Art Exhibit — Art of Peru

This gallery features ceramics, textiles, metalwork and carvings produced by ancient cultures across what is known as present-day Peru. Many on view for the first time, these objects reveal the diverse and sophisticated artmaking techniques through which ancient Peruvians expressed ancestral beliefs and personal and political identities. The wall case provides a comparative view of the ceramic production of several prominent Peruvian civilizations, presented chronologically from left to right. From the colorful painted motifs of the Nasca and sculptural realism of the Moche to the whistling vessels of the Chancay, the ceramics depict realistic and stylized animals,
people, deities, food and scenes of warfare, performance, and pleasure.

Numerous objects in this gallery also celebrate the importance of corn, a plant of major significance across Peru. Chicha, a beer made from corn, was consumed at political and ritual events and poured as an offering to ancestors and at sacred sites. It is still widely used domestically and ceremonially across the region today. A two-paneled painting by Renzo Ortega (born in Lima, Peru 1974) depicts corn as a symbol for the native identity of the Americas and the Indigenous knowledge that led to its cultivation.

Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday and Saturday: 10 AM to 5 PM
Thursday: 10 AM to 9 PM
Sunday: Noon to 5 PM