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Smithsonian Institution NATIONAL PORTRAIT GALLERY at 8th and F Street, NW, Washington DC on Sunday afternoon, 9 February 2014 by Elvert Barnes Photography
THE STRUGGLE FOR JUSTICE Permanent Exhibition
Paul Peck Gallery
Visit NPG / THE STRUGGLE FOR JUSTICE website at www.npg.si.edu/exhibit/struggle/index.html
Elvert Barnes FEBRUARY 2014 BLACK HISTORY MONTH Project
American Red Cross Nurse uniforms on loan from the Kansas Capital Area.
We partnered this year to raise needed supplies for area veterans and sent holiday postcards to service members overseas.
Balange or Balafon. On loan from Tim and Jett Elmer.
This instrument is like a xylophone, with gourds attached under boards to amplify the sound. It is played at weddings, parties, the market, and at schools. It is usually accompanied with songs, either historic or contemporary, stories, and entertainment.
Check the digital calendar in the entrance of the Library to find out what's currently on display...
2. Crayfish serving dish
ca. 20th century
Pewter
97.40.68
In China, crayfish are known as dragon-shrimp and symbolize riches, married bliss and harmony.
"More Than Words:
Text, Image, Structure and Material"
Duration: 6:04 minutes
How many ways can a book tell a story? Words and pictures come to mind first, but have you ever wondered if the paper itself or the shape of the book might have something to say as well?
We hope this short video will give you a brief overview of the four ways we believe the books in this exhibit tell their stories.
Shou is the Chinese character symbolizing longevity or immortality. There are over 100 various ways to represent this symbol. The shou character is often depicted with other symbols of longevity, like the bat and crane. When the two are given as a wedding gift, they symbolize a wish for many years of married life.
1. Teapot
ca. 20th century
Pewter, jade, Yixing clay
94.39.11
2. Peach-shaped lacquered box
ca. 20th century
Lacquer, papier-mâché, red and gold paint
97.40.156
In terms of the decorative arts, lacquerware refers to variety of techniques used to decorate wood, metal or other surfaces.
3. Round box
ca. 20th century
Lacquer, board, metal hinges, gold paint
97.40.166
4. Bracelet
ca. 20th century
Carnelian, silver
97.40.316
5. Pair of spoons
ca. 20th century
Metal
97.40.143ab
Southern India, Kancheepu-Ram
Peacock (sari), 1989
Silk, gold thread
Gift of Viji and Sati Satya-Murti, 2006.012
L to R clockwise from top: Stoneware jar by Jack Wright, jewelry by Robert Ebendorf and Diamondback twined binding book and 2-part box by Roberta Lavadour.
Robert Ault
"City Roots"
Acrylic on canvas with collage
Gift of Nathan and Jewell Uhr
TSCPL Permanent Collection; 2004.35.1
The progression of our world through underground thought (ideas from within) is made visible through art. Our unique interpretations and invention drive us. These roots of creation are the same roots that lead to civilization.
The crane is believed to live a very long life, so it is a symbol for longevity. Next to the phoenix, it is the second most important winged animal in the Chinese pantheon of animals. A pair of cranes is a symbol of long marriage and ultimate longevity.
A rooster is the symbol for reliability, epitome of fidelity and punctuality. Since the Chinese pronunciation for the rooster’s crest is the same as official, it is also a symbol of advantage. To give a rooster as a gift is to wish someone luck in attaining public office or a promotion.
2. Pair of crane candlesticks
ca. 20th century
Pewter
97.40.78ab
Smithsonian Institution NATIONAL PORTRAIT GALLERY at 8th and F Street, NW, Washington DC on Sunday afternoon, 9 February 2014 by Elvert Barnes Photography
THE STRUGGLE FOR JUSTICE Permanent Exhibition
Paul Peck Gallery
Visit NPG / THE STRUGGLE FOR JUSTICE website at www.npg.si.edu/exhibit/struggle/index.html
Elvert Barnes FEBRUARY 2014 BLACK HISTORY MONTH Project
DETAIL
Lauren Faulkenberry
The Heart Wants What it Wants, 2010
Paper, woodcuts, letterpress, fabric
Edition of 70; Firebrand Press, Tuscaloosa, AL
TSCPL Permanent Collection
Based on the mythology of the Greek furies, this trilogy explores themes of heartache, longing, and obsession, and describes how it feels to be set aflame by another.
The artist uses both text and image to tell this story. Would text alone express the complexity of these emotions?
DETAIL
Gordon Parks
Fort Scott KS
Pool Hall (1949)
Gelatin silver photograph
2005.21
I picked this because I love non-fiction storytelling. For me, narratives about real people and real places trump fantasy. As this is the work of Gordon Parks, we might assume these men could bend our ear on racism, civil rights, good food, friends and music, and a critical American experience I personally couldn’t know first-hand. Gordon Parks preserved part of this story, and by doing so, left historians with superior, primary visual source material for future study about African-American history in the early-to-mid 20th century.
–Heather Kearns
This photograph has many strong visual aspects starting with body language and facial expressions. I am most fascinated by the darkness of the interior contrasted by the day’s light. The postures of the figures leaning in the doorway suggest they are about to leave or perhaps they’re taking a break. These men are real and I imagine their stories are as well. I would love to sit down with these guys and learn from their experiences.
–Trish Nixon
DETAIL
Peggy Gotthold & Lawrence Van Velzer
Herakles and the Eurystheusian Twelve-Step Program, 2009
Paper, letterpress, twine, thread, leather, fabric
Edition of 110: Foolscap Press, Santa Cruz, CA
TSCPL Permanent Collection
If you read your Greek mythology you’ll find that everything I’ve written about Herakles is true. The twelve-step program I’ve written about is what at the time would have been called a set of Labors. Eurystheus didn’t have a lot of research to fall back on. He had to make it up as he went along. You have to give the man credit.
Pam Parker, Becky Florence and President Witt prepare for the official presentation of the Paul R. Jones Collection to The University of Alabama.
Fahamu Pecou, "Giant Robot," 2006; and Benny Andrews, "Danny," 1984, part of the Paul R. Jones Collection of American Art at The University of Alabama.
American Red Cross Nurse uniforms on loan from the Kansas Capital Area.
We partnered this year to raise needed supplies for area veterans and sent holiday postcards to service members overseas.
DETAIL
Bush knife. Liberia, Loma. Steel and brass. Gift of Diana Hawks. Arrows. East Africa. Wood, feather, removable steel barbs. On loan from Gary K. Clarke, Cowabunga Safaris
Slipper, China
Wood, embroidered silk; 20th c.
Gift of Annie B. Sweet
Topeka & Shawnee County Public Library Permanent Collection, S-26
The dragon is a symbol of male vigor, fertility, ultimate abundance, prosperity and good fortune. It is the symbol of the Emperor. The dragon, as a divine mystical creature, is the symbol of the natural world, adaptability and transformation.
A phoenix is the symbol of virtue, duty, correct behavior, humanity, reliability, strength, resilience, good fortune and luck. The phoenix is considered to be the most important of the winged animals, a symbol of yin in the yin-yang energy.
3. Phoenix plate
ca. 20th century
Metal
97.40.124
Sun Kyoung Kim
USA
Finger Ring (2005)
Mixed media, resin and sterling silver
2007.26
Finger Ring is quite unusual. To me, this piece is about merging identity with technology. I can’t help but think of the future and how one’s identity will be an extension of the virtual world. I love the fact that this piece can be worn.
–Trish Nixon
Evans's "Roadside Store, Vicinity Greensboro," 1935; Weems's "Shoes under Bed/Hat on Bed," 1992; and Morgan's "Extending Privileges," 2001.
5. Fish serving dish
ca. 20th century
Pewter, glass, brass
97.40.66
Fish are a symbol of abundance and wealth. According to Chinese legend, if a large carp can jump over the pond, he can become a dragon. Chinese scholars used this legend to express their desire to pass the official exams and gain an office.
Smithsonian Institution NATIONAL PORTRAIT GALLERY at 8th and F Street, NW, Washington DC on Sunday afternoon, 9 February 2014 by Elvert Barnes Photography
THE STRUGGLE FOR JUSTICE Permanent Exhibition
Paul Peck Gallery
Visit NPG / THE STRUGGLE FOR JUSTICE website at www.npg.si.edu/exhibit/struggle/index.html
Elvert Barnes FEBRUARY 2014 BLACK HISTORY MONTH Project
4/150: Frye W. Giles’ Thirty Years in Topeka: 1865-1885, original publication, Topeka, KS, Geo. Crane and Publishers, 1886. Frye Giles was one of the original nine founders.
5/150: Sara T. L. Robinson, Kansas: Its Interior and Exterior Life, Including A Full View of its Settlement, Political History, Social Life, Climate, Soil, Productions, Scenery, Etc., Boston: Crosby, Nichols and Company, 1856, 6th edition. Sara was the wife of Charles Robinson, both founders of Lawrence, Kansas. Charles Robinson later became governor of Kansas.
INTERIOR
3/150: Edward Everett Hale’s Kanzas and Nebraska, was published in August of 1854, with the sanction of the New England Emigrant Aid Company. It is the first book ever published about Kansas. Its purpose was to encourage pioneers to move to Kansas, settle there, and ensure that Kansas would become a Free State. While the NEEAC was intended to be a for-profit company, few people bought stock in it. Hale earned a little over $200 in royalties, and the company lost $108.