Pieces from the Gold Museum in Colombia at La Caixa

The Cultural Centre of the Caixa Foundation, in the old Gran Hotel building in Plaza de Weyler in Palma, will house from February 19 till May 25 2003, the exhibition "Spirits, Gold, and the Shaman", commissioned by Clara Isabel Botero, produced by the Museo del Oro de Colombia and organised by the Fundación "la Caixa", the Museu Nacional d'Art de Catalunya and the Universidad de Salamanca.

The exhibition gathers together a selection of objects from the pre Hispanic era proceeding from the Museo del Oro de Colombia. In all there are 271 pieces, the majority made in gold, although there are also ceramic pieces and in other materials. The contents of the exhibition is complemented by photographs of some of the 84 indigenous groups that still exist in Colombia, with a separate section dedicated to the Spanish colonial era. The trip through the exhibition offers a vision of the complex conception of the world of the indigenous Americans and puts us in the Shaman rituals and the importance of masks and jewels, such as earrings, bracelets, necklaces, and the hallucinating plants such as coca, topo, yajé, into the dances and the ancient rituals, in the belief in reincarnation and in the respect for the animals and plants as ancient humans that they are.

As part of the activity programme for the exhibition there will be three conferences. The first, "Introduction to Shamanism" by Jose Jorge de Carvalho, doctor in Anthropology, on March 25 at 7.30 p.m. The second, "Shamanism and Neoshamanism" by José Maria Poveda, doctor, on May 9 at the same time. And finally "Shamanism today" by Michel Perrin, anthropologist, on May 20 at the same time.

As for the educational programme with the exhibition, there will be school visits from Tuesdays to Fridays at arranged times, commented visits for the general public from Tuesdays to Saturdays at 6 p.m. and family visits on Saturdays Mary 15, April 26 and May 24 at 11.30 a.m. To participate in the educational activities you need to register by calling telephone 971 178 512.

The entrance is free and visiting times are from Tuesday to Saturday from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. Sundays and holidays from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Mondays closed.

More information:

Fundación "la Caixa"
Plaça de Weyler, 3
07001 Palma
Telephone: 971 17 85 00
Fax: 971 72 21 20
e.mail: ccpalma.fundacio@lacaixa.es
http://fundacio.lacaixa.es

Photo: Front page of the leaflet published by La Caixa. The piece in the photo is a pendant of a lobster-man.

Datum: 14/02/2003

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