2007.06.05: June 5, 2007: Headlines: COS - Bulgaria: Islamic Issues: Museums, Art: Exhibitions: Daily Iowan: Bulgaria RPCV Anissa Paulsen has assembled a traveling art display titled The Many Colors of Islam as a means to promote cultural awareness for the differing shades of Islam
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2007.06.05: June 5, 2007: Headlines: COS - Bulgaria: Islamic Issues: Museums, Art: Exhibitions: Daily Iowan: Bulgaria RPCV Anissa Paulsen has assembled a traveling art display titled The Many Colors of Islam as a means to promote cultural awareness for the differing shades of Islam
Bulgaria RPCV Anissa Paulsen has assembled a traveling art display titled The Many Colors of Islam as a means to promote cultural awareness for the differing shades of Islam
"Artwork is a terrific medium of communication when children live so far apart and their languages are different," said Jill Goldesberry, Paulsen's friend and a program officer for the Stanley Foundation, a contributing sponsor to the exhibit. The children's art features brightly colored paintings of Indonesian life, self-portraits, and cultural anecdotes from the world's largest Muslim country. Dunkhase was interested in the show because of its relevance to current issues and peace promotion, but she wanted to add more hands-on opportunities to the visuals. With a committee of local Muslims, Indonesian families, and Iowa City residents, she formed an interactive exhibit centered on learning about diversity through all of life's parallels.
Bulgaria RPCV Anissa Paulsen has assembled a traveling art display titled The Many Colors of Islam as a means to promote cultural awareness for the differing shades of Islam
Melting the cultural divide
Vanessa Veiock - The Daily Iowan
Issue date: 6/5/07 Section: Arts
Children everywhere are the same.
They play games, draw pictures, seek new experiences, and learn.
It seems like an elementary observation, but according to the Iowa Children's Museum's newest exhibit, Indonesia: Land of Diversity, if we looked at our similarities first and differences second, we would already live in peace.
"The exhibit is about thinking over all the connections," Executive Director Deb Dunkhase said while sitting near the puppet theater of the newly constructed exhibition. "It's all centered on cultural understanding and peace."
Débuting on June 2, the six-month interactive exhibit began with a traveling art display titled The Many Colors of Islam. Anissa Paulsen, a former Peace Corps volunteer, assembled the show as a means to promote cultural awareness for the differing shades of Islam - the world's second largest religion - after the reactionary backlash post-9/11.
"Artwork is a terrific medium of communication when children live so far apart and their languages are different," said Jill Goldesberry, Paulsen's friend and a program officer for the Stanley Foundation, a contributing sponsor to the exhibit.
The children's art features brightly colored paintings of Indonesian life, self-portraits, and cultural anecdotes from the world's largest Muslim country.
Dunkhase was interested in the show because of its relevance to current issues and peace promotion, but she wanted to add more hands-on opportunities to the visuals. With a committee of local Muslims, Indonesian families, and Iowa City residents, she formed an interactive exhibit centered on learning about diversity through all of life's parallels.
Inside a mock Indonesian home in the exhibit, a mural of mixed wildlife colors a backdrop among authentic cultural artifacts. In one corner, children wrap themselves in sarongs; in another, they play with rupiah (Indonesia's currency); in a third, they learn about such hobbies as congklat, a mancala-like game.
It's easy to become engrossed, said Cindy Baldwin.
"[My son and I] were supposed to stop by the exhibit and then go to a movie," she said. "But we skipped the movie to stay."
Back in the main room, painted minaret towers with dome-shaped tops, the work of local art students at Southeast Junior High, reach as high as 28 feet. Whimsical lamps made of tulle illuminate the booming colors of the intricately designed displays, including a mailbox station to begin a pen-pal program with Indonesian student-artists.
Beside the warm aesthetics, social messages are prominent across the room.
Near the center, a turquoise kiosk relates the golden rule, "Treat others as you want to be treated," as it appears in Christianity, Taoism, Buddhism, Hinduism, Islam, and Judaism.
"[The kiosk] really struck me when you think of the world today," said Gary Pacha, a member of the Iowa City Noon Rotary, which helped to sponsor the exhibit. "Think of the power of all these religions saying do unto others as you would have done unto you."
In the quotation block next to her self-portrait, Dina, a 12-year-old Indonesian girl with coal black hair and lime-green earrings, writes, "My hobbies are watching television and playing badminton. I am not yet sopan [polite] enough to wear the expected clothes, but I can't help it - people are different."
"They sound like your next door neighbor talking," Dunkhase said. "These [Indonesian] children are just like my daughter - just like the kids in Iowa City."
E-mail DI Arts Editor Vanessa Veiock at:
vanessa-veiock@uiowa.edu
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Story Source: Daily Iowan
This story has been posted in the following forums: : Headlines; COS - Bulgaria; Islamic Issues; Museums, Art; Exhibitions
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