-Scenes Gallery.
August 22, 1992 - January 4, 1993
An exhibit of contemporary American Indian Art meant to explore a) the history and philosophy of contemporary Indian art, b) the different schools/workshops that have produced/cultivated contemporary Indian art, and c) the artists.
Doing Their Part: Posters from World War I
May 19. 1992 - August 16, 1992
An exhibit of original posters from WW I.
Embellishing the Everyday: Native American Costumes
March 24, 1992 - January 1993
A brief survey of five groups of native costumes from the Americas--Plains beadwork, Seminole patchwork, Zapotec embroidery, Tarascan needlework, and Andean weaving. These were chosen as examples of creativity in the design and manufacture of everyday clothing.
Joseph Dixon and the Vanishing Race: Photographs from the Wanamaker Collection
January 13, 1992 - June 15, 1992
A selection of images from the Wanamaker collection first mounted in the hallway and then moved to the Behind-the-Scenes Gallery.
Eskimo: Life from the Tundra and Sea
October 11, 1991 - August 18, 1995
An exhibit on Arctic peoples highlighting the interplay between the environment and material culture. Artifacts from the Greist and Williams Collections were used.
The Last Great Indian Council: American Indian Portraits from the Wanamaker Collection
August 1991 - July 1990
A selection of Wanamaker images.
Recovering More than Gold: Shipwrecks and Archaeology
March 31, 1991 - March 23, 1992
A display of materials salvaged from Spanish galleons/merchant ships which sank off the coast of Florida in 1733. Materials were on loan from the Florida Dept. of State, Division of Historic Resources.
Images of Tradition in Contemporary Ghana
March 7, 1991 - August 5, 1991
A display of images by photographer Rachel Stoeltje.
October 11, 1991 - August 18, 1995
An exhibit on Arctic peoples highlighting the interplay between the environment and material culture. Artifacts from the Greist and Williams Collections were used.
The Last Great Indian Council: American Indian Portraits from the Wanamaker Collection
August 1991 - July 1990
A selection of Wanamaker images.
Recovering More than Gold: Shipwrecks and Archaeology
March 31, 1991 - March 23, 1992
A display of materials salvaged from Spanish galleons/merchant ships which sank off the coast of Florida in 1733. Materials were on loan from the Florida Dept. of State, Division of Historic Resources.
Images of Tradition in Contemporary Ghana
March 7, 1991 - August 5, 1991
A display of images by photographer Rachel Stoeltje.
Jewish Biblical Odyssey: The Spiritual Art of Bruce David
December 9, 1990 - March 4, 1991
This display was designed to inform and educate the public about the concepts and symbols of Jewish customs and holidays through the prints of contemporary folk artist, Bruce David.
A Missionary Collects: John White among the Tetela
November 30, 1990 - June 21, 1993
An attempt to "reconstruct" John White's world from the US to a Tetela village in Africa.
Umbanda: Ritual from Two Worlds
September 7, 1990 - April 9, 1991
The exhibit displayed materials used in Umbanda cult rituals.
From Flour Sacks to Fine Prints: the Art of Wood Block Labeling
August 24, 1990 - December 9, 1990
An exhibit of vintage advertising images reproduced from original wood blocks from the S. George Company, Wellsburg, West Virginia.
Mexican Hill Town
May 1990 - August 1990
The exhibit was a photographic study of San Miguel de Allende, a Mexican town of historic interest.
Greeting the New Year: Chinese Folk Art Prints
February 1990 - April 1990
The exhibit displays a selection of wood block prints manufactured by small print shops in China as home decorations for New Year's festivities.
Traditional Arts of Peru: Selections from the DeVault Collection
November 27, 1989 - June 15, 1990
This exhibit highlighted artifacts from the DeVault Collection--chiefly ceramics and metalwork. The exhibit opened with the dedication of the DeVault Gallery.
0 & 1
November 1989 - January 1990
Prepared in conjunction with "Letterforms and Typography," a conference on a wide range of issues related to the visual world and visual communication, this exhibit considered the future of visual language through an overview of its past.
Huichol Folk Art
July 1989 - October 1989
A display of Huichol yarn paintings.
Shaping Clay, Shaping Culture
April 1989 - May 1991
An overview of the history and uses of ceramics.
