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Latin American art collection finds home at ASU


February 24, 2009

A sizeable collection of more then 300 pieces of folk art from all over Latin America (including Peru, Mexico, Haiti, Costa Rica and Ecuador) became homeless after the disestablishment of ASU’s Center for Latin American Studies. With no storage space and no one responsible for its care after the center’s dissolution, Arleyn Simon, curator of School of Human Evolution and Social Change collections, offered it a new home.

Twenty objects from the collection ― including a brightly painted tea cart; carved wooden animals; elaborate ceramic candelabras; and a miniature church handcrafted from the red clay of Quinua, Peru ― are currently on display in the ASU Museum of Anthropology in the form of a “preview” exhibit titled Arte Popular.

The collection was started in the mid 1970s by Jerry Ladman, an economist and director of the Center for Latin American Studies. He purchased many of the objects during his research-related travels to countries in Latin America. The material ranges from children’s toys, decorative pieces and wall hangings to jewelry, musical instruments and shoes.

The colorful and diverse collection provides an excellent resource for students interested in collections research and those who want more experience in exhibition practices. Since March 2008, when the collection came to the school, it has already served as the basis for two collections management course projects.

Arte Popular runs through March 13. The ASU Museum of Anthropology is open from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Monday through Friday. For more information on the exhibit, visit http://asuma.asu.edu or call (480) 965-6224. For more information on the Latin American Folk Art Collection, contact Arleyn Simon at arleyn.simon@asu.edu.

   

Dolma Roder, dolma.roder@asu.edu
School of Human Evolution and Social Change

Catherine Nichols, catherine.nichols@asu.edu
School of Human Evolution and Social Change