Williams College Museum of Art Presents Life Cycles
WILLIAMSTOWN, Mass.– The Williams College Museum of Art (WCMA) presents Life Cycles: An African Journey Through Art, which explores the African conception of life as a cycle through a succession of stages using objects from the museum’s collection of African art.This exhibition was organized by Gillian Pistell, Graduate Student in the History of Art at Williams College, Class of 2010. Ms. Pistell will give a gallery talk about the exhibition on Wednesday, October 14 at 4:00 pm.
This event is free and open to the public.
Life Cycles investigates the African idea of life as a cycle of stages: birth, adolescence, adulthood, death, and the afterlife. Throughout Africa and its many diverse religions and cultures, the life events associated with these stages are often recognized with particular rituals and also, works of art. Often the only remaining evidence of a ceremony becomes the art object used during the ritual. The objects themselves become active symbols and often take the form of masks, but also include dolls, statuary figures, and everyday objects. Life Cycles shows the wide range of uses and meanings these objects have across several different African cultures.
Williams College Museum of Art
The Williams College Museum of Art is located on Main Street in Williamstown, Massachusetts. It is open Tuesday through Saturday from 10 am to 5 pm and Sunday from 1 to 5 pm. The museum is wheelchair accessible and open to the public. Admission is FREE. For more information, contact the museum at 413-597-2429 or visit www.wcma.org.
