Winter Celebrations from Around the World
Lloyd's Treasure Chest
A special display highlighting diverse celebrations including Chanukah, Christmas, Kwanzaa» and Chinese New Year. Lloyd's Treasure Chest provides the opportunity to interact with works not on display in the gallery, providing a context for further appreciation and understanding of folk heritage, traditions, and aesthetics. Here, visitors have the opportunity to experience the behind-the-scenes museum activities and gain insight into aspects of preservation and conservation relating to the diverse works, and see videos about the collection.

Material World: Textiles & Dress from the Collection
Material World presents a tantalizing glimpse into the Museum of International Folk Art's largest collection of textiles and costumes stored in 57 closets and numerous trunks and drawers. The 138 rarely-seen items in this exhibition highlight the remarkable breadth and depth of 20,000 objects ranging from everyday household articles to elaborately detailed ceremonial wear in the Museum's textile collection.

The exhibition is accompanied by a richly illustrated catalogue authored by exhibition curator Bobbie Sumberg. The catalog divides the textile and costume collection into two categories, textiles and dress, and into several subcategories: Textiles for the bed; for the dwelling; for the church, temple, or ceremony; and, decorative pieces such as samplers. Dress is divided into headwear, outerwear, footwear, accessories, ceremonial, and complete ensembles.
(Photo, above, left: Boots, leather, linen, metallic thread, tooled. Syria. Gift of Irene Fisher and Dr. Estella Warner. Photo by Addison Doty) The exhibition closes September 11, 2011 in the Cotsen Gallery of the Neutrogena Wing.

Dancing Shadows, Epic Tales:
Wayang Kulit of Indonesia»
in the Bartlett Wing through March 14, 2010

Wayang kulit (shadow puppet) performance of Indonesia is among the oldest and greatest story telling traditions in the world and lies close to the heart of Javanese culture. Wayang kulit are flat, leather puppets elaborately decorated and perforated, casting intricate and dramatic shadows when performed. This is a highly refined art form that commemorates important life cycle ceremonies and a variety of social events. Performances are usually based on classical literature such as the Indian epics, Mahabharata and Ramayana with contemporary issues incorporated into particular scenes. Performances are always accompanied by a gamelan orchestra and traditionally begin in the evening and last until dawn.

Featuring the Museum of International Folk Art's collection, this exhibition introduces the distinct form and performance of wayang kulit from Central Java. Various aspects of this performance art are also explored, including gamelan music, the artistic techniques involved in making shadow puppets, the performance of the dhalang (puppeteer), regional variations, and the cultural context of wayang kulit. Engaging hands-on activities abound, such as puppet-making, musical instruments, computer interactives, and more.
By Museum Admission, New Mexico residents with I.D. free on Sundays, youth 16 & under and foundation members» always free!


Press Information»

A Century of Masters:
The NEA National Heritage Fellows
of New Mexico
Presented as part of the 100th anniversary celebration of the founding of the Museum of New Mexico
Each year, the National Endowment for the Arts» honors folk artists, storytellers, performers, and musicians throughout the United States for their contributions to traditional art forms. The National Heritage Fellows demonstrate artistic excellence and a commitment to their art forms through their processes, techniques, and transmission of the knowledge to others that strengthens and enriches their communities. New Mexico residents are well-represented in this distinguished group of talented artists, especially given the size of the state's population. The Museum of International Folk Art holds examples of the works of all the Fellows from New Mexico in its collections, from weavings, to pottery, tinwork, straw appliqué, retablos, and woodcarving. The exhibition closes May 22, 2011. The National Heritage Fellowship Artists from New Mexico are:

Charles M. Carrillo» (artist, santero) 2006
Helen Cordero» (Cochiti potter, deceased) 1986
Frances Varos Graves» (colcha embroiderer, deceased) 1994
George López» (artist, woodcarver, deceased) 1982
Ramón José López»(artist, santero) 1997
Esther Martinez» (San Juan storyteller, deceased) 2006
Roberto & Lorenzo Martinez» (musicians) 2003
Eliseo & Paula Rodriguez» (artists, straw appliqué) 2004
Emilio & Senaida Romero» (artists, tinwork, deceased) 1987
Margaret Tafoya» (Santa Clara potter, deceased) 1984
Irvin Trujillo» (Rio Grande weaver) 2007
Cleofes Vigil» (storyteller, singer, deceased) 1984

CLOSED:
Multiple Visions: A Common Bond
This exhibition is closed temporarily for lighting and other upgrades and will re-open in June, 2010. This unique exhibition designed by the collector and donor, Alexander Girard». Since the opening in 1982, more than a million visitors have been delighted by the richly varied displays of toys, and traditional folk art from more than 100 countries.

Girard Lesson Plans»


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