Ever wished that you could fly? So did ancient humans! Across many civilizations, humans have had a fascination with birds. Whether it be depicting birds prepared to take flight or marveling at their beautiful feathers, birds have been well documented as both domestic and ceremonial iconography. Sometimes the distinction between the two is less definitive…
Object Number: LC025 Object Title: Oil Lamp Object Type: lamp (lighting devices) Material: bronze (material) This bronze hanging oil lamp at first seems simple in design and purely utilitarian. However, upon further inspection one can see the handles attached to the chainlinks to be the heads of ducks or geese, masterfully crafted to exhibit…
Even ancient artisans agree: art is hard! Making your artwork look realistic is not always easy, and it can be difficult to accurately translate what you imagine in your head into a sculpture or painting. This is true especially in the ancient world, where artists often had to depict animals, objects, and places they had…
A building is more than just its bones. Places are imbued with meaning by the people who inhabit them, whether that be places of worship, a house, or a government building. Throughout history, humans have modified and decorated these architectural materials to convey beliefs about power, religion, and aesthetic beauty. Come explore the Vault’s variety…
This summer, the Joukowsky Institute was excited to host two high school student interns from Skills Rhode Island’s PrepareRI program, Alex Gomez and Nicole Susana. As a part of their summer internship, they had the opportunity to see and discuss Valeria Luongo’s exhibition “When Women Fly.” Luongo is an Italian documentary photographer and filmmaker based…