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Willamette University

700 State Street
Salem, Oregon 97301
(503) 370-6855

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Tue - Sat 10am-5pm
Sun 1pm-5pm

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Breath of Heaven, Breath of Earth: Ancient Near Eastern Art from American Collections

Media Resources

• Press Release
• Related Special Events
• Special Travel Package with the Grand Hotel, Salem, OR
• High Resolution Photos 
• Interview Opportunities
• Exhibition Book
• Public Exhibition Webpage
  
  
  

Press Release

Exhibition brings art of the ancient Near East to the Pacific Northwest

SALEM, Ore. — “Breath of Heaven, Breath of Earth: Ancient Near Eastern Art from American Collections,” showcases 64 remarkable objects that represent several thousand years (6000 BCE to 500 BCE) of art from the region known as the Fertile Crescent. Drawing from some of the most distinguished collections in the United States, the exhibition brings together works from over 20 notable institutions, including the Metropolitan Museum of Art and the Brooklyn Museum. This exclusive exhibition runs from Aug. 31 through Dec. 22 at the Hallie Ford Museum of Art at Willamette University in Salem, Oregon.

Varied and exquisite art from a number of the world’s oldest civilizations (including the Babylonians, Israelites and Persians) will be explored through several broad themes: “The Divine Realm” of gods and goddesses, the “Human Realm” of men and women, and the “Animal Realm” that includes real and supernatural creatures. Objects range from quintessential pieces such as the head of Gudea, one of the earliest examples of royal portraiture; to lesser-known objects such as a relief, from the famed site of Nineveh, that elegantly illustrates a battle scene. The objects reveal a wealth of insightful and intimate information about the people and cultures that produced them.

Museum Director John Olbrantz says, “This exhibition represents a rare opportunity to view many objects that are not normally available or accessible to audiences in the Western United States. With the recent Iraq War and the current political situation in the Middle East dominating the news headlines, it is easy to forget the seminal role that these ancient cultures played in the development of Western civilization and how they influenced who we are today.”

In addition to the objects on display, the exhibition includes special activities. A lecture series features noted experts from around the country and includes Dr. Brian Fagan, one of the foremost archaeologists in the United States. A film series focuses on several of Agatha Christie’s most famous mysteries that were inspired by her work at archaeological sites in the Near East. A family activity day will provide art-making and archaeological activities for all ages.

The exhibition has been co-organized by ancient Near Eastern art expert Trudy Kawami, Director of Research at the Arthur M. Sackler Foundation; and John Olbrantz, the Maribeth Collins Director of the Hallie Ford Museum of Art; and is accompanied by a full-color book that includes essays by Kawami on the art, cultures and themes of the exhibition and Olbrantz on the American discovery of the ancient Near East in the 19th and 20th centuries.

Exhibition Sponsors
Financial support has been provided by an endowment gift from the Hallie Ford Exhibition Fund, an Art Works grant from the National Endowment for the Arts, and by general operating support grants from the City of Salem’s Transient Occupancy Tax funds and the Oregon Arts Commission. Additional support was provided by the Center for Ancient Studies and Archaeology and the Department of Art History at Willamette University.

About the Hallie Ford Museum of Art

Oregon's third largest art museum features works by Pacific Northwest, and Native American artists, and includes a diverse collection of traditional European, American and Asian art, as well as artifacts that date from antiquity. Frequently changing exhibitions include lectures, special events, tours, artist demonstrations and educational opportunities for children and adults.

The museum is located at 700 State St. in Salem. Hours are Tuesday through Saturday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Sunday from 1 to 5 p.m. The galleries are closed on Monday. General admission is $3 and $2 for seniors and students. Children younger than 12 are admitted free and admission is free on Tuesdays. For more information call 503-370-6855 or visit willamette.edu/arts/hfma.

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Related Special Events

Lecture Series 

A lecture series, featuring ancient Near Eastern art scholars and archaeologists from across the United States, will explore and provide insights into various aspects of the exhibition "Breath of Heaven, Breath of Earth: Ancient Near Eastern Art from American Collections." Lecturers include: Dr. Trudy Kawami, Director of Research at the Arthur M. Sackler Foundation in New York and co-curator of the exhibition; Dr. Brian Fagan, one of the foremost archaeologists in the United States and the author of over 60 books on the history and theory of archaeology; Dr. Jean Evans, Research Associate at the Oriental Institute of the University of Chicago; Dr. Marian Feldman, Associate Professor of Art History and Near Eastern Studies at The Johns Hopkins University; Dr. Ronald Wallenfels, Adjunct Associate Professor of Hebrew and Judaic Studies at New York University and a consultant in the Department of Ancient Near Eastern Art at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York; and Dr. Holly Pittman, Professor of Art History at the University of Pennsylvania and curator in the Ancient Near Eastern section at the University of Pennsylvania Museum of Archaeology and Anthropology. This lecture series will start in Sept. 6 and continue through Nov. 7. All lectures are free and open to the public. 

