Creation Stories Lecture
Dance of the Maize God Film Screening and Discussion
Tuesday, November 11, 7:30 pm Reception Hall, Level Three
Tuesday, November 4, 7:30 pm Reception Hall, Level Three
Nightfire Films’ new documentary film Dance of the Maize God explores the royal life and rich mythology of the Maya through imagery on hundreds of extraordinary painted vases, as well as the tangled issues involved in their collection and study. The story is told by villagers, looters, archaeologists, dealers, and curators. For each, these vases have a radically different value and meaning. After the screening, filmmaker David Lebrun and assistant curator of Art of the Americas Laura Wingfield will continue the conversation with the audience. Young Associates and Carlos Museum members at the Doric, Ionic, Corinthian, Curators’ Council, Director’s Council, and Partner levels are invited to mix and mingle with movie director David Lebrun and Laura Wingfield at a reception immediately following the screening and discussion. rsvp for the reception only by phone 404-727-2623 or email carlosmembership@emory.edu.
non profit organization u.s. postage paid atlanta, georgia permit number 3604
571 south kilgo circle atlanta, ga 30322
In a lecture titled Sacrifice as Creation, Dr. Marko Geslani from Emory’s Department of Religion will explore how in late-Vedic understanding, sacrifice was deeply implicated in the process of creation. As the gods receded to the status of mythic patrons, the sacrifice itself achieved its own stunning apotheosis; it was thought to possess an endless re-creative capacity, which could be harnessed both for the ordering and renewal of nature and society, and for the “immortality” of the sacrificer.
carlos.emory.edu
Conservation Conversation Thursday, November 13, 7:30 pm Reception Hall, Level Three
Conservators Robin O’Hern and Ellen Pearlstein, and assistant professor of art history at Emory Susan Gagliardi, discuss ethical issues related to conserving African art objects in a lecture titled Beyond the Surface: Where Secrecy, Science, and Ethics Meet.
Professors of the Practice Chamber Music Concert Friday, November 14, Noon Reception Hall, Level Three
Vishnu Sleeping on the Cosmic Ocean Northern Madhya Pradesh, possibly Khajuraho 11th century Sandstone Ester R. Portnow Collection of Asian Art, a Gift of the Nathan Rubin-Ida Ladd Family Foundation
AntiquiTEA *
Thursday, November 6, 4 pm Reception Hall, Level Three
The universe begins in the great cosmic sea. Time and time again, the universe is created and dissolved. After each period of destruction, the universe returns to the great cosmic sea, the sleeping potential of all that can be — empty but for the sweetly sleeping god, Vishnu. Enjoy afternoon chai as Anandi Salinas, graduate student in the Department of Religion, introduces an eleventhcentury sandstone sculpture of Vishnu sleeping on the Cosmic Ocean and how this image, through its brilliant array of narratives, illustrates concepts of time and the endless cycle of creation and dissolution in Hinduism.
Creation Stories Docent Tour Sunday, November 9, 3 pm Reception Hall, Level Three
Carlos Museum members at the Corinthian, Curators’ Council, Director’s Council, and Partner levels are invited to a Creation Story-themed docent tour in celebration of the Year of Creation Stories at Emory. Light refreshments will be provided. rsvp by phone to 404-727-2623 or email carlosmembership@emory.edu.
Carlos Reads Book Club Monday, November 10, 7:30 pm Board Room, Level Two
The Quiché Maya book of creation known as the Popol Vuh, originally written in Maya hieroglyphs and translated into Spanish in the sixteenth century, is one of the world’s great creation stories. Set in the Guatemalan highlands, it narrates in captivating “word pictures” a vast temporal sweep as the Mayan gods bring the world from darkness into light and create the human lords who then used the Popol Vuh as their “Council Book.” Karen Stolley, professor and chair of Emory’s Department of Spanish and Portuguese, leads readers through renowned anthropologist Dennis Tedlock’s translation. Fee: $25 for Carlos Museum members; $35 for non-members, and includes the cost of the book. Registration required by calling 404-727-6118.
