Since I am not on campus this summer, I figured the next best thing to write about would be other art campus events near me.

Princeton University, right around the corner from me, owns art galleries. One exhibition which I was specifically interested in is the Surfaces Seen and Unseen: African Art

This exhibition focuses on the surfaces of African art pieces, and how they evolve and transform throughout time from rituals and traditions. Surfaces can be impacted by soil, grains, or oils that empower the piece. The people who used these pieces during rituals also would add on embellishments, such as feathers or paint on details to give the art its healing powers.

Over time, African art has been scraped down to its original form (without embodying its powers) when they reached the West. These changes gave off a false interpretation of African art. There are various understandings behind African art that can all be told by solely its surfaces. There is an abundance of complexity that has yet to be examined.

This exhibition really begins to examine the deeper meaning behind African art, other than its healing or traditional uses, the pieces themselves are like an art history course; just by looking at the surfaces and seeing with your own eye how far these pieces have been, and the many hands and lives they have touched.

This exhibition will be on display from July 2nd- October 9th, 2016. To learn more check out this website.

Images courtesy of Princeton University.