Gather Together in Her Name: Elizabeth Bridgwaters Extended Family
February 1989 - May 1989
A exhibit on local Black history as seen through the narrative and community-wide photo collection of Elizabeth Bridgwaters, activist, IU alum, wife, mother, and life-long resident of Bloomington.
November 27, 1989 - June 15, 1990
This exhibit highlighted artifacts from the DeVault Collection--chiefly ceramics and metalwork. The exhibit opened with the dedication of the DeVault Gallery.
0 & 1
November 1989 - January 1990
Prepared in conjunction with "Letterforms and Typography," a conference on a wide range of issues related to the visual world and visual communication, this exhibit considered the future of visual language through an overview of its past.
Huichol Folk Art
July 1989 - October 1989
A display of Huichol yarn paintings.
Shaping Clay, Shaping Culture
April 1989 - May 1991
An overview of the history and uses of ceramics.
Gather Together in Her Name: Elizabeth Bridgwaters Extended Family
February 1989 - May 1989
A exhibit on local Black history as seen through the narrative and community-wide photo collection of Elizabeth Bridgwaters, activist, IU alum, wife, mother, and life-long resident of Bloomington.
We Live What I Paint: Indiana Amish by Emma Schrock
December 1988 - February 1989
A display of naive art from the Mathers Museum collections.
Laura Boulton: The Music Hunter
November 4, 1988 - July 17, 1990
A look at the life and work of Laura Boulton, an early ethnomusicologist, that highlighted her collection of musical instruments, recordings, and photographs held by the Mathers Museum and the Archives of Traditional Music.
Paperbeaters
October 18, 1988 - October 23, 1988
Organized by Howard Clark and Timothy Barrett, the exhibit brought together a number of examples of home-built paper beaters.
Folk Art Paintings of Latin America Contemporary Paintings from the Collett Collection
October 1988 - December 1988
This exhibit featured highlights from the Joan Collett Collection.
Founded in Stone: the Early Years of the Limestone Industry
September 1988 - March 1989
An exhibit on the local limestone industry.
All My Relations
May 1988 - June 1991
This exhibit was an adobe and neon sculpture, a free-standing, life-size, hut created by Susan Calza.
Chiefs, Warriors, Statesmen: Portraits of American Indians from the Wanamaker Collection
May 1988 - 1988
A selection of Wanamaker Indian portraits.
Andean Weaving Traditions
March 25, 1988 - February 6, 1989
The exhibit centered on weavers in southern Peru--the Quechua-speaking people of Cuzco and curated by Kathy Siebold.
Pehr Kalm and His Voyage to North America
March 4, 1988 - to March 31, 1988
A traveling exhibit sponsored by the Finnish government, it presented the work of Pehr Kalm, Finnish naturalist and economist, whose narrative of of his journey to North America (1747-1751) was "the most famous Finnish book printed in the 18th century."
December 1988 - February 1989
A display of naive art from the Mathers Museum collections.
Laura Boulton: The Music Hunter
November 4, 1988 - July 17, 1990
A look at the life and work of Laura Boulton, an early ethnomusicologist, that highlighted her collection of musical instruments, recordings, and photographs held by the Mathers Museum and the Archives of Traditional Music.
Paperbeaters
October 18, 1988 - October 23, 1988
Organized by Howard Clark and Timothy Barrett, the exhibit brought together a number of examples of home-built paper beaters.
Folk Art Paintings of Latin America Contemporary Paintings from the Collett Collection
October 1988 - December 1988
This exhibit featured highlights from the Joan Collett Collection.
Founded in Stone: the Early Years of the Limestone Industry
September 1988 - March 1989
An exhibit on the local limestone industry.
All My Relations
May 1988 - June 1991
This exhibit was an adobe and neon sculpture, a free-standing, life-size, hut created by Susan Calza.
Chiefs, Warriors, Statesmen: Portraits of American Indians from the Wanamaker Collection
May 1988 - 1988
A selection of Wanamaker Indian portraits.
Andean Weaving Traditions
March 25, 1988 - February 6, 1989
The exhibit centered on weavers in southern Peru--the Quechua-speaking people of Cuzco and curated by Kathy Siebold.
Pehr Kalm and His Voyage to North America
March 4, 1988 - to March 31, 1988
A traveling exhibit sponsored by the Finnish government, it presented the work of Pehr Kalm, Finnish naturalist and economist, whose narrative of of his journey to North America (1747-1751) was "the most famous Finnish book printed in the 18th century."
