Collecting Culture: Himalaya through the Lens
Tuesday, January 13, 2015 - 10:00am
Block Museum of ArtEvent Description
1/13/2015-4/12/2015
Alsdorf Gallery
Collecting Culture: Himalaya through the Lens looks at European and American representations of Kashmir and the Himalayas. By the late 19th century, British colonial rule in India stimulated travel to the region, from military and commercial expeditions to scientific research, mountaineering and tourism. It also facilitated mapping, photographic documentation and collecting, all of which contributed to how the region was viewed from afar.
As a companion exhibition to Collecting Paradise: Buddhist Art of Kashmir and Its Legacies, this exhibition further examines the impact of centuries of collecting in the region. Through lenses including photography, cartography, natural science and ethnography, it reflects on the ways Westerners have perceived, defined and acquired the Himalayas, raising questions about what is gained and what is lost when objects are removed from their intended cultural context.
The collecting practices of four individuals are highlighted: Giuseppe Tucci (1894–1984), an Italian scholar of languages and religions; Walter Koelz (1895–1989), an American zoologist and self-trained art connoisseur; Thakur Rup Chand (1902–1994), who was born in British-ruled India and worked closely with Koelz over 30 years; and William McGovern (1897–1964), a Northwestern professor who participated in two expeditions to the region in 1922–23, resulting in a film and travel memoir.
- See more at: http://www.blockmuseum.northwestern.edu/view/exhibitions/upcoming-exhibi...
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