More details and full schedule

Film Series

Step into Agatha Christie's archaeologically inspired murder mysteries with this film series, featuring her famous sleuthing character Hercule Poirot. Christie married archaeologist Sir Max Mallowan and actively participated in her his archaeological digs that spanned more than 20 years. Christie was was involved in labeling, cataloging, cleaning and conserving objects from various sites that included the excavations at Nimrud, Ur and Ninevah. Her archaeological adventures inspired a number of the murder mysteries that will be featured in this film series that includes: "Death on the Nile," "Murder in Mesopotamia," "Appointment with Death" and "Murder on the Orient Express." This film series will run from Oct. 1 through Nov. 12. All film showings are free and open to the public. 

More details and full schedule

Family Activity Day

On Oct. 12 from noon - 4 p.m. at the Hallie Ford Musuem of Art, join education curator Elizabeth Garrison, Salem artists Sonia Allen and Helen Nute Wiens, and the Center for Ancient Studies and Archaeology coordinator April Miller as they guide parents and children through a variety of art-making and archaeological activities related to the exhibition. Children will learn about cylinder seals, repoussé and chasing, and a number of different archaeological practices and techniques. This event is free and open to the public. 

More details and full schedule

Special Travel Package with the Grand Hotel in Salem Oregon

Package your trip to the exhibition with an overnight stay at the Grand Hotel, located only blocks from the Hallie Ford Museum of Art and right in the heart of downtown Salem. The package includes: two tickets to the exhibition “Breath of Heaven, Breath of Earth: Ancient Near Eastern Art from American Collections,” overnight accommodations for two in a King Deluxe Room, early check in at 1 p.m., a $50 gift card to Bentley’s Grill and Lounge, a complimentary continental breakfast buffet, a late checkout of 1 p.m., and 20% off the price of the exhibition book.

Package starts at $175 
Suite upgrades available for an additional $20 plus tax.

Find out more information or book now

High Resolution Photos for Media

Copyright Notice:

The following images posted on this page are for publicity purposes only, intended for use by journalists in media-related publications. Use of any image must be accompanied by its credit line. Use of these images by any other parties or for any other purposes, private or commercial, is strictly prohibited unless the express written consent is obtained directly from Hallie Ford Museum of Art. For information regarding educational, personal and commercial use of images, please visit our Copyrights & Reproductions page.

For assistance contact Andrea Foust 503-370-6867 or at afoust@willamette.edu.

Standing male figure, Lebanon, excavated from Tell Judaidah, late 3rd-early 2nd millennium BCE, copper, 13 ½ x 4 x 2" (34.3 x 10.2 x 2 cm), private collection, New York.

To download a high resolution image: click on the image above to open the photo in a new page, then right-click and save. 

Male figure, Iraq, excavated from Khafaje, Nintu Temple, Level VI, Early Dynastic II Period, 2700-2500 BCE, alabaster, shell, and lapis lazuli, 9 x 3 1/8 x 2 ¾" (23 x 8 x 7 cm), University of Pennsylvania Museum of Anthropology and Archaeology, Joint Baghdad School/University Museum, expedition to Mesopotamia, 1937, 37-15-28 [photo courtesy of the University of Pennsylvania Museum of Anthropology and Archaeology]
To download a high resolution image: click on the image above to open the photo in a new page, then right-click and save. 

Head of Gudea, Iraq, possibly from Telloh, Second Dynasty of Lagash, reign of Gudea, ca. 2144-2124 BCE, diorite, 3 ¾ x 3 ½ x 3 ½" (9.5 x 9 x 9 cm). University of Pennsylvania Museum of Anthropology and Archaeology, B16664 [photo courtesy of the University of Pennsylvania Museum of Anthropology and Archaeology]
To download a high resolution image: click on the image above to open the photo in a new page, then right-click and save. 

Gudea was a ruler of the state of Lagash in southern Mesopotamia from 2144 to 2124 BCE. He was a great builder and social reformer who established extensive trade relations with his neighbors. There are approximately 20 statues of Gudea that have survived and his likenesses are considered to be among the earliest examples of royal portraiture found in the ancient Near East.

Relief fragment with a battle scene, Iraq, from Nineveh, excavated by William Kennett Loftus in August, 1854, Southwest Palace of Sennacherib, reign of Sennacherib, 705-681 BCE, Limestone or gypseous alabaster, 10 x 8 ½" (25.4 x 21.5 cm), Seattle Art Museum, Eugene Fuller Memorial Collection and Hagop Kevorkian, 46.49 [photo courtesy of the Seattle Art Museum]
To download a high resolution image: click on the image above to open the photo in a new page, then right-click and save.  

Statuette of a monkey, Iran, first half of the 3rd millennium BCE, limestone,  2 1/8 x 1 7/16 x 1 ¾" (5.4 x 3.7 x 4.5 cm), Brooklyn Museum, purchased with funds given by Shelby White, 1991.3 [photo courtesy of Brooklyn Museum]
To download a high resolution image: click on the image above to open the photo in a new page, then right-click and save. 

Sherd with stags, Anatolia, excavated from Alishar Hüyük, 800-700 BCE, ceramic with slip, 6 x 7 3/8" (15.3 x 18.8 cm), Oriental Institute Museum, University of Chicago, A10266 [photo courtesy of the Oriental Institute Museum, University of Chicago]
To download a high resolution image: click on the image above to open the photo in a new page, then right-click and save.

 

Public Exhibition Webpage: 

http://www.willamette.edu/arts/hfma/exhibitions/library/2013-14/breath_of_heaven.html