Portraits of Sierra Leonean Paramount Chiefs
October 23, 1987 - December 18, 1987
A series of photographic portraits of paramount chiefs from Sierra Leone by photographer Vera Veditz-Ward.
The Rise of Humankind
October 17, 1987 - July 31, 1988
The exhibit was based on the research/fieldwork of IU archaeologists Nicholas Toth, Jeanne Sept, and Kathy Schick, and included fossil and reproduction bones and tools loaned by them.
The Story of the Cutting Edge
November 1, 1987 - November 30, 1987
A traveling panel exhibit designed by Mr. Leighton Wilkie. Through pictures, the exhibit presented the story of the evolution of human technology.
Black Folk Crafts from the South Carolina Sea Islands
June 1, 1987 - August 12, 1987
An exhibit of traditional Gullah crafts.
Folk Art Nativities from the Collett Collection
December 1986 - January 1987
To celebrate the Christmas season, the museum displayed a large number of folk art nativities from the Collect Collection.
Kids as Curators: A Pioneer Childhood in Indiana
August 15, 1986 - October 15, 1986
A child-developed exhibit on pioneer children in Indiana. The children involved were participants in the Bloomington Developmental Learning Center's summer program.
Women's Dress, Women's Place: Zapotec Market Women
1986
The exhibit featured Dr. Anya Peterson Royce's collection of Zapotec women's wear.
Birds of Indiana
1986
An exhibit of paintings used in the book, The Birds of Indiana, published by the Indiana University Press.
December 1986 - January 1987
To celebrate the Christmas season, the museum displayed a large number of folk art nativities from the Collect Collection.
Kids as Curators: A Pioneer Childhood in Indiana
August 15, 1986 - October 15, 1986
A child-developed exhibit on pioneer children in Indiana. The children involved were participants in the Bloomington Developmental Learning Center's summer program.
Women's Dress, Women's Place: Zapotec Market Women
1986
The exhibit featured Dr. Anya Peterson Royce's collection of Zapotec women's wear.
Birds of Indiana
1986
An exhibit of paintings used in the book, The Birds of Indiana, published by the Indiana University Press.
The World of Karagoz: Turkish Puppet Theater
September 17, 1985 - February 7, 1986
The exhibit introduced museum visitors to Turkish shadow theatre, its origins, purpose, and characters.
Kids as Curators: Limestone
August 16, 1985 - September 8, 1985
A child-developed exhibit on limestone and the local limestone industry. The children involved were part of the Bloomington Developmental Learning Center's summer program
Trees, Stones, Bones, and Brass
July 12, 1985 - August 4, 1985
Curated by Ronald Smith, this exhibit explored the range and variety of musical instruments, with focus on construction, function, and aesthetics.
Art in Motion - Wearable Art 1985
May 1, 1985 - June 12, 1985
A traveling exhibit produced by the Alliance of the Indianapolis Museum of Art.
Australian Aboriginal Artifacts
April 1985 - September 1985
A display of Australian Aboriginal artifacts from the museum's collections.
Pioneering Indiana: Frontier Life in the Nineteenth Century
January 25, 1985 - November 17, 1987
This exhibit presented artifacts from the museum's collections to focus on the migration to and settlement of Indiana, particularly southern Indiana, during the early decades of statehood.
Toys of Christmas Past
1985 - 1986
A display of vintage toys from the Mathers Museum collections.
Music, Mask, and Ritual: Examples from Three Selected Cultures
1985
The exhibit illustrated the relationship between music, masks, and rituals.
September 17, 1985 - February 7, 1986
The exhibit introduced museum visitors to Turkish shadow theatre, its origins, purpose, and characters.
Kids as Curators: Limestone
August 16, 1985 - September 8, 1985
A child-developed exhibit on limestone and the local limestone industry. The children involved were part of the Bloomington Developmental Learning Center's summer program
Trees, Stones, Bones, and Brass
July 12, 1985 - August 4, 1985
Curated by Ronald Smith, this exhibit explored the range and variety of musical instruments, with focus on construction, function, and aesthetics.
Art in Motion - Wearable Art 1985
May 1, 1985 - June 12, 1985
A traveling exhibit produced by the Alliance of the Indianapolis Museum of Art.
