Thanks to the advance collections planning of the curatorial, conservation, and exhibition teams, all galleries across the Museum’s Main Level now include displays of textiles and other organic materials that are updated at least annually.The rotations ensure that light-sensitive collections are protected from too-long exposure, but also allow visitors to see more of the Museum’s rich holdings over time.The semi-annual changed display in the Main Level Spotlight Gallery adds to wealth of collections newly on view.
Beginning with this issue, Expedition will highlight what’s new in the permanent galleries (see page 12).This spring, stunning textiles can be seen for the first time in the Africa, Mexico and Central America, and Native American Voices galleries, along with the exquisite Deer Dancer katsina in the Spotlight Gallery.Visitors can enjoy, too, updates to the Asia Galleries, particularly the smaller, outer gallery with newly installed objects including a sixth-century bronze Maitreya profiled by Adam Smith (page 14).
Also in this issue, we look ahead to the Eastern Mediterranean Gallery, opening November 19, as Manning Family Conservator Jessica Byler shares perspective on artifacts from the sanctuary of Apollo Hylates, Kourion, she is preparing for display (page 46).
Two very different articles have a focus on Peru: Ann Hudson Peters, a specialist in the analysis of textiles and organic artifacts who works on late Paracas and early Nasca Andean civilizations in the Pacific watersheds of southern Peru, describes the foresight of William Curtis Farabee and his collaboration with native Andean archaeologist Julio C. Tello (page 32),while Daniel Bauer, an anthropologist who works in the Tahuayo region, shares his work with local residents documenting healing gardens (page 22). Bauer’s work on Chambira Weaving can be seen in Expedition Vol.59:2 (2017).
AMANDA MITCHELL-BOYASK
PUBLISHER