ACTUALITÉ MUSÉES
42
LEFT: View of the storage at
the Museum der Kulturen,
Basel.
© MKB. Photo: Omar Lemke.
RIGHT: Figure of a deity.
Veracruz, Gulf Coast,
Mexico. AD 300–900.
Terracotta. H: 48.5 cm.
Museo Internazionale delle Ceramiche,
inv. 20454. © MIC, Faenza.
FAR RIGHT: Seated dignitary.
Maya, Mesoamerica.
AD 300–900.
Terracotta. H: 16.5 cm.
Ligabue Collection, inv. 177.
© MIC, Faenza.
ABOVE: Anthropomorphic
vessel. Nazca, Central Coast,
Peru. 100 BC–AD 600.
Terracotta. H: 18 cm.
Museo Internazionale delle Ceramiche,
inv. 20510.
© MIC, Faenza.
LEFT AND BELOW:
Views of the storage at the
Museum der Kulturen, Basel.
© MKB. Photo: Omar Lemke.
South American Expeditions
FAENZA—Pre-Columbian ceramics will be presented
at the Museo Internazionale delle Ceramiche in an
exhibition orchestrated by the Fondazione Giancarlo
Ligabue in Venice. Aztechi, Maya, Inca e le culture
dell’antica America (Aztec, Maya, Inca, and the Ancient
American Cultures) is on view until April 28,
2019, and provides a comprehensive overview of the
major cultures of Pre-Columbian America through the
presentation of a wide variety of pieces. Antonio Aimi
and Antonio Guarnotta, the exhibition’s curators, take
new approaches other than the archaeological and offer
new perspectives on this fascinating art. The show
explores less frequently considered subjects such as
the place of women in society and the Conquest from
the point of view of indigenous Americans. The show
also strives to include representative material from
each of the diverse Pre-Columbian cultures, both in
Mesoamerica and in the Northern Andes, rather than
focusing only on the best-known ones. This approach
reveals unexpected shared characteristics among
them.
Museum der Kulturen
BASEL—The Museum der Kulturen in Basel is planning
a show about objects that generally reside in its
storage. This is an innovative concept and one that
will interest many people who are eager to know what
goes on behind the scenes at a museum. It also reveals
how objects that are not under the bright lights all
the time are housed and care for. These days, many
of these treasures are often the subject of controversy—
they may have been stolen, unjustly removed
from their contexts, or be made of materials that are
now prohibited. What was earlier sought after is the
subject of criticism today. How must these sensitive
objects be handled? These issues and more will be explored
by the museum beginning on March 22, 2019.