Australian Aboriginal Artifacts
April 1985 - September 1985
A display of Australian Aboriginal artifacts from the museum's collections.
Pioneering Indiana: Frontier Life in the Nineteenth Century
January 25, 1985 - November 17, 1987
This exhibit presented artifacts from the museum's collections to focus on the migration to and settlement of Indiana, particularly southern Indiana, during the early decades of statehood.
Toys of Christmas Past
1985 - 1986
A display of vintage toys from the Mathers Museum collections.
Music, Mask, and Ritual: Examples from Three Selected Cultures
1985
The exhibit illustrated the relationship between music, masks, and rituals.
Choices: Selections from Recent Acquisitions
August 7, 1984 - December 5, 1984
A variety of artifacts selected from 1983 and 1984 collections donations.
West African Images
April 10, 1984 - May 21, 1985
A traveling exhibit of photographs taken during the 1982 Professional Development Seminar to West Africa. The exhibit included images of various museums and cultural organizations that were visited during the seminar.
A Victorian Parlor
February 15, 1984 - June 29 , 1984
A recreation of a Victorian parlor using items from the Mathers Museum's collections.
Noël
December 1, 1983 - March 3, 1984
An exhibit of toys.
Somalia--In Word and Image
November 15, 1983 - June 29, 1984
A traveling exhibit of the oral poetry, art, and other material culture of Somalia. The IU African Studies Program, in conjunction with the Foundation for Cross-Cultural Understanding, Washington, D.C., produced the exhibit through a grant from the National Endowment for the Humanities.
German Pioneers of Indiana Industry
October 1, 1983 - June 29, 1984
A cursory glance at some of the early Indiana industries developed by German immigrants.
Road to the Rainbow: the Saga of Human Transport
April, 21, 1983 - June 29, 1984
As the first exhibit in the new "Mathers Museum" (formerly called the Indiana University Museum) , the opening of Road to the Rainbow coincided with the dedication of the new building. The exhibit followed a progression from "foot power" through beasts of burden, to various forms of land and water vehicles.
Nigerian Batiks
April 21,1983 - May 10, 1983
A temporary display of Batik-work by the Nigerian artist, Bisi Olaniyi Adeyemi.
Portraits of Native Americans
February 18, 1982 - April 18, 1982
An exhibit of photographs of Native Americans from the Wanamaker collection.
Anatolian Memories
January 15, 1982 - February 1982
A traveling exhibit of serigraphs and paintings by Zeki Findikoglu.
Vigango: Commemorative Statuary of the Mijikenda of Kenya
October 10, 1981 - January 14, 1982
A traveling exhibit of carved wood forms that serve as memorials to important persons and are associated with membership in the 'Gohu' society.
October 10, 1981 - January 14, 1982
A traveling exhibit of carved wood forms that serve as memorials to important persons and are associated with membership in the 'Gohu' society.
Voices of the Gods, Instruments of Man
November 21, 1980 - February 20, 1981
This exhibit displayed materials from the museum's collections of musical instruments. The main focus of the script was the use of musical instruments in ritual.
The Faces of Brazil
November 16, 1980 - November 21, 1980
A brief overview of the various peoples/cultures that populate Brazil.
Wood
April 23, 1980 - October 29, 1980
This exhibit surveyed similarities and differences in the forms and uses of wood in several different cultural settings.
Living with Limestone
April - August, 1980
This exhibit featured the sculpture and carvings of ten area artisans working in limestone, with additional artifacts and photographs dealing with the history of limestone in southern Indiana.
An Old-Fashioned Christmas
December 1979
A display which included a Christmas tree decorated with Victorian ornaments, Victorian furniture, dolls representing the characters from A Christmas Carol, and 19th and 20th century Christmas cards from the Lilly Library.
Losar: Tibetans Welcome in the New Year
November 15, 1979 - April 23, 1980
An exploration of traditions associated with lunar New Year celebrations in Tibet.
Earth and Heaven: the Pawnee Universe
May 24, 1979 - December 1979
An exhibit on the world of the 19th-century Pawnee Indians. Displays included life-sized models of an earth lodge interior, and an open-front tent. Other displays included hunting, warfare, and ritual artifacts as well as elaborately beaded clothing and accessories. Most items displayed were from the Ellison collection.
