June 17, 2005

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Vanishing cultures

by Sue Dremann

It's rare for an art museum to engage in discourse about the environment.

But the new "Vanishing Worlds: Art and Ritual in Amazonia" exhibit at Stanford's Cantor Arts Center invites viewers to engage in deeper dialogues about human connectedness to the environment -- and what art is.

"Vanishing Worlds" is an opportunity to see some of the rarest pieces of tribal Amazonian art in existence, created by 25 tribes threatened with extinction -- due partially to the destruction of their habitat by Western exploitation.

Many of the works were collected in Amazon forests, where they were discarded after one-time use in rituals. Colorful feather headdresses, feather tunics, pottery and ritual objects immerse the visitor in a spiritual world, where the primal forces of anima and animus reign supreme.

Stanford is the first stop in a national tour organized by the Houston Museum of Natural Science, which owns one of the most extensive collections of Amazonian art in the world. It's an unusual undertaking for an art museum, both because it challenges Western constructs of art versus craft, and because it may tread into an area of subtle advocacy.

"The notion of global warming has captured the notice of people in many parts of the world. The notion of an art museum engaging in discourse about the environment is not traditional, but it's important for us to understand our relationship to this world," said Winfield Coleman, assistant curator of the arts of Oceania, Africa and the Americas at the Cantor Arts Center. "I think it is appropriate for a museum to engage in that dialogue; to understand how the people in these cultures are inextricably linked to their environment."

That connection is everywhere in "Vanishing Worlds." In pre-literate cultures, every design, symbol, color and shape has meaning, linking it to the environment on which the tribes depend. And every object, from the 7-foot-high ritual costumes to the elaborately feathered headbands and Shuar tunics, is made from renewable resources, according to Adam Mekler, assistant curator of the Houston Museum of Natural Science.

One of the most impressive pieces in the collection is the 7-foot tall mask-body costume of the Uvat, the spirit inhabiting Lake Ipavu in Brazil. Created by the Kamayura, the costume is used in a healing ceremony to expel a malignant demon from a patient. The largest of a number of mask-body costumes on exhibit, it can weigh more than 100 pounds. Two shamans dance in a pair of costumes, which are used only once, then returned to the forest to mingle again with the earth, Mekler said.

The large Uvat represents three worlds: the upper world of the birds and sun, characterized by the red feathers of the scarlet macaw; the middle world of animals and plants, represented by extended arms patterned in a snake skin design, and the lower world, where roots and soil and burrowing animals reside, Mekler said.

Mask-body costumes play an important role in connecting tribal members to the natural and supernatural world. Sacred animals, such as the "na're'ii" -- which represent ghosts, thunder beings and monkeys -- are used in female coming-of-age ceremonies. Their symbolism revolves around renewal, fertility and connectedness with all elements of the world.

Embracing the intricate web of life, mask-body figures also celebrate animals such as the anteater. The anteater is highly revered because it associates with ants, powerful creatures that renew the earth. Ants are considered one of the most important creatures because they break down leaves so nutrients can replenish the soil, Mekler said.

The most vibrant and alluring pieces in the exhibition are made of feathers. Brilliantly colored plumes decorate headdresses, arm bands, tunics, earrings, necklaces and ritual figurines. According to Mekler, the Amazonian tribes use more than 40 species of birds, including parrots, macaws and herons.

Most of the feathers are obtained by raising birds as pets and collecting the feathers during molt -- not by killing, a popular Western misconception.

"If you were visiting the villages, you would see hundreds of birds walking around the villages," Mekler said.

Some of the most spectacular headdresses in the exhibition come from the Kayapo, a Brazilian tribe living south of the Amazon River. The Kayapo link themselves to the animal world through the belief that a person only becomes a "real person" by adorning their body with bird feathers, according to Mekler.

A particularly striking headdress is also the largest. The "krokroti" is worn by childless married women during name-giving ceremonies. The blue feathers symbolize the village square, the realm of men; red feathers symbolize women's world. The inner horseshoe shape represents the village, while the outer edge, fringed with white feathers, is representative of the surrounding forest, he said.

Feather tunics and pectorals are among the rarest items on display. Blazing with brilliant color, the garments are thought to be worn by persons of high stature, or used by young Mayna tribe males during adulthood initiation. The spectacular tunics are crafted from bark cloth, feathers and seeds and are painted with vegetal dyes. Bold, geometric patterns are created from thousands of small feathers. On each, the head of a toucan is attached to the front the garment, framed by a fan of lustrous wings from a variety of macaw and parrot species.

The exhibit is sure to raise arguments about whether the objects in "Vanishing Worlds" are anthropological artifacts or art. Historically, such works have been displayed in natural history museums, Coleman said.

But 16 years ago, Mekler organized the first showing of "cultural artifacts" as art. His argument for their acceptance as artworks is based, in part, on the fact that they are not only fine examples of artistry, but are profound.

"It's how they discuss mythology; it's where young people are educated. It's like a tribal school -- they don't have any written language. The art conveys aspects of their lives -- it's not something hung on a wall," he said.

E-mail Staff Writer Sue Dremann at sdremann@paweekly.com.


What:"Vanishing Worlds: Art and Ritual in Amazonia"


Where:Stanford's Cantor Arts Center, located at Lomita Drive and Museum Way (off Palm Drive)


When:Through Aug. 21. Viewing hours are Wed.-Sun. 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.; open Thurs. until 8 p.m.; Docent tours are available Thurs. at 12:15 p.m. and Sat.-Sun. at 2 p.m.


Cost:Admission is free. There is a weekday parking fee; free weekends and after 4 p.m. weekdays.

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