Violinist Cynthia Patterson, professor of history; cellist Richard Patterson, professor of philosophy; clarinetist Ashraf Attalla, professor of psychology; and pianist Guy Benian, professor of pathology and laboratory medicine, join members of the Vega String Quartet for a performance of Mozart, Dvoˇrák, and Poulenc in the John and Linda Cooke Noontime Series.
PRograms for Educators j Fee: $7 for Carlos Museum members; $12 for non-members. Registration is required by calling 404-727-2363 or emailing jgree09@emory.edu.
The Nippur Deluge Tablet and Noah’s Flood Workshop for Teachers j Thursday, September 25, 5 pm Tate Room, Plaza Level
Brent Strawn, associate professor of Old Testament at Emory’s Candler School of Theology, will introduce teachers to a cuneiform tablet discovered in the ruins of the ancient Babylonian city of Nippur and contextualize it in terms of flood stories from Gilgamesh to Noah.
Egyptian Creation: Imagining the Unseen Workshop for Teachers j Thursday, October 16, 5 pm Tate Room, Plaza Level
Gay Robins, Samuel Candler Dobbs Professor of Art History, explores how the ancient Egyptians’ physical environment shaped their understanding of the cosmos and creation.
SPECIAL EVENTS
Homeschool Day at the Carlos
Evening for Preschool Educators
Members of the Docent Guild will introduce homeschool families to images of Noah and other stories from Genesis in the exhibition God Spoke the Earth, an ancient Mesopotamian flood tablet, and objects in the permanent collection related to the Old Testament. Homeschool students will be able to make wedge-shaped “cuneiform marks” on clay tablets, roll out cylinder seals, and make a simple print. Homeschool families who pre-register for this event are also invited to the new Pitts Theology Library for a tour of rare books and a book-making activity at 1:30 and 2:30 pm. Fee: $6 per person; children under 5 are free. Space is limited, and registration is required by calling 404-727-4280.
Friday, October 3, 12:30–3:30 pm Plaza Level Friday, September 12, 5 pm Reception Hall, Level Three
Preschool teachers and program directors are invited to discover the new Artful Stories program for pre-schools, and why the Carlos Museum is the perfect setting to develop the vital connection between literacy, art, and cultures of the world. Explore the galleries and see the childrens books, works of art, and activities that will capture the imagination of young visitors. Wine and light snacks will be served. Space is limited, and registration is required by calling Alyson Vuley at 404-727-0519, or emailing avuley@emory.edu.
Bacchanal 21: Farewell to the Flowers Saturday, September 20 7 pm VIP cocktail hour, Emory Quadrangle
Creation in the Hindu Cosmos Workshop for Teachers j Thursday, November 20, 5 pm Tate Room, Plaza Level
Anandi Salinas, student in Emory’s Graduate Division of Religion, will introduce teachers to the god Vishnu and his role in Hindu stories of creation. In the galleries, teachers will view images of Vishnu including one with Brahma seated on a lotus emerging from Vishnu’s navel as he sleeps on the Cosmic Ocean in between cycles of time.
8 pm Food, music, and raffle, Level Three
The ancient Aztecs celebrated Xochiquetzal, “Goddess of the Flowering Earth,” during the Farewell to the Flowers festival. They enjoyed a great feast, performed ritualistic dances, and inhaled the sweet scents of flowers that would soon wither away with the coming frost. Celebrate the end of summer and coming of fall at Bacchanal on September 20! Bacchanal proceeds support the programs that make the Carlos Museum not only unique, but also fabulously fun. For more information and to purchase tickets, visit carlos.emory.edu/bacchanal. Marc Chagall (French, 1889–1985). Bible II–Creation, 1960. Lithograph. 1967.001. Art History Department Fund.
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The exhibitions and educational programs in conjunction with the Creation Stories Project have been made possible by generous grants from the Thalia N. and Chris M. Carlos Foundation, Inc.; the Thalia and Michael C. Carlos Foundation, Inc.; the Massey Charitable Trust; and the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation.
Skies of India Planetarium Programs Sunday, November 16, 3 & 7:30 pm Emory University Planetarium Math & Science Building E300. 400 Dowman Drive, Atlanta GA 30322
The Hindu people divided the sky into beautiful patterns and told stories that reflected their interpretation of the Cosmos. Dr. Richard Williamon presents an investigation of the mysterious and intricate myths and legends of the Hindu under the pristine skies of the Emory University planetarium. Seating is limited, and reservations are required by calling 404-727-6118.