Grasses, Nature's Fibrous Wonder
1979 - 1980
An exhibit exploring grass as a material for making things.
Hints and Echoes of the East: China and Japan through Tourists' Eyes
November 1978 - April 1979
An exhibition of artifacts from China and Japan.
The Rose and the Thorn: Changing Lives of American Women
April 27, 1978 - December 12, 1978
This exhibit documented the changing roles of American women, with emphasis on Indiana history. Three periods were highlighted: pioneer, Victorian, and present day.
Contemporary Use of Traditional Media
April 27, 1978 - May 6, 1978
A display of quilts by artist Mary Ann Robertson, and wood carvings by artist Laura Alpert.
Pakistan: A New Nation of Old Cultures
April 1978 - February 1979
An exhibit of the Minton Collection.
Kodak Magic: Visions of Turn of the Century Bloomington
1978
An exhibit featuring early Kodak advertising and various cameras.
The Gift of the Gourd
1978 - 1979
An exhibit on the uses of gourds.
Daily Life in Northern Cameroun
October 1977 - January 1978
A photo exhibit depicting various aspects of the daily routines of peoples of Northern Cameroon.
Visual Splendor: Traditional Clothing Styles in Iran
May 2, 1977 - June 1, 1977
A display of Iranian traditional clothing styles from the museum's collections.
Stepping to the Timeless Dance: Ritual and the Visionary Experience
March 9, 1977 - May 10, 1978
This exhibit explored the ceremonies and rituals used by several cultures in seeking the meaning of life.
Dolls Around the World: A Reflection of Culture
Fall 1977 - February 1978
This exhibit examined how dolls can reveal cultural traditions and values.
The Image Maker: Photographs of American Indians by Joseph K. Dixon, 1908-1926
December 1976 - April 1977
A display of photographs from the Wanamaker collection.
Mongolia Today
November 12, 1976 - November 20, 1976
This exhibit featured photographs of contemporary Mongolian families.
The Carpets of Tibet
November 10, 1976 - December 10, 1976
A discussion of Tibetan carpets and how they are made and used.
Peoples of the Plains
March 1976 - December 1976
The exhibit depicted the life and customs of North American Plains Indians.
Handmade and Homespun: Textile Manufacturing in the Pioneer Midwest
February 23, 1976 - November 30, 1976
This exhibit the various processes that were used to convert flax into linen fiber and wool into yarn, and how the fiber was dyed and put on the weaving looms.
Turkish Children's Art
January 15, 1976 - January 30, 1976
A traveling exhibit of children's art, sponsored by the Turkish Government.
Farming in Indiana
February 14, 1976 - December 31, 1976
A traveling exhibit of the farming techniques of the 19th century Indiana farmer developed in response to a request from the IU Bicentennial Commission. An exhibit The Early Indiana Farmer was displayed concurrently in the IU Museum's Hoosier Heritage Hall (Student Building).
The Early Indiana Farmer
1976
An extensive exhibit of the farming techniques of the 19th century Indiana farmer developed as an IU Bicentennial event.
Eskimo: Hunters in a Hostile Land
April 16, 1975 - Spring 1979
A study of the hunting life of the Eskimo people, using items from the Greist and Williams collections.
Indiana Women's Fashions from the Past
1975
A display of historic women's clothing. After its presentation in Bloomington, the exhibit traveled to other museums in Indiana.
Apollo Moon Flight Souvenirs
July 1974 - October 1974
An exhibit of Apollo moon flight souvenirs, including an insignia and a small cloth USA flag, donated to IU.
July 1974 - October 1974
An exhibit of Apollo moon flight souvenirs, including an insignia and a small cloth USA flag, donated to IU.
The Little House
December 9, 1973 - May 5, 1974
An exhibit of pioneer household items, utensils, and tools based on the Little House book series by Laura Ingalls Wilder.
Pilgrims of Progress: A Guide through Modern Times
February 28, 1973 - August 10, 1973
A look at the effects of technology on modern society.
Mingling Streams: Culture Change in Latin America
April 25, 1972 - December 15, 1972
Showed the changes in the lives and cultures of Native Americans and enslaved Africans as a result of the European conquest and colonization of the New World.
Afro-American Folk Crafts of South Carolina
1972 - 1973
A study of basket coiling techniques, comparing African-American traditions of the coastal south with those of Gambia, Senegal, and Mali.
