Mali has been known not only for its ethnographical interest, but also for its textiles and traditional cloths. For the first time in Paris the Pavillon des Arts in Paris is showcasing a textile and traditional cloth from the Mali national museum. A display of various styles from different regions of Mali unfold the rich tradition of weaving and dyeing. Till 29 September 2002.
The Admiralty Islands' art works, most of them created during the 19th century, form an independent group clearly distinguished from those of the neighbouring regions. Typical and unique to the Admiralty Islands are the massive wooden bowls with spiral-shaped handles. Zurich, till 20 October 2002
The myth and mystery of the Queen of Sheba provides an introduction to the magnificent ancient civilisation of Yemen, where she is believed to have originated. Spectacular artefacts on display at the British Museum focus on the importance and splendour of the kingdoms of Southern Arabia that prospered through a lucrative trade in incense and other precious commodities to the Near East and Roman Empire. London, till October 13th.
The Royal Academy of Arts is hosting a ground-breaking exhibition devoted to the arts and culture of Mexico’s Aztec past. More than 350 outstanding works on loan primarily from the Museo Nacional de Antropologia and Museo del Templo reveal the beauty of an ancient civilization through their monumental sculptures in stone and wood, featherwork objects and ceramics, pictorial manuscripts or codices, turquoise mosaics, gold and other precious materials. London, 14 November 2002 - 11 April 2003
Four hundred years ago two British ships, laden with pepper, sailed from the thriving port city of Bantam in Java, leaving behind an eleven strong party of Englishmen. The East India Company – established two years before – had launched its first overseas trading base. The trading links it created were to lay the basis for the British Empire in Asia.
Siwa images from Java, both free standing sculptures in metal or stone and relief representations of the god, go by the hundreds. For historical reasons most of the existant free standing images are, with a few exceptions, no longer found in situ. They are either in museum collections in Java or outside Indonesia or are kept in storage in archaeological offices. Alessandra Lopez y Royo Lyer gives us an overview on Siwa representations.