“Global Collection: Masks of the World,” an exhibition that brings together 28 masks
from the University of Wyoming Art Museum’s permanent collection, will open Saturday,
May 2.
Representing diverse regions and cultural contexts, this exhibition invites viewers
to consider the many lives of masks: as cultural agents, as works of art and as objects
continually reshaped through circulation, encounter and interpretation.
Among the most enduring forms of human expression, masks have appeared across cultures
long before the advent of written language. Embedded in complex systems of belief,
performance and identity, these objects have served a wide range of purposes, from
ritual protection to shielding the wearer from environmental hazards. The exhibition
is drawn from donations made to the Art Museum over the past 50 years.
As a site for gathering -- of objects, stories and perspectives -- the museum fosters
ongoing exchange among cultures, histories and viewers. The exhibition also highlights
masks as one part of the Art Museum’s broader global holdings, which include paintings,
textiles, sculptures and other mediums from around the world.
Research and curatorial assistance for the exhibition was provided by Carter Coggins,
a UW Honors College intern from Leesville, S.C. The exhibition is funded through the
generosity of the Barbara J. and V. Frank Mendicino Endowment for Collection Conservation
and the Patricia R. Guthrie Special Exhibitions Gallery Endowment.
The UW Art Museum exhibits, preserves and interprets visual culture from around the world to engage academic, local, state, national and global communities. The museum is located in the Centennial Complex at 2111 E. Willett Drive in Laramie. Hours are Tuesdays through Saturdays from 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Admission is free.