Traditional Hoosier Crafts and Professions
October 6, 1971 - June 10, 1972
The exhibit focused on Indiana/Midwestern crafts related to travel, including reconstructions of a blacksmith's shop, a harness maker's shop, and a wheelwright's shop. Several horse-drawn vehicles were displayed including a surrey, a "station wagon," and a sleigh.
Indiana County Courthouses of the Nineteenth Century
September 10, 1971 to September 24, 1971
This traveling exhibit on courthouse architecture and how it reflects the social and artistic attitudes of the communities involved was prepared by the College of Architecture and Planning, Ball State University.
Hasidic Jews of Brooklyn, New York
1971 - 1972
A series of 70 photographs depicting the lifestyle of the Hasidic Jews in Brooklyn.
An Ebony Excursion
November 1970 - December 1970
A traveling exhibit featuring artwork by contemporary African-American artists.
West African Art
July 1, 1970 - October 31, 1970
A traveling exhibit of paintings of West African subjects by Hungarian-born artist Helene Urszenyi-Breznay.
Liberian Exhibit
April 22 - May 15, 1970
A display of masks and wood carvings borrowed from Svend Holsoe (Depauw University), John Gay (Earlham College), Roy Sieber (IU), William Siegman (Bloomington, IN), and George Brooks (IU).
Moon Dust, Space Suit, and Apollo Souvenirs
April 4, 1970 - June 8, 1970
Moon flight souvenirs were displayed at the IU Museum as part of IU's Sesquicentennial Exhibit (1970) included both a loaned Apollo moon flight space suit and a vial of moon dust which was to be studied by IU chemists.
Andean Life
1970
A traveling exhibit of photographs by Abraham Guillen.
Traditional Music of the World
December 5, 1968 - April 1, 1969
The exhibit explored the technical and practical concerns of making music. The exhibit also focused on culture change and made cultural comparisons through musical instruments.
Folk Drama of the World
April 23, 1968 - July 5, 1968
A sampling of folk dramas from around the world.
Folk Objects of the Middle East
December 5, 1967 - February 25, 1968
This exhibit featured ceramics, traditional costumes, musical instruments, furniture, children's toys, and jewelry-making materials from Pakistan, Afghanistan, and Turkey.
South America: Its Past and Present
April 13, 1967 - November 11, 1967
An exhibit of prehistoric and contemporary artifacts from South America.
African Ethnology
October 3, 1966 - February 5, 1967
The Indiana University Museum, the IU Art Museum, the Archives of Traditional Music, and the Indiana Memorial Union collaborated to produce a four-part exhibit in conjunction with the African Studies Association Conference held at IU, October 27-29, 1966.
October 3, 1966 - February 5, 1967
The Indiana University Museum, the IU Art Museum, the Archives of Traditional Music, and the Indiana Memorial Union collaborated to produce a four-part exhibit in conjunction with the African Studies Association Conference held at IU, October 27-29, 1966.
Indiana's Vanishing Industries
December 7, 1965 - October 17, 1966
A display of the tools and instruments used by early Hoosier settlers in such industries as slaughtering, carpentry, smithing, harness-making, agriculture, and weaving.
December 7, 1965 - October 17, 1966
A display of the tools and instruments used by early Hoosier settlers in such industries as slaughtering, carpentry, smithing, harness-making, agriculture, and weaving.
Glenn A. Black Laboratory of Archaeology
The Trowel & Brush Society
The Trowel and Brush Society began in 1948 when Glenn Black thought to start an organization made up of those students who had worked at Angel Mounds under his tutelage. This exhibit showcased many images from past field schools at Angel Mounds and remembered the students who were part of GBL's institution's story. These images were displayed in the GBL lobby from August 2019-June 2020.
Images from the WPA-era: Angel Mounds in 1939
In coordination with the Indiana Historical Society's exhibit You Are There 1939: Exploring Angel Mounds, this exhibit highlighted images from the original excavations at Angel Mounds. The excavation was performed in 1939 under the direction of Glenn Black thanks to the financial support of the Works Progress Administration and the Indiana Historical Society. The images were displayed in the GBL lobby from February 2019-June 2020.
Perspectives of IU: Photographic Impression of Indiana University's Historic Campus
As part of IU's Bicentennial celebration, this student produced photography exhibit highlights each artist's unique perspective on our historic campus. This exhibit was on display December 2018-June 2020 in the GBL Lobby.
