Magic, Myths and Minerals Visits St. John's College in Annapolis, MD
by Heather Foster

8/20/05

When people think of Annapolis, Maryland, images of uniformed Midshipmen from the U.S. Naval Academy and myriad 18th-century historic properties usually come to mind. Most of us do not correlate Maryland's capital city with China—until now.

The Mitchell Gallery at St. John's College is the site of the latest installation of Magic, Myths, and Minerals: Chinese Jades from the Arthur M. Sackler Gallery. The exhibition, on its seventh stop across the country, showcases 35 exquisite Chinese jade sculptures dating from the Shang dynasty (1700-1050 B.C.E.) through the Qing dynasty (1644–1911). Most of these pieces measure only a few inches in diameter but display a virtuosity of individual carving that is difficult to fathom in today's machine-made, mass-produced world. They are as mysterious as they are beautiful. Once believed to possess supernatural qualities, some of the palm-sized jades were used in ancient burial rituals, while others were more decorative, illustrating animal legends and fables.

It is rare for artifacts of such antiquity to be available for temporary display, so their arrival was highly anticipated at the Mitchell Gallery, a progressive museum that exhibits everything from Maya pots to Medieval picture books. The Gallery recently received a Smithsonian Community Grant from SITES, one of more than 15 grants that have been awarded to host institutions since April 2005. The grant program itself has been made possible by MetLife Foundation. The Mitchell Gallery used their $5,000 grant to infuse this already popular exhibition with something extra, educational programming that highlighted Chinese cultural traditions practiced for hundreds, perhaps thousands of years.

The exhibition's well-attended opening featured dramatic storytelling, traditional music, and a puppet show. SITES project director Lawrence Hyman said he was "pleased to see how the programming complemented the exhibition." Storyteller Linda Fang presented a tale about a Jade necklace as puppeteers recreated traditional Chinese animal legends. Music performed by the Chinese Music Society of Greater Washington enhanced the sense of myth and mystery that continues to surround these delicate but powerful jade sculptures. "It was truly a dynamic event with something for everyone!," added Marissa Hoechstetter from the SITES development office. Evidently, the public agreed. Several hundred people attended both the exhibition's opening and its "family day" on the following afternoon.

For the Smithsonian team members who developed the traveling exhibition, the showing at the Mitchell Gallery was particularly gratifying. "This was the first time that I've had the opportunity to see children experience the exhibition," noted Hyman. "It was so satisfying to see that they, as well as their parents, were able to appreciate the wondrous skill and imagination that went into creating these treasures." Magic, Myths, and Minerals will make its last stop at the Dane G. Hansen Memorial Museum in Logan, Kansas, next year. For those who would like to see more, the Smithsonian's Freer and Sackler Galleries are a superb place to study not only Chinese jades but also an unparalleled collection of ancient and contemporary Asian art.

>>Read more about Magic, Myths, and Minerals

>>Visit the Sackler Gallery

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