Devotional Art June 4, 2009

The "Las Cruces Collects" exhibition, now showing at the Las Cruces Museum of Art, offers a rare look into the private art collections of area residents, with a wide variety of objects to see. The collection of Richard and Toby White, for example, focuses on Ethiopian Coptic art, but also includes devotional art from Lithuania and the Southwest. Come learn the colorful tales behind these religious artifacts, on display through Saturday, August 22nd.

The origin of the White's interest in artistic objects goes back to their college years, when they lived near the Boston Museum of Fine Arts. After college, the Whites were fortunate to have the opportunity to work, live, and travel in many different countries. While living in Ethiopia, their collecting habits began to change and become more refined. They were fascinated with the country and its people and started spending hours in markets and out of the way shops looking for things to collect.

Now, their collection spans much more than Ethiopian culture and is highly personal in nature. The collection reminds them of important parts of the story of their lives. Mr. White states that, "we are doing our best to tame the collections ability to keep growing. But as with most good intentions, this one is much more easily stated in words than put into practice."

Highlights from the collection include two retablos from northern Mexico and an array of crosses from Ethiopia and Lithuania, with dating from the 14th to 20th century. A historical map of Africa from the Theatrum Orbis Terrarum by Abraham Ortelius (the first true atlas, printed in England in 1606) is also on display. Abraham Ortelius is regarded as one of the finest cartographers from antiquity and certainly the most prominent of the 16th century. His concern for accuracy and attention to detail make his beautiful maps both intriguing and aesthetically pleasing.

Exhibition hours are Monday-Friday, 10AM - 4PM, and Saturday, 9AM - 1PM. Admission is free. Funded by the City of Las Cruces, the Las Cruces Museum of Art is located at 491 North Main Street, at the north end of the Downtown Mall. Call 541-2137, or visit http://museums.las-cruces.org, for more information on museum exhibitions and Studio Program art classes.