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CURRENT
EXHIBITION
Wrapped
in Tradition:
Chihuly Collection of Native American Trade Blankets
PULLMAN
– The Museum of Art at WSU will exhibit “Wrapped
in Tradition: The Chihuly Collection of Native American Trade
Blankets,” Oct. 3 – Dec. 19.
“Wrapped in Tradition” includes 80 vintage Native
American trade blankets from the personal collection of the
master of glass, Dale Chihuly. Also on view will be numerous
pieces of original art from Chihuly’s Blanket Cylinder
series, which vividly invokes the blankets’ unique texture,
patterns and colors. A third component of the exhibition showcases
vintage examples of Native American baskets from WSU’s
Museum of Anthropology. The resulting display conveys a rich
cross-cultural dialogue between an innovative contemporary
artist, commercial craftsmanship and Native American traditions.
Museum of Art Director, Chris Bruce said, “Aside from
the obvious opportunity to view a famous artist’s personal
collection, this exhibition is an example of the value of
cross-cultural experiences. There is a proven maxim that innovations
often occur when the practitioner is open to encounters with
new and unexpected influences. Think of Van Gogh and Japanese
prints, Picasso and African sculpture, or Lichtenstein and
comics. Dale Chihuly has spent a lifetime surrounding himself
with all kinds of materials outside his specific field: old
toys and rare books, masks from all over the world, historical
photographs and other artist’s work and, in this case,
Native American baskets and trade blankets. The result in
his own art is not direct influences, but rather constant,
changing sources of inspiration and reminders to think out
of the box.”
Artist Dale Chihuly, born in 1941, lives and works in Seattle.
He received a bachelor's degree from the University of Washington,
a master's from the University of Wisconsin at Madison, and
a Master in Fine Arts from the Rhode Island School of Design
(RISD). In 1969 he established the glass program at RISD,
where he taught full-time for more than a decade. He cofounded
Pilchuck Glass School near Stanwood, Wash., in 1971.
The Museum of Art will also feature guest speaker Barry Friedman,
author of “Chasing Rainbows: Collecting American Indian
Trade and Camp Blankets and one of the nation’s experts
on trade blankets.” Friedman will speak at 7 p.m., Oct.
3 in the Fine Arts Auditorium.
The
Museum of Art is located on Wilson Road across from Martin
Stadium in the Fine Arts Center on the WSU campus. Summer
gallery hours are Tuesday – Saturday, Noon – 4:00
p.m., closed Sunday and Monday.
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