SAVANNAH, GA. – OCT. 6, 2022 – Savannah African Art Museum will continue its fall workshops lineup, slated to run through Saturday, Dec. 10. The series’ theme focuses on past and present-day use of African symbols in African art and culture, as well as pop culture. All workshops will be held on Saturdays from 11am – 1pm at the Savannah African Art Museum, 2nd floor of the Terracotta Gallery Workshop Room, at 201 E. 37th Street/corner of Abercorn Street.
The Oct. 8 workshop will consist of a tour of the Cowrie Shell Exhibit and creating bracelets with cowrie shells, beads, and other materials. Those who have seen the film “Woman King,” may have noticed the Dahomey Warriors were adorned in cowrie shells. Come and learn more about the origin of the shells, their prestige, economic, cultural, sacred significance, and importance. See the beautiful artwork of West & Central Africa created with them.
Patrons of the Nov. 12 workshop will receive a tour of the King Ibrahim Njoya Exhibit & create a short basic comic strip. Many were fans of the “Black Panther” Marvel comic before it became a 2018 blockbuster film and highly anticipated sequel with a Nov. 11 release date. Note the creative symbols (jewelry, colors, etc.) used to represent characters, themes, etc. Come join us to learn about this historic king and his creation of a writing system using symbols to maintain the Bamum people’s culture, which is still used today; and learn about his nephew, Africa’s first comic book author.
Rounding out the last of the fall workshops is the Kwanzaa banner workshop on Dec. 10. Attendees will design and decorate a Kwanzaa banner for their home or as a Kwanzaa gift. Kwanzaa is an African American and Pan-African celebration based on the agricultural harvest celebrations of Africa called “First Fruits,” which are times of harvest, ingathering, reverence, commemoration, recommitment, and celebration. Harvest festivals are celebrated all over Africa and are filled with lots of music, singing, and dancing, with dancers adorned in traditional masks and costumes, some of what is seen in the museum’s collection. Come learn the roots of this African American cultural celebration and how it is celebrated while making a keepsake or a gift.
“This fall, we are enjoying a lineup of hands-on and informative workshops for people of ages of 6-up to participate in, Education Coordinator Lisa Jackson said. “Seeing people engaged during our workshops as they embrace more about African art and culture, is one of the many reasons we love doing what we do.”
To register for the workshops, please visit the Eventbrite link located under the desired workshop’s page on SAAMs website at www.savannahafricanartmuseum.org/
The Savannah African Art Museum is a non-profit institution devoted to spreading awareness and appreciation of African culture. They hold a collection of over 1,000 objects that hail from West and Central Africa. The museum’s collection spans over 28 countries and represents over 180 cultures.
For more information about the museum, access virtual tours, workshops, and initiatives, please visits www.savannahafricanartmuseum.org or follow the museum on Facebook, YouTube, Instagram, and Pinterest using the handle @SavannahAfricanArtMuseum.
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