breastplate in the style of 1480, Ernst Schmidt; unknown maker from Austria or Bavaria, Germany; Leopold Winkelmayer; Lorenz Helmschmid

Exhibition Label:
"Conversaton XI: Pomp Up the Jam, Performance & Pageanty in Art," Jun-2011, SMA 2010-2011 Interns
Adornment & Continuity
This space contains two groups of artworks that relate to the exhibition’s theme.The first of these focuses on costume and ornament. Through their splendor, scale, or visual references, these adornments activate the people or objects that they embellish by drawing attention to them and visually distinguishing them.The rituals, processions, and performances associated with these ornaments span cultures around the world, and occupy both sacred and secular contexts. For instance, the shimmering embroidery of the 18th century liturgical chasuble-a vestment worn by clergy for the celebration of the Eucharist-designated its wearer, a Catholic priest, as the enactor of a sacred ritual, while the gleaming armor breastplate emphasized the prowess and wealth of the man who proudly wore it on civic or military occasions.The second group of objects document pageantry as a way to maintain historic legacies and express desires for beneficial outcomes. Photographs depict young people participating in events whose roots stretch back generations, while Romando Vigil’s pochoir, or stencil, of Pueblo dancers pictures the artist’s experience of age-old traditions. Many of the activities and rituals represented in this space, such as the Catholic liturgy, the Abelam yam festival in Papua New Guinea, and American Main Street parades, unite communities and ensure that their values and identities are carried into the future.