Two new exhibits—one featuring ancient glass from the Mediterranean and the other featuring American Indian glass beadwork—open Saturday, January 18, at UT’s McClung Museum of Natural History and Culture.
Glass of the Ancient Mediterranean and Brightly Beaded: North American Indian Glass Beadwork will run through June 1, 2014. They illustrate a variety of objects ranging from the ancient world to the recent past.
Glass of the Ancient Mediterranean explores the origins of glass production in the ancient world through thirty pieces from the Yale University Art Gallery, which is home to one of the best collections of ancient glass in the United States. Featuring objects from ancient Egypt and the Roman and Byzantine Empires, these pieces of glass show three millennia of craftsmanship, artistry, daily life, trade, pilgrimage, and luxury in the ancient Mediterranean.
Brightly Beaded: North American Indian Glass Beadwork investigates how the introduction of glass beads to American Indians changed and shaped the art of beadwork. From cradleboards to moccasins, this exhibit of more than fifty brightly beaded objects looks at the techniques and cultural importance of beadwork and how it continues to serve as an important expression of cultural identity today.
Several free programs are planned, including exhibit-related Family Fun Days on January 25 and February 22; stroller tours for parents, caregivers, and young children on February 24 and April 14; and exhibit lectures on March 9 and 23. See the McClung Museum event calendar online for more details.
Brightly Beaded: North American Indian Glass Beadwork is curated by Michael H. Logan, UT professor of anthropology. Glass of the Ancient Mediterranean is curated by Sarah Cole, Yale University Art Gallery. Both exhibits are presented by Home Federal Bank, UT’s Ready for the World initiative, AARP, the Aletha & Clayton Brodine Museum Fund, and the Nick and Fran Newell Museum Fund. Additional support is provided by Knox County, the City of Knoxville, and the Arts & Heritage Fund.
The McClung Museum is located at 1327 Circle Park Drive. Museum admission is free, and the museum’s hours are 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Monday to Saturday and 1:00 to 5:00 p.m. on Sundays. Free two-hour museum parking passes are available from the parking information building at the entrance to Circle Park Drive on the weekdays. Free parking is available on Circle Park Drive on a first-come, first-served basis on weekends. Additional parking information is available online.
For more information about the McClung Museum and its collections and exhibits, visit the website.
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CONTACTS:
Catherine Shteynberg (865-974-6921, cshteynb@utk.edu)
Christina Selk (865-974-2143, cselk@utk.edu)