Deirdra Harris Glover
MC Contributor/Staff Writer
The Aron and Karen Primack African Art Collection, housed in the Margaret Walker Center in historic Ayer Hall, is a testament to ancient arts crafted by modern hands.
The collection is wholly comprised of 20th century art conveying the sense of history and place of earlier times. The sixteen piece exhibit, on loan from the collection of Aron and Karen Primack, was unveiled Sept. 15, and emphasizes the beauty in everyday objects created in the style of artifacts.
The collection showcases traditional art and cultural pieces like ebony sculptures and decorative chairs, as well as more utilitarian pieces like bowls, a reliquary, and even a lunchbox.
The three hide-drums speak to Nathan Kirui, an English as a Second Language student from Nairobi, Kenya. The drums remind him of good times back home. Softspoken in a boisterous room, he leans in to describe the role of drumming in his home community.
“They are used for cultural ceremonies, traditional weddings and special occasions. You need special people to operate the drums: (drumming) is passed down as knowledge of the culture,” said Kirui.
Nancy Ying Liu, interim director for the English as Second Language program, excitedly steered Kirui and a group of fellow ESL students through the exhibit.
“It is wonderful to see students make connections to the art,” Liu said.
Brittany Calhoun, a senior fine arts major from Jackson, Miss., is the principal curator of the Primack exhibit, and she is elated Kirui had such a profound connection to the displayed objects.
“As African-Americans, we know the culture but we don’t know the deeper meaning within it,” said Calhoun. “It was interesting for me to learn that these drums weren’t just used in ritual, they were used for weddings, funerals, not in a sad way but as a way of bringing life back into the community.”
Dr. Yumi Park Huntington, JSU Assistant Professor of Art, praised Calhoun’s research for the collection.
“(Calhoun) worked so hard to research each individual object in the collection. She is an expert on these items.“ Calhoun’s favorite piece is the lunchbox, or meal carrier. “As soon as I was told what it was, I could clearly imagine a woman in the village bringing this out to her husband working in the field with all types of food in it. Africans as a whole used art not only for aesthetics but also for functional pieces. ”
Calhoun has apprenticed with a silversmith, and is accustomed to working difficult materials with her hands.
“Growing up in a society where mostly everything was mass produced, you can really sit down and appreciate the artistry in an egg basket, that someone took these wires and made those art forms. I know that these objects are not technically (antiques) but they still give you a sense of culture and care,” said Calhoun.
The Primack African Art Collection is on display in Ayer Hall until December. Admission is free. For more information call 601-979-3935
