MINGEI INTERNATIONAL MUSEUM WILL PRESENT EXHIBITION OF ROMANIAN FOLK ART

DATE: Jun 16, 10

BETWEEN EAST AND WEST– Folk Art Treasures of Romania, opening Sunday, August 1 at Mingei International Museum in Balboa Park, will showcase the rich and diverse artistic expression of this ancient territory. It will continue through February 13, 2011. The exhibition’s guest curator is Joyce Corbett.

The recent gift to Mingei International Museum of a personal archive and folk art collection from San Diegan Lucia Ionescu Kanchenian provided the impetus and inspiration for this exhibition. The richness of Romania’s related arts — costumes, textiles, architecture, works in wood, pottery and other objects of daily and ceremonial use — derives energy from the confluence of East and West. Although its present day borders were drawn during the twentieth century, the region has been inhabited by many great civilizations, among them the Roman, Ottoman and Austro-Hungarian Empires. Romanians, Hungarians, Saxon Germans, Armenians, Jews and Roma are all part of the rich cultural heritage of this land, adding variety and dimension to the art found there.

In addition to the Lucia Ionescu Kanchenian Collection, several other collections are represented in the exhibition. These lenders have succeeded in bringing back from their travels beautiful works of folk art and craft. There are wooden chests and benches embellished with paint; pottery in fanciful forms for various uses; magnificent hand-embroidered costumes and textiles, each one specific to its own linguistic and geographical zone; New Year’s festival masks intended to frighten and colorful icons painted on glass. The exhibition will also include a number of full costumes representing a variety of regions and a village room furnished in the style of Transylvania’s Maramures County. The Maryhill Museum of Art has loaned several unique, folkloric items that are part of their collection from Queen Marie of Romania.

In addition to the Maryhill Museum of Art, lenders to the exhibition are Peggy Geyer, Dr. Katalin Kádár Lynn, Kathleen McLaughlin, Dr. Kiki Skagen Munshi, Sharon Sharpe, Ferenc Tobak and Dr. Ronald Wixman with photographs by Kathleen McLaughlin, Russell Young and Scott Eastman. The exhibition is accompanied by a publication made possible by a generous donation from Dr. Katalin Kádár Lynn.

Photographs: Anthony Scoggins

Mingei International Museum is located at 1439 El Prado in Balboa Park. Hours are Tuesday through Sunday, 10 a.m. – 4 p.m. It is closed on Mondays and national holidays. Regular admission is $7 for adults, $5 for seniors and $4 for students and active military with ID. For information, call 619-239-0003 or visit www.mingei.org

Mingei International Museum exhibits folk art, craft and design from all eras and cultures of the world. Its museum in Balboa Park features Southern California’s largest and richest collection of mingei – art of the people.
Mingei International Museum is funded in part by The City of San Diego Commission for Arts and Culture and The County of San Diego Community Enhancement Program.

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