Desert Jewels bedazzle and bewilder SCAD
April 21, 2009 at 11:40 am by Cinque Hicks in Visual Arts
STRING THEORY: Necklace with central pendant, Tagguemout, 20th century, Draa Valley, Morocco
I can only assume that curators of African art are under contractual obligation always to paint the walls of their galleries terra cotta orange. Desert Jewels, an exhibition of North African jewelry from the Xavier Guerrand-Hermès collection currently on display at the ACA Gallery of SCAD trots out such clichéd decor, but fortunately offers more than enough visual flair to make the experience worthwhile.
Desert Jewels consists of dozens of exquisitely crafted necklaces, belt buckles, veils, and other bodily adornments showcasing an extraordinary array of styles and fabrication techniques. A series of photographs by some of the leading European photographers working in North Africa at the end of the 19th century, such as George Washington Wilson and J. Garrigues, accompanies the jewelry
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(Photo courtesy SCAD)
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