ON EXHIBIT God Spoke the Earth: Stories of Genesis in Prints and Drawings September 13–December 7, 2014 Two of Each: The Nippur Deluge Tablet August 30, 2014–July 26, 2015
Calendar fall 2014
D
uring the academic year 2014–15, the Carlos Museum and Emory University celebrate Creation Stories in conjunction with the Atlanta Symphony’s premier of a new work on the theme of creation by American composer Christopher Theofanides. Look for Creation Stories programs across the collections and in conjunction with special exhibitions throughout the year.
Free Admission and Extended Hours
* Though admission is always free to museum members, the Carlos offers free admission to the general public from 1–4 pm on select Thursdays this fall: September 18, October 23, and November 6. Programs for Children and Families s These programs are free, but a reservation is required by calling 404-727-0519 or emailing avuley@emory.edu. v Fee: $12 for Carlos Museum members; $15 for non-members. Registration is required by calling 404-727-0519 or emailing avuley@emory.edu.
Artful Stories for Families s Saturday, August 23, 10 am Art of the Americas Galleries, Level One
Children will hear Watákame’s Journey: The Story of the Great Flood and the New World, the creation story of the Wixárika, amidst the bright colors and bold designs of the yarn paintings, beaded objects, prayer bowls, and expressive masks in the special exhibition Grandfather Sun, Grandmother Moon: Wixárika Arts of Modern West Mexico. Children will then create their own small yarn paintings inspired by both the story and the art. For ages 3 to 5 years and accompanying adults.
Artful Stories for Families s Saturday, September 13, 10 am Works on Paper Gallery, Level One
Noah’s Ark by Jerry Pickney, a Caldecott Honor Book, illustrates the biblical story of Noah and the great flood. Children will hear this retelling of Noah and the ark surrounded by images from the special exhibition God Spoke the Earth: Stories of Genesis in Prints and Drawings. After looking and listening, children will experiment with making original monoprints. For ages 3 to 5 years and accompanying adults.
Egyptian Hieroglyphs Workshop for Children v Sunday, September 14, 2–4 pm Tate Room, Plaza Level
Egyptologist Annie Shanley will show children how to read and write ancient Egyptian hieroglyphs. In the galleries, children will decode hieroglyphs on coffins, tomb reliefs, and statues before writing their names in glyphs. For children ages 8 to 12 years.
Artful Stories for Families s
Artful Stories for Families s
Saturday, October 11, 10 am Art of the Americas Galleries, Level One
Saturday, November 15, 10 am Asian Gallery, Level One
How many tries will it take for the Maker and Feathered Serpent to make humans who will give praise and bring offerings of food? Learn the answer in a story from the Popul Vuh, the sacred Maya book of creation, followed by an exploration of Maya art in the Art of the Americas Galleries. Celebrate the creation of the corn people by making and eating traditional Maya food: corn tortillas! For ages 3 to 5 years and accompanying adults.
Creation of the Maize People Workshop for Children v Sunday, October 12, 2–4 pm Tate Room, Plaza Level
In the sacred book of the Maya, the Popul Vuh, the Creator said, “We will make people out of maize.” Children will discover the importance of maize in Maya culture through objects in the Art of the Americas Galleries and in the story The Corn Grows Ripe by Dorothy Rhoads. Then they will grind dried corn on a metate and form, cook, and eat tortillas with atole, a sweet maize and cinnamon drink. For ages 6 to 9 years.
Mummies and Milkshakes Friday, October 24, 6:30 pm Reception Hall, Level Three
The Carlos Museum and Jake’s Ice Cream present the 9th annual Mummies and Milkshakes. Visit animal and human mummies in the Egyptian galleries, choose your favorite Jake’s Ice Cream flavor for a milkshake, and watch vintage mummy cartoons, the hilarious Three Stooges short We Want Our Mummy, and Abbot and Costello Meet the Mummy. Milkshakes for sale beginning at 6:30 pm, cartoons at 7 pm, film begins at 7:45 pm. Free for Carlos Museum members; $5 for non-members. Costumes encouraged! Milkshakes sold separately. Galleries will be open from 6 to 9:30 pm. From 6 to 7:30 pm docents will be in the Egyptian Galleries to tour families and answer questions. rsvp required by Wednesday, October 22 by calling 404-727-0519.
Family Chamber Music Concert v Sunday, October 26, 4 pm Reception Hall, Level Three
The Emory Chamber Music Society of Atlanta and the Carlos Museum present Jean de Brunhoff’s classic tale, Babar the Elephant, set to music by Poulenc, performed by pianist Elena Cholakova and narrated by wabe 90.1’s Lois Reitzes.
The Maize God and the Hero Twins Workshop for Children v Sunday, November 2, 1–5 pm Tate Room, Plaza Level
Rick Riordan Returns Thursday, October 9, 7 pm (doors open at 6) Glenn Memorial Auditorium 1660 N Decatur Rd, Atlanta, GA 30307
The Carlos Museum and Decatur’s Little Shop of Stories present Rick Riordan, author of the bestselling Percy Jackson and the Olympians, The Kane Chronicles, and Heroes of Olympus. Mr. Riordan will talk about the newly published fifth book in the Heroes of Olympus series, The Blood of Olympus. Visit the Carlos Museum website, carlos.emory.edu, for ticket information and special seating for Carlos Museum members.
Through illustrations on cylindrical vessels (used by the Maya for chocolate!) and Maya hieroglyphs in the Art of the Americas Galleries, assistant curator Laura Wingfield will introduce children to some of the heroes of the sacred creation book of the Maya, the Popul Vuh. Explore the maize god and the demi-god twins, Ixb’alanke with jaguar patches on his skin, and Hunahpu, covered in moles shaped like the moon! Children will create a storytelling cylindrical vessel with ceramic artist Ana Vizurraga. For ages 10 to 12 years.
carlos.emory.edu 404-727-4282
Sitting before an eleventh-century sculpture of Vishnu on the Cosmic Ocean in the Asian Gallery, children will hear a story about Vishnu’s first form or avatar, Matsya the Fish, in Manu’s Ark: India’s Tale of the Great Flood, beautifully retold and illustrated by Emma V. Moore. Children will use rubber stamps that represent characters from the story and ink in the vibrant colors of India to depict Manu’s reward for his kindness. For ages 3 to 5 years and accompanying adults.
Avatars: Manifestations of Vishnu Workshop for Children v Sunday, November 16, 2–4 pm Tate Room, Plaza Level
Vishnu, Hindu god of Preservation, appears on Earth in different forms in times of strife and disorder in the world. Children will investigate images and stories of the ten forms of Vishnu in the Asian Gallery and then create their own avatar, representing their power and responsibility to make the world a better place, with teaching artist Pam Beagle-Daresta. For ages 8 to 12 years.
Incised Vessel with Two Seated Maize Gods Hun Nal (God E) Mesomerica, Coastal Campeche, Maya Late-Terminal Classic, 800–1000 ad Ceramic Gift of William C. and Carol W. Thibadeau
AntiquiTEA *
Thursday, September 18, 4 pm Reception Hall, Level Three
Enjoy afternoon tea and scones as Jennifer Siegler, PhD candidate in Emory’s Art History Department, discusses the maize god in the Maya creation story and in works of art, including an incised ceramic vessel in the Art of the Americas collection.
Concept & Creation Printmaking Workshop for Adults
pants, for example, the relationship with the biblical story, the use of myth and irony, the ways in which events in Germany shaped the text, and the intense fascination that ancient Egypt held for Mann throughout his life. Fee: $75 for Carlos Museum members; $100 for non-members, and includes the cost of the book. Registration is required by calling 404-727-6118.
Farewell to the Flowers Lecture Tuesday, September 9, 7:30 pm Reception Hall, Level Three
Precursors to the Mexican Day of the Dead, Aztec flower festivals were celebrated with much singing, dancing, feasting, and mourning—flowers were metaphors for life and death, since all that blossoms withers, dies, and returns to the earth to generate new life. In a lecture titled The Aztec Flower Festivals: Recreating Mexico, Laura Wingfield, assistant curator of Art of the Americas, explores these festivals and the powerful concept of regeneration they symbolized.
Chamber Music Concert Friday, September 12, Noon Reception Hall, Level Three
Atlanta Symphony Orchestra principal cellist Christopher Rex joins the Vega String Quartet for a performance of Beethoven’s stunning Kreutzer Sonata in the newly named John and Linda Cook Noontime Series of the Emory Chamber Music Society.
Carlos Reads Book Club
Engravings, mezzotints, etchings, lithographs, and woodcuts. Atlanta printmaker Deborah Sosower will explore a variety of printmaking techniques featured in the exhibition God Spoke the Earth: Stories of Genesis in Prints and Drawings, and then work with participants to design, carve, and print from a woodcut. Fee: $80 for Young Associates; $100 for Carlos Museum members; $150 for non-members. Registration is required by calling 404-727-6118.
Carlos Reads Book Club Mondays, September 29, October 27, November 17, & December 8, 7:30 pm Board Room, Level Two
The exhibition God Spoke the Earth: Stories of Genesis in Prints and Drawings features twelve watercolors by American artist Joan Wadell-Barnes that were commissioned to illustrate an American edition of Thomas Mann’s Joseph and His Brothers. Mann takes the rather brief biblical account of Joseph and retells it in a four-part “comedic song of humanity” in which he attempts to transform “myth into flesh” (“die Fleischwerdung des Mythos”). Dr. Erdmann Waniek, associate professor emeritus of German studies at Emory, will guide readers in a discussion of John E. Woods’ 2005 translation of Joseph and His Brothers, exploring topics of interest to the partici-
Mondays, September 15 & 22, 7:30 pm Board Room, Level Two
The creation stories in the Book of Genesis (chapters 1–11) are some of the most familiar texts in western religion and culture, but what people remember about these stories is often quite different from what the texts actually say. In fact, the two primary creation accounts, Genesis 1 and 2–3, have different—possibly even contra-dictory—understandings of the nature and purpose of creation and of human nature. Also odd is the fact that after the world is created, it is destroyed and then re-created in a fashion that recognizes the irrevocable changes that humans themselves have introduced into the creation. Carol Newsom, Charles Howard Candler Professor of Old Testament at Emory, explores the text in this two-part Carlos Reads program. Fee: $20 for Carlos Museum members; $25 for non-members. Registration is required by calling 404-727-6118.
To add events to your digital calendar, visit the Carlos Museum calendar online at carlos.emory.edu/calendar.
Albrecht Durer (German, active 16th century) Adam and Eve (The Fall of Man), 1504 Engraving Gift of Margaret and Charlie Shufeldt
Walking through Genesis Gallery Talk Tuesday, September 30, 7:30 pm Works on Paper Gallery, Level One
Joel M. LeMon, associate professor of Old Testament at Emory’s Candler School of Theology, will explore major narratives and themes in the Book of Genesis in the exhibition God Spoke the Earth: Stories of Genesis in Prints and Drawings. rsvp by phone, 404-727-6118.
Creation Stories Lecture Tuesday, October 7, 7:30 pm Reception Hall, Level Three
Traditional Buddhist cosmology imagines a beginningless multiverse of diverse “world systems” (lokadhātu) created by the conscious minds that inhabit them. These worlds are said to be distorted by the confused perspectives of those minds, but another possibility emerges: the creation of “Awakened Fields” (buddhakṣetra) that arise not from confusion, but from the wise compassion of enlightened beings. In a lecture titled Delusion or Compassion? World-Making in Buddhist Philosophy, Practice, and Art, John D. Dunne, associate professor of religion at Emory, will examine how they are articulated in Buddhist thought, art, and practice.
Carlos Reads Book Club Monday, October 13, 7:30 pm Board Room, Level Two
The blood of gods mixed with dust. A sea monster split in half. A mound rising from the primeval flood. A very big hoe. These are among the essential elements of ancient Near Eastern creation accounts. Joel LeMon, assistant professor of Old Testament at the Candler School of Theology, will lead readers in a discussion of several stories of creation from ancient Mesopotamia, Egypt, and the Levant, exploring how these communities used creation stories to describe their relationships with environment, with the gods, and with each other. Fee: $20 for Carlos Museum members; $25 for non-members. Registration is required by calling 404-727-6118.