Animal-Spirit-Human
For the 2018 Indiana University Themester “Animal/Human,” the Glenn A. Black Laboratory of Archaeology's (GBL) exhibit explored interpretation of the complex and varying relationships between animals and humans in the ancient Midwest. Through both the exhibit and panel session we stimulated discussion and ideas about how approaches in history, archaeology, and cognition inform on animal representation, symbolism, and ethnogenesis. This exhibit was on display October 2018 - November 2019 in the Headdy Galery.
Art of the Archaeologist
Archaeology represents an interesting confluence of the social sciences, natural sciences, and humanities. In talking about the past, archaeologists use illustrations as a way of representing the past and showcasing material culture. It is a perspective, an expression, a way of storytelling. It is a way to connect with an artifact and explore ideas about the past. This exhibit was on display August 2018 - August 2019 in the lobby.
Mapping Indiana Territory: Exploring Indigenous and Western Representations
As part of the Indiana University 2017 Themester, “Diversity • Difference • Otherness,” the Glenn A. Black Laboratory of Archaeology collaborated with Native historians, scholars, and descendants of Native American peoples that once lived in Indiana to juxtapose examples of EuroAmerican made maps and images of Indigenous representations of the Indiana and Ohio Valley landscapes. The exhibit problematized favoring western world views and ways of knowing. This exhibit was on display Fall 2017-Fall 2018.
Glenn Black Memorabilia
Newly donated memorabilia from Glenn Black's niece: includes his honorary degree from Wabash College, pictures, service cards, and trowel. This exhibit was on display Spring 2016-Summer 2018.
Containing Knowledge: Ceramics at the Glenn Black Lab
Exploring pottery as containers in both literal and metaphorical ways, this exhibit features a selection of whole pots as well as objects used to make and decorate ceramics. Technology, decoration, use, and cosmology are all touched on through the use of beautiful images and pieces.
A special section of the exhibit looks at the work of local archaeology students and their efforts to temper clay and build and fire pots in the ways that Mississippian people might have. This exhibit closed in Summer 2018.
The Beauty of Shawnee Pottery
Second Chief Ben Barnes of the Shawnee Tribe of Oklahoma has been leading an effort to rediscover and reclaim the beauty of traditional Shawnee Pottery. This collaboration with archaeologists and scholars has sought to learn more about ancient ceramic technologies that were disrupted by European colonization. From this knowledge, Barnes and other tribal members are working to recreate their ancestral arts. The pottery that has resulted from these efforts was on display in the Glenn Black Laboratory. This exhibit closed Summer of 2017.
Archaeologists @ Work
As part of the Indiana University Themester “@Work: The Nature of Labor on a Changing Planet,” and in celebration of its 50th anniversary as an IU research center (1965-2015),The Glenn A. Black Laboratory of Archaeology is proud to open their new exhibit honoring the work conducted by Works Progress Administration crews at Angel Mounds State Historic Site in Evansville, Indiana. From 1939 to 1942, nearly 300 individuals were employed as archaeological surveyors, excavators, and laboratory technicians. This exhibit honors their contributions to Indiana archaeology, and reflects on advances made in the discipline over the last 75 years. This exhibit was funded by Themester 2015, "@Work: The Nature of Labor on a Changing Planet,"an initiative of the College of Arts and Sciences.
Practicing our Craft: Archaeologists as Artists
The artist archaeologists in this unique exhibit were asked to think about their archaeological photographs as works of art in their own right. Please peruse the collection of photos and accompanying descriptions to find out a little more about archaeology as a discipline and archaeologists as creators. The collection of photographs is both aesthetically pleasing and deeply personal."
Picturing Archaeology
Described in their words and illustrated by their images, the research and fieldwork of 13 Indiana University archaeologists was presented in this exhibit in the Mentoria Headdy Exhibit Hall. The exhibit closed in January of 2014.
Ancient Stone Carving in the American Midwest
Ancient people of the Midwest have a 12,000 year history of shaping stone. See examples of some of the earliest stone artifacts from the region along with an array of utilitarian and ceremonial pieces from the collections of the Glenn A. Black Laboratory of Archaeology. Limestone figures prominently among the many stone types crafted in the past. The exhibit closed in September of 2014.