Grave Creek Mound Archaeological Complex will celebrate Black History Month with a new exhibition, African Art, in the Delf Norona Museum in Moundsville on Sunday, Feb. 10. An opening reception and gallery talk by Judith Strawderman, owner and collector of the art, will be held that day from 2 - 4 p.m. The show and reception are free and open to the public. The exhibition will remain on display through Friday, March 14.
The exhibition consists of African art that Strawderman has been collecting for more than 25 years. The pieces in the exhibit have been acquired through traders, galleries, auctions, and even flea markets. Most of the work is in the traditional form and was meant to be functional; however, the Makonde sculptures are considered contemporary art created to be “art for art’s sake.” The artwork is primarily from the western and central parts of Africa, with a sprinkling of objects from South Africa and Tanzania.
Some of the work in the exhibition has been previously on display at the Maryland Museum of African Art in Columbia, Md., Sunrise Museum and Taylor Books, both in Charleston, W.Va., and West Virginia State University in Institute, W.Va.
Strawderman is co-owner of Scary Creek Art in St. Albans, W.Va. which is a picture framing establishment. In addition she serves as a member of the adjunct faculty at West Virginia State University; an independent contractor for Peoplework Solutions; and an arbitrator for the Council of Better Business Bureaus. For the gallery talk, Strawderman will give an overview of the items on display.
For more information about the exhibition contact Andrea Keller, cultural program coordinator for Grave Creek Mound, at (304) 843-4128 or by e-mail at andrea.keller@wvculture.org.
Operated by the West Virginia Division of Culture and History, Grave Creek Mound Archaeological Complex features one of the largest and most famous burial mounds built by the prehistoric Adena people. A massive undertaking, construction of the mound took place in successive stages from about 250-150 B.C., and required the movement of more than 60,000 tons of earth. Exhibits and displays in the complex’s museum interpret what is known about the lives of these prehistoric people and the construction of the mound. The Archaeological Complex is located at 801 Jefferson Ave., in Moundsville. Contact the museum for information regarding admission fees, group registration and detailed driving directions. The museum is open to the public Monday through Saturday from 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. and Sunday from 1 to 5 p.m.
The West Virginia Division of Culture and History, an agency of the West Virginia Department of Education and the Arts, brings together the state’s past, present and future through programs and services in the areas of archives and history, the arts, historic preservation and museums. Its administrative offices are located at the Cultural Center in the State Capitol Complex in Charleston, which also houses the state archives and state museum. The Cultural Center is West Virginia’s official showcase for the arts. The agency also operates a network of museums and historic sites across the state. For more information about the Division’s programs, visit www.wvculture.org. The Division of Culture and History is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Employer.
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