Historic American Indian artifacts are on display this semester in the Frank H. McClung Museum.
The exhibit, titled “Discovering American Indian Art,” features pieces of Native American craftwork spanning the last 150 years. The collection contains samples that originated from 30 different North American tribes, including carved masks from Northwestern regions of the U.S., worked clothing and intricate beadwork.
“The different styles of beadwork are my favorite part of the exhibit, and all of the different masks are fabulous,” Deborah Woodiel, museum educator and assistant director of the McClung Museum, said.
These objects provide insights into the lives of American Indians from diverse tribes and regions. Many of the items were created for practical uses, though some were created for religious or expressly artistic purposes.
The multitude of American Indian art was loaned to the museum for the semester through the goodwill of an anonymous couple. This couple worked to collect the samples over the last 30 years, gearing vacations to the pursuit of this unique hobby.
“When we learned of this collection, the museum exhibits committee saw an excellent exhibit opportunity,” Jefferson Chapman, director of the McClung Museum, said.
In fact, this consortium of Native American art constitutes such an array of artifacts that only a select few have been chosen for display. The primary motivation of the curators appears to be a pursuit of diversity, incorporating artifacts from different regions and tribes. Also, selected artifacts represent a wide range of uses, both functional and aesthetic.
Most of the samples were created for use within tribal communities, though some were created for commercial sale to whites. These items chronicle American Indian history, being representative of both their own cultural traditions as well as the customs they have gleaned through interactions with white men.
The exhibit offers more than an opportunity to experience the splendor of the American Indian culture. It also gives participants the ability to discover the history of a talented people through the products of their own hands.
“Some of the samples show so much detail and finesse,” Woodiel said. “They were created with painstaking effort.”
The museum’s audiences are appreciating the interesting and picturesque artwork as well.
“It (the exhibit) has been used by a number of university classes as well as school groups from Knoxville and surrounding counties,” Chapman said.
This exhibit is in keeping with the goals of the museum, which aims to “advance understanding and appreciation of the earth and its peoples through the collection, preservation, study, interpretation and exhibition of objects and data.”
Other exhibits at the museum offer a closer look at Ancient Egypt, as well as several displays devoted to the history and geography of Tennessee.
Frank H. McClung Museum is open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Saturday and from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. on Sunday.
