In today’s more global society, what does it mean to be American? The word has long been associated

In today’s more global society, what does it mean to be American? The word has long been associated with people living in the United States, but it can also apply to those in any other country in North, South, and Central America. While our galleries of American art for many years have included works from throughout the Americas, we have refreshed them to more fully reflect this broader definition of “American.” In addition, with themes that include cross-cultural influences, racial discrimination, and urbanization, the installation expands on issues confronting many Americans today.The arts of the Americas’ indigenous peoples express a deep, timeless spiritual connection to their ancestors and sacred homelands. Despite the European conquest and the massacre of millions, the indigenous peoples persevered, and continued to develop their rich and creative artistic traditions. Fundamentally, these artworks express the eternal message of the first peoples: “We have always been here.”In Maya cosmology, the water lily is associated with the underworld. The bejeweled male figure in Figure Emerging from a Water Lily may therefore symbolize the renewal of life after death, making it an appropriate burial offering. Hundreds of figurines in this style have been found on Jaina Island, just off Mexico’s Campeche coast, which served as an elite Maya burial site.Hundreds of years later and over two thousand miles away, potters in what would become Arizona depicted scenes, such as the hunter and antelope on this Sikyatki bowl, that provide clues about daily and spiritual life. Clay sources allowed potters to add red, yellow, and cream colors to their design palettes. Motifs became less geometric and linear, and more representative of regional animals and plants.Stop by our newly refreshed American Art galleries and see a broader definition of American art on our walls.Posted by Connie H. Choi -- source link
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