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Megan Troppito
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mtroppito@luc.edu
Annual Crèche Exhibition Returns; Paired with African Sculpture Exhibition
CHICAGO, November 5, 2014 – The annual holiday exhibition Art and Faith of the Crèche: The Collection of James and Emilia Govan returns to the Loyola University Museum of Art (LUMA). Also on view at the museum is the exhibition, Swaddled in Stone: Shona Sculptures of the Holy Family, which includes six works of the Holy Family by Shona sculptors from the Shona People of Zimbabwe. The exhibitions will be at LUMA from November 8, 2014 through January 4, 2015.
Art and Faith of the Crèche
Every holiday season since 2009, LUMA has exhibited crèches donated to the museum by collectors James and Emilia Govan. This gift is comprised of more than 500 works created by people from over 100 countries.
The 2014 Crèche of the Year is Spanish to honor St. Ignatius of Loyola, the founder of the Society of Jesus, on the bicentennial of the order’s restoration.
“The Christian story of the Nativity can be interpreted as a story of a family facing adversity and receiving help from strangers and from the community around them,” said Pam Ambrose, director of cultural affairs at Loyola University Chicago. “It is a story with universal appeal.”
The Govan Collection crèches were made by people during the last 50 years, and the artists have incorporated the indigenous flora, fauna, gifts, clothing, and architecture of the artisans’ countries.
Swaddled in Stone
Also on view during Art and Faith of the Crèche is an exhibition featuring six Shona sculptures from Zimbabwe. Through skillful carving, burnishing, and rustication, the pieces exploit the natural qualities in the stone to evoke different textures, like hair, skin, and clothing.
Among the well-known sculptors represented in the Swaddled in Stone exhibition are Washington Msonza and Kennedy Musekiwa. The sculptures are drawn from the collection of Hans Heubert of Overhetfeld, Germany. Heubert has promoted Shona images of the Holy Family at Nativity, or Krippana, festivals across Europe.
To learn more about each exhibition, visit LUC.edu/luma.
Public Programming
All events take place at LUMA, 820 N. Michigan Avenue, Chicago, Illinois 60611.
Neapolitan Crèche: A Holiday Gift to the City of Chicago
Saturday, November 8, 11 a.m.
A year after being named the Searle Chair and Curator of the Department of Medieval through Modern European Painting and Sculpture at the Art Institute of Chicago in 2012, Sylvain Bellenger made a bold move, and acquired an 18th-century Neapolitan crèche. The work features over 200 intricately carved figures dressed in the finest of Italian clothing, and includes more than 50 animals and 41 items of food and drink. Enjoy learning how Bellenger, former Chief Curator of National Heritage at the Institut National d’Histoire de l’Art in Paris, decided to start a new Christmas tradition in Chicago with his purchase. The time is subject to change, and seating is VERY limited. To ensure space, please call ahead (312.915.7630) or email (luma@luc.edu) by November 3, for the most up-to-date information. Admission is $15 for the public and $10 for LUMA members and Loyola students, faculty, and staff.
Opening Reception
Thursday, November 20, 5:30–7:30 p.m.
Celebrate the openings of Art and Faith of the Crèche: The Collection of James and Emilia Govan and Swaddled in Stone: Shona Sculptures of the Holy Family. Admission is $15 for the public and free for LUMA members and Loyola students, faculty, and staff.
Meet the Collector
Saturday, November 22, 11:15 a.m.
James Govan began collecting crèches with his late wife, Emilia, in the 1970s. To date, he has amassed more than 500 crèches from over 100 countries. During this informal tour, Govan will discuss his favorite pieces and the stories behind them. Free with museum admission.
Zimbabwean Stone Sculpture: Origins and History of a Contemporary Art Movement
Tuesday, December 2, 6 p.m.
Dr. Mark DeLancey from DePaul University will highlight the origins and history of the modern stone sculpture movement in Zimbabwe. While early enthusiasts stressed connections with Shona sculptural heritage and cultural traditions, more recent scholarship emphasizes the importance of understanding the contemporaneous forces of missionary training, racial prejudice, the civil war of the late 1960s–1970s, and global markets. Admission is $4 for the public and free for LUMA members and Loyola students, faculty, and staff.
About LUMA
Opened in 2005, the Loyola University Museum of Art is dedicated to exploring, promoting, and understanding art and artistic expression that illuminates the enduring spiritual questions of all cultures and societies. The museum is dedicated to helping people of all creeds explore the roots
About LUMA
Opened in 2005, the Loyola University Museum of Art is dedicated to exploring, promoting, and understanding art and artistic expression that illuminates the enduring spiritual questions of all cultures and societies. As a museum with an interest in education and educational programming, LUMA reflects the University’s Jesuit mission and is dedicated to helping people of all creeds explore the roots of their faith and spiritual quests. Located at Loyola University Chicago’s Water Tower Campus, the museum occupies the first three floors of the University’s historic Lewis Towers on Chicago’s famous Michigan Avenue. For more information, visit the museum’s website at LUC.edu/luma.
Art illuminating the spirit!
-LUMA-