From Nippur to Noah: Stories of the Flood Symposium Saturday, October 18, 2–4 pm Reception Hall, Level Three
Joan Waddell-Barnes (American, 1921–2008). Jacob Interrupts the Moon-Devotions of His Son Joseph from Thomas Mann’s Joseph and His Brothers, 1944–5. Pen and ink with wash. Gift of Joan Saugrain
Preaching the Flood: The Flood in Second Temple Judaism Brent A. Strawn, professor of Old Testament, Candler School of Theology, Emory University A Flood of Interpretation: Noah in Jewish, Muslim, and Christian Traditions Brennan W. Breed, assistant professor of Old Testament, Columbia Seminary
Saturday & Sunday, September 27 & 28, 1–5 pm Tate Room, Plaza Level
Programs for adults
The Flood of Noah and the Streams of Tradition Christopher Hays, D. Wilson Moore Associate Professor of Ancient Near Eastern Studies, Fuller Theological Seminary
Accounts of a great primeval flood have resonated throughout history, from ancient Mesopotamia to modern concerns about environmental catastrophes. Join faculty from the Candler School of Theology and alumni of Emory’s Graduate Division of Religion as they explore the significance of these flood accounts. This symposium coincides with the arrival of the Nippur tablet, on loan from the University of Pennsylvania Museum, one of the earliest Near Eastern texts to describe a world overwhelmed by water. A distinguished panel of scholars will reveal what these stories of devastation tell us about our history, our anxieties about humanity’s place in the world, and the relationship between religion and the environment.
God’s Biggest Regret: The Flood Account and Divine Character(s) in Genesis Joel M. LeMon, associate professor of Old Testament, Candler School of Theology, Emory University The Slow Flood: Climate Change and the Environmental Apocalypse in Genesis Ingrid Lilly, visiting scholar at the Pacific School of Religion The Flood Account in Early Jewish Sources Jacob Wright, associate professor of Old Testament, Candler School of Theology, Emory University
Annual Samothrace Lecture Tuesday, October 21, 7:30 pm Reception Hall, Level Three
Bonna Wescoat, professor of art history and director of excavations at the Sanctuary of the Great Gods, discusses the collaborative work between her team and French colleagues on the restoration of the Winged Victory, which is now back on view at the Louvre. She will also share the rediscovery of the lost plan of the South Nekropolis, ongoing work to recover the design of the theater, and new ways of 3d spatial modeling using photogrammetry.
AntiquiTEA *
Thursday, October 23, 4 pm Reception Hall, Level Three
Enjoy afternoon tea and scones as Dr. Laura Wingfield, assistant curator of Art of the Americas, discusses Blood and Guano: Bats and Creation in the Art of the Americas. Indigenous peoples from the Americas have revered the bat as a sacred animal for millennia. Bats live in caves at the entrance to Mother Earth and come forth at dusk, prime time for communication with the original spirits in that “other world” of the First Mother. They are not only messengers between this world and that of the spirits, but they also have the power to take away life, particularly vampire bats, and to give it— through their precious guano, a natural fertilizer.
Mummies and Mixers *
Thursday, October 23, 7 pm Level Three
Why do kids get to have all the fun? Join Carlos Museum members for movie snacks and mixology with the Pinewood Tippling Room. Abbott and Costello’s Meet the Mummy will be playing and docents will be available in the galleries to share interesting facts about our mummy collection. rsvp by phone, 404-727-2635, or online at carlos.emory.edu/mixers.
Chamber Music Concert Friday, October 24, Noon Reception Hall, Level Three
In a program titled Professors of the Practice, violinist Cynthia Patterson, professor of history; cellist Richard Patterson, professor of philosophy; clarinetist Ashraf Attalla, professor of psychology; and pianist Guy Benian, professor of pathology and laboratory medicine, join members of the Vega String Quartet to perform works by Mozart, Dvoˇrák